Analytical Services
Chemistry, Tea Technology, Pesticide Residue, Pathology and Physiology Divisions at TRI and Chemical Laboratory, Regional Centre, Coonoor extend comprehensive analytical services while laboratories in other regional centres possess very limited analytical facilities. TRI also carry out field bioefficacy trials and residue quantification in tea necessary for the registration of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and plant growth regulators.
Service to Small Growers
The regional centres of UPASI TRF offer services to small tea growers by extending free advice and analytical services. In the Nilgiris where the small growers are concentrated, the UPASI KVK takes up this work. Help is also extended to government farms and tribal cooperatives. The UPASI KVK extends its services to the small growers, bought leaf factories and Indcoserve factories in the Nilgiris.
Facilities are available for the following analysis:
C.Soil Amendments
| SOIL | |
| pH & EC | K(MnO4 -N) |
| Organic matter (OM) | pH, EC, OM, P, K, Ca & Mg |
| pH, EC & OM | Mechanical analysis of soils |
| Available & Exchangeable nutrients | K, Ca & Mg |
| pH, EC, OM & K | Micronutrients (Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu) |
| pH, EC, OM & P | Nitrite |
| pH, EC, OM, P & Mg | pH, EC, P, Mg |
| OM, P / P& K | OM,P,K |
| pH, EC, OM, P& K | Nitrate N or Ammoniacal N |
| pH, EC, OM, P, Ca & Mg | pH,EC,P |
| pH, EC, OM, K, Ca & Mg | pH,EC,K |
| pH, EC, OM, Ca & Mg | Water holding capacity / Field capacity of soils |
| P, K, Ca & Mg | Cation exchange capacity (CEC) |
| Exch. Sulphur | Degree of potassium saturation (DKS) |
| Total N | Bulk density |
| Total K | Phosphorus and Potassium fixing capacity for soils |
| pH, EC, P, Ca & Mg | Eelworm estimation |
| Available P & Total P | |
| FERTILIZERS / MANURES | |
| Identification-qualitative tests | Organic manures- pH, EC, C, N, P & K |
| Quantitative analysis of straight fertilisers | Organic manure – C, N, P, K |
| Quantitative N, K and Mg analysis | Organic manure pH, EC, C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg |
| Quantitative N and K analysis | Micro nutrient /S in Organic manure |
| Quantitative N, P and K analysis | Nursery Mixture N, P, K, Mg & Zn |
| Quantitative N, P, K and Mg analysis | Magnesium silicate |
| N, P, K, Mg and Ca | Purity tests of Zinc sulphate(Comprehensive on all aspects with special reference to tea) |
| Sodium only / K only | Magnesium sulphate /Manganese sulphate and Boric acid |
| Biuret in urea | Secondary and micronutrients-microfood fertilizers Zn, Mn, B, Na, Fe & Mg |
| C alone/Nitrogen content in organic manure | Zn, Mn, Fe & Cu in fertilizers |
| Organic manure-C, N & C/N alone | Multi K (KNO3) |
| Organic manures-N, P & K/pH, EC, C & N/C, N & Moisture | |
| Liming materials | Iron Pyrite (S) |
| Aluminium sulphate | Calcium oxide |
| Gypsum (Purity & S) | |
| D. FUNGICIDES | |
| Copper oxy chloride formulation | Copper sulphate |
| Nickel chloride formulation | Hexaconazole formulation |
| E. PESTICIDES | |
| Content of formulation | |
| F. WEEDICIDES | |
| Content of formulation | |
| G. MISCELLANEOUS | |
| Purity tests, not comprehensive on all aspects but with special reference to tea | Micronutrients content in leaf sample |
| Ash samples | 2,4-D( qualitative) |
| Wetting agents EC and surface tension only | Water quality(pH, EC, HC03, C03, Ca, Mg and Na) |
| Moisture content | Water (pH, EC, Ca, Mg, Na, K, C03, HC03, CI, SO4 2-, SAR & micronutrients |
| Neem oil in neem cake | Starch reserve in roots (quantitative) |
| Phosphorus/Potassium/Sulphur content in leaf sample | Endogenous ABA and GA3 analysis |
| Nitrogen content in leaf | PCR analysis of accessions (Unit of 5 Replicates) |
| N,P and K/NK analysis in leaf sample | Enzyme substrate ratio analysis(Unit of 5 Replicates) |
| N,P,K,Ca & Mg in leaf sample | |
| H. MADE TEA | |
| Moisture content | Total polyphenols |
| Water extract | Total catechin |
| Crude fibre | Total amino acid |
| TF,TR, HPS & TLC | Total lipid |
| Ash content | Soluble sugar |
| Iron filings/Cu/Zn content | Catechin fractions (using HPLC) |
| Caffeine (using HPLC) | VFC (using GC) |
| Tannin | Pesticide residues |
| Microscopic examination | Analysis of dicofol/DDT residues |
| Complete PFA specification | |
| I. MICROFLORA / SPORE LOAD | |
| Enumeration of micro flora (Spore load / Viability ) from made tea/soil/ bio fertilizer/organic compost quality checking of bioformulations (liquid / solid) | |
| J. IDENTIFICATION OF DISEASED SPECIMENS | |
| Identification of diseased specimens | |
| K. CALIBRATION OF EQUIPMENTS | |
| Thermo hygrograph | pH meter |
| Moisture meter | |
| L. FIELD TRIALS | |
| Field evaluation of pesticide/ weedicide/ fungicide. | |
| Field evaluation of PGR. | |
| Field evaluation of fertilizer/micronutrient /bio fertilizer. | |
| Field evaluation of PGR / fertilizer/ micronutrient / bio fertilizer coupled with determination of physiological parameters or quality parameters. | |
| Field evaluation of PGR / fertilizer / micronutrient/ Bio fertilizer coupled with determination of quality and physiological parameters. | |
| Field trial for preparation of black tea samples for residue analysis. | |
| Field trial for preparation of black tea and dried green leaf for residue studies. | |
| Field trial for residues and analysis of residues in black tea. | |
| Field trial for residues and analysis of residues in black tea and dried green leaf. | |
| Taint test | |
| Phytotoxicity test | |
| Field study on effect of pesticide on natural enemies of pests | |
| Microplot tests for pesticide / weedicidesss | |
| Lab bioefficacy tests | |
| Packaging trial on made tea. | |
| Enzyme trials on quality improvement of tea. | |
Training programmes
TRF organizes training programmes on situation warranted relevant topics as well as on entire gamut of tea cultivation for the benefit of executives, field staff and work force. Factory staff benefited through the training programme on tea manufacture.
Industrial training
UPASI TRI offers short-term industrial training programme in biotechnology, biochemistry and microbiology to the under graduate and post graduate students belonging to various academic institutions at nominal cost. Students (M.Sc./B.Tech. Biotech) preferred to do their project work as an integral part of their course also given opportunity at TRI to complete their curriculum for a period of maximum three months. Lectures are delivered by subject experts for the benefit of students from universities and colleges visiting the TRI.