A comparison of soil enzyme activities in forest and tea (Camellia sinensis) plantation soil samples

Soil-enzyme activities with respect to rhodanese, phosphatase, and cellulase of samples obtained from land under tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] cultivation and neighbouring forest land form 3 major tea growing areas of India were evaluated in 1992. The study showed a decreasing trend in cellulase activity in the plantation samples of Assam and Nilgiris compared with the forest samples of that region. Rhodanese activity in the Dooars region was higher in plantation samples but lower in Assam and Nilgiri samples. For phosphatase, the samples from forest of Assann showed a higher activity than the corresponding plantation samples of the region. In all others the phosphatase activity was higher in the plantation samples. Organic carbon values did not appear to have any relationship with cellulase activity detected in the samples. Grouping the samples on basis of yield of tea did not bring about any relationship between yield of tea and enzyme activity pertaining to the enzymes evaluated.