Biofertilizer for Tea in India (2026): Mycorrhiza Dose per Acre, Cost and the Pruning-Cycle Schedule

Short answer: For tea (Camellia sinensis) on acidic, phosphorus-fixing soils, apply Mycorrhiza VAM at 100 g of powder per acre (about ₹250 per acre) or 2–3 L of liquid per acre (about ₹232–₹348 per acre), placed around the feeder-root zone after pruning when new roots are flushing. Add NPK+VAM Consortia if you also want to reduce part of the chemical nitrogen and potash bill.

In tea, mycorrhiza pays off only when it goes on after pruning, into moist soil near active feeder roots, with no fungicide drench in the following 7–10 days.

Reference prices (Oct 2026, incl. GST, free delivery): Mycorrhiza VAM Powder 1 Kg is ₹2,499 (6000 IP/gm; 1 kg covers about 10 acres). Mycorrhiza VAM Liquid 50 Ltr is ₹5,800 (₹116 per litre). NPK+VAM Consortia 50 Ltr is ₹4,699 (₹94 per litre).

Why tea is a good host for VAM

Tea is a perennial with a fine, shallow feeder-root network, grown mostly on acidic soils (pH roughly 4.5–5.5) where applied phosphorus is quickly locked up by iron and aluminium. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi extend thin threads beyond the root and reach phosphorus the root cannot. That is the whole logic of using VAM here: not to add phosphorus, but to make the phosphorus already in the soil and in your fertiliser more reachable.

Our liquid VAM carries Glomus intraradices and Glomus mosseae at a minimum of 100 spore / 1200 IP per ml, against an FCO 1985 minimum of 10, with root colonisation of 70% or more as the target. Colonisation takes about 2–3 weeks, so judge the result at day 21, not day 5.

The pruning-cycle schedule

1. After pruning or skiffing (new root flush)

Pruning triggers a flush of new shoots and feeder roots. This is the best window. Apply VAM in a ring about 30–45 cm from the bush base, scratch it in lightly and irrigate or apply when soil is moist.

2. Young tea and gap filling

For new planting, dip roots of nursery plants in 10 ml of liquid VAM per litre of water for 30 minutes, or mix powder into the planting pit. Young bushes build the fungal network that older plants then rely on.

3. Established sections

Repeat once a year in the main growth season for mature sections; drip-fertigated estates can split the liquid dose into two applications.

Dose and cost per acre

Powder: 100 g per acre, so a ₹2,499 kg covers about 10 acres (about ₹250 per acre). Liquid: 2–3 L per acre in 200 L of water as a drench (₹232–₹348 per acre). NPK+VAM Consortia: use as a soil drench or through fertigation alongside, at the label dose, as a partial supplement to chemical nitrogen and potash rather than a total replacement.

Four rules that decide whether it works

First, keep a 7–10 day gap from fungicides such as Carbendazim, Mancozeb or copper sprays or drenches, because VAM is a fungus. Second, avoid applying on bone-dry soil or in standing water. Third, check your Soil Health Card: if available phosphorus is rated High, expect little response. Fourth, keep stock in shade below about 30 °C and use liquid within its 18-month shelf life.

How to check it worked

At day 21, gently lift two bushes' surface feeder roots from a treated row and an untreated strip. Treated roots should show more fine white roots. A lab colonisation percentage is the definite test; the visual check is only an indicator.

Frequently asked questions

How much mycorrhiza does one acre of tea need?

100 g of powder or 2–3 L of liquid per acre, applied once after pruning.

How much does it cost per acre?

About ₹250 per acre with the powder and ₹232–₹348 per acre with the liquid at current prices.

Can I apply it with fertiliser?

Yes, but apply VAM first and fertiliser after, and avoid heavy DAP concentrations in the same tank.

Is it FCO compliant?

Yes. Orgogrowth Mycorrhiza complies with FCO 1985 and is made in an ISO 9001:2015 certified unit in Mehsana, Gujarat.

Results vary with soil, variety and management; this is general agronomic guidance, not a guaranteed outcome.