Tea (Camellia sinensis) as an Alternative Crop for Central...
Transcript of Tea (Camellia sinensis) as an Alternative Crop for Central...
Tea (Camellia sinensis) as an Alternative Crop for Central Florida
James Orrock* (1), Brantlee Spakes Richter (1), BalaRathinasabapathi (2)
(1) University of Florida, Department of Plant Pathology, Gainesville, FL, USA (2) University of Florida, Horticultural Sciences Department, Gainesville, FL, USA
Project Background
Project#: 00125629
James Orrock
Brantlee Spakes Richter
“Saba” Rathinasabapathi
Objectives and Acknowledgments
• Can tea grow successfully in Florida?
• What varieties and accessions will grow best in Florida’s unique climate?
• Identification of potential pathogens
• Overview– Site Background
– Pruning
– Survival results
– Plant growth and yield
– Anthracnose
• Acknowledgements– Kristen Sandsted
– Yang Yue
New Crop Emergence
Photos (L to R): Bob Mullica, Larry Jordan, OakleyOriginals, Victor Fazio, Jean tuka108 on Flickr
Optimal Conditions for Tea Production
• Evergreen shrub
– High humidity
– Temperatures 60-85F (16-30C)
– Sandy, well drained, acidic, high OM soils
– Shade
Photo: www.sephi.com Munar, Kerala, India
Photo: www.indiawrites.org Assam, India
Photo: www.dammann.fr Fujian, China
Pinehurst Tea Plantation, 1898
Hawaii:US’s only extension-
supported tea industryGreat Mississippi Tea Co.(working towards Organic
cert.)
>10,000 Plants
> 1,000 Plants
Fairhope Tea Plantation(Orig. Lipton Research
Facility)
Pinehurst Tea Plantation, 1888-1915
Charleston Tea Plantation, 1987-2003
Bigelow, 2003-Present
Tea Cultivation in the U.S.
Tea in Florida
Waverly Tea Estate600 plants
Raindrop Gardens160+ plants
30 plants
Green Tea PlantsNursery
Site information• Irrigated every morning and afternoon
for 30 mins – rate of 15 gallons per 100’ of irrigation line
• Fertigated daily and once annual (spring) slow release application– typical industry levels of fertilizer at a rate of
6lbs of N, 8.5lbs of S and 7 lbs of K per acre per week
• row spacing 75 cm (between plants) x 150 cm (between rows)
Our Cultivars Accessions
MS-BL MS-FH MS-GEO MS-SL
CF-AS CF-CH CF-LL CF-QB
20 July 2017 (4 mo. after pruning)
Pruning
• Left unpruned, tea will grow into a tree
• Pruning cycles are adapted to a growing regions wet/dry and warm/cold seasons. – A Florida specific protocol is
needed
– Cultivar architecture, grower objectives, etc…
• 1st Prune = March 2017– Decentering prune (pruned plants
to approx. 8” above ground)
• 2nd Prune = November 2017– Framing prune (Development of 3
evenly spaced branches, 18” above ground)
www.tocklai.org
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.10.041
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Survival from Original Planting2016 2017 2018
Heat Stress?
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Pruned Biomass (per plant)Mar-17 Nov-17
• Late frost damage from March 18 data
• Wet weight is pre-processed weight
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Tea Market
• 2016 Global consumption exceeded production
– Consumption growing at ~5%/yr
– Production growing at ~2%/yr
– Medical research backs up health promotion potential of green tea
• US is 3rd largest importer
– Ready-to-Drink (↑6% in 2015)
– Specialty teas (↑10%/yr)
Tea Market
Emerging Industry Challenges
• Flavor Components & Taste Testing
• Plant Selections & Cultivar Development
• Strategic Marketing
Questions?
12 Sept 2017
Anthracnose of Tea
• A known problem in other tea producing countries.
• More tolerant varieties exist in other countries.
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MS FH MS Geo MS SL
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Average Severity and Weather
Future Directions• Heat tolerance
• Other potential pathogens
• Phenolics (Do some varieties have more polyphenols?)
• Identification of accessions to start production of Florida cultivars
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PS2 EfficiencyFairhopeSmall LeafBig Leaf