Das, PriyankaGoswami, Naina2023-10-262023-10-262021https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810199705In the present study, factory tea waste and garden tea waste (pruned leaf) were collected from Cinnamara Tea Estate, Jorhat and tea garden of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat for production of biochar and to extract crude TRIA and to know their properties and effects on plant growth, respectively. Garden tea waste (pruned leaf) was used for extraction ofcrude n-triacontanol (TRIA) using conventional Soxhlet extraction method. Yield of crude TRIA was 4.45%, on dry weight basis. The potential of crude n -triacontanol as a plant growth regulator for brinjal plant was explored and compared with the commercial TRIA (Miraculan). In terms of plant height, flower count, leaf count, chlorophyll content and mineral content (N%, P%, K%) of leaves, crude ntriacontanol extract (petroleum ether extract) showed better results than the control (distilled water). Factory tea waste was used for the production of biochar using pyrolysis. Biochar was produced by two method using charring device (Method 1) and muffle furnace (Method 2). The yield of biochar was from 71.07% to 77.21%. There were significant differences among the biochar prepared by the two methods regarding the physical and chemical properties. It was observed that the percent moisture content, bulk density, apparent water holding capacity of biochar prepared from charring device (Method 1) was 6.1%, 0.19 g/cm3, 80.17%, respectively and from the muffle furnace (Method 2) was 3.34%, 0.21g/cm3, 84.67%, respectively. Additionally, chemical properties like percent total carbon content, nitrogen content, phosphorus content, potassium content, cation exchange capacity, crude fibre and pH for method 1 was 50.9%, 3.94%, 0.0377%, 0.071%, 11.87 cmole/kg, 1.63% and 7.88 respectively and for the method 2 was 60.24%, 4.54%, 0.0441%, 0.073%, 15.77 cmole/kg, 1.13% and 7.9, respectively. The present study revealed that the waste leaves from the pruned branches possess plant growth promoting properties, which may be commercially exploited in the form of crude extract. Production of biochar using factory tea waste may also be a good option for carbon sequestration and also for soil application for crop growth.EnglishThesis