Lumami, July 28: A collaborative team of researchers from Nagaland University and other research institutes across the country have studied how seasonal variations in climate affected soil microbial communities and enzyme activities across five representative tea estates in Jorhat, Assam.

The study provides new insights into how climate variability, soil health, and microbial activities are interconnected, which has implications for sustainable and climate-resilient tea cultivation in North-East India.

Tea productivity and quality have become increasingly affected by climate variability. Soil microorganisms and enzymes play a crucial role in balancing soil fertility and nutrient cycling. However, there is limited information on how climate change is affecting the biological processes of tea plantations in Northeast India.

In order to address this gap, the researchers conducted a comprehensive multi-year assessment of seasonal bacteria in soil and fungal communities and other associated enzymes. The study offers one of the first comprehensive multi-year assessments of seasonal microbial dynamics across several tea estates in Assam.

The study has integrated microbiological, biochemical, climatic and advanced statistical analyses within a single research framework. The researchers used probability distribution fitting, correlation analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis  to understand ecological variability and characterise soil biological responses under different climatic conditions.

Congratulating the research team for this significant scientific contribution, Prof. Jagadish Kumar Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor, Nagaland University, said, 

“The study provides valuable insights into how climate variability influences soil microbial communities and biological health in Assam's tea plantations. Such research is vital for developing sustainable and climate-resilient tea cultivation practices in North-East India. This study also reinforces Nagaland University’s commitment to advancing research that addresses regional environmental challenges and supports sustainable agricultural development.”

Researchers have identified climatic conditions that support microbial activity and demonstrated strong positive relationships between microbial abundance and soil enzyme activities. It is also found that more than 80% of variability in the biological data was explained by the first three principal components, demonstrating the robustness of the statistical analyses.

Hierarchical cluster analysis successfully grouped tea estates based on microbial and enzymatic characteristics. The study establishes soil microbial communities and enzyme activities as sensitive indicators of environmental change and sustainable tea production.

The study will support climate-resilient tea production systems by improving soil health monitoring using biological indicators. The research also contributes to tea growers optimizing nutrient management and sustainable cultivation practices. The research may also provide scientific evidence for policymakers and agricultural extension agencies working to promote sustainable agriculture and strengthen the long-term resilience of India's tea sector.

Explaining the study, Co-Author of this Study Prof. Tanmoy Karak, Department of Soil Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, said,

“We attempted to determine seasonal thresholds that favour beneficial microbial communities and also understand how climatic variables regulate soil biological processes. The study establishes soil microbial communities and enzyme activities as sensitive indicators of environmental change and sustainable tea production”

This research helps scientists:

⮚       Understand seasonal variations in soil bacterial and fungal populations

⮚       Provide scientific evidence to support sustainable tea cultivation in the face of changing climatic scenarios.

⮚       Develop strategies for climate-resilient tea production

The research team included Dr. Bobita Payeng, Research Scholar, Upper Assam Advisory Centre, Tea Research Association; Dr. Ranjit Kumar Paul, ICAR National Fellow, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi; Dr. Md. Yeasin, Scientist, ICAR-IASRI, New Delhi; Dr. Animesh Sarkar, Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University; Dr. C. S. Maiti, Professor, Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University; Dr. Saumik Panja, Scientist, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Dr. Manoj Dutta, Professor, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University; Dr. Rusha Pal, Scientist, University of Kansas Medical Center, USA; Dr. Diganta Deka, Senior Scientist, Terai Advisory Centre, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Tea Research Association, West Bengal; Dr. Harisadhan Malakar, Senior Scientist, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat, Assam; Dr. Jintu Dutta, Scientist, Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Jorhat, Assam; Dr. Jiban Saikia, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Dibrugarh University; Dr. Sagarika Das, Scientist-C, Diphu Medical College & Hospital; and Dr. Tanmoy Karak, Professor, Department of Soil Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University.