Tea is one of the most popular and inexpensive
beverages. It is manufactured from young shoots
comprising two to three leaves and a bud of commercially
grown tea plant (Camellia.sp.) (Baby, 2004). The majority
of fungi and bacteria present in soils are considered to be
beneficial to higher plants by breakdown and release of
minerals from organic matter present in the soil resulting
in essential element availability increases to higher
plants. Degradation of plant and animal matter (the
releasing and binding of nutrients and trace elements) is
one of the most important functions of soil
microorganisms. When organic matter, such as compost
or wood residuals, is added to topsoil, the natural organic
matter content is raised considerably and it increases
food source (carbon) availability for beneficial soil
microorganisms (Munten, 2005). Cellulose from major
land plants as forest trees and cotton is assembled from
glucose, which is produced in the living plant cell from
photosynthesis (Bernfeld, 1955).