How to rationally select tea tree varieties for a new tea garden
Rational selection of tea tree varieties for a new tea garden
For variety selection in a newly built tea garden, rational selection and combination are mainly based on the local climate, geographical conditions, tea type production, consumption characteristics, enterprise product positioning, and the characteristics of tea tree varieties.
(1) The selected varieties should adapt to the local climate and soil conditions.
The expression of the characteristics of improved varieties is related to soil conditions, fertilizer and cultivation management level, planting and plucking methods, and other cultivation conditions. For example, Chaozhou Fenghuang Dancong tea has high yield in low-altitude tea areas with good soil fertility and cultivation management, but its quality is far inferior to that in high-altitude tea areas with much fog in the mountains. Therefore, when selecting varieties according to local conditions, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the local natural conditions and the characteristics of the varieties in order to avoid blindness.
(2) The selected varieties should be suitable for processing tea types that meet market demand, have high economic benefits, or have unique economic traits.
The economic benefits of tea are ultimately realized through market sales. Therefore, when selecting tea tree varieties, it is necessary to consider that the tea-type suitability of the selected varieties should be compatible with local market demand and enterprise product positioning. Generally speaking, the selected varieties should be provincial- or national-level improved varieties and have characteristics such as strong growth and propagation ability, strong adaptability, good stress resistance, high yield, and high quality. In addition, according to needs, certain unique economic traits of the varieties may be considered, such as high-aroma type, low-caffeine type, high-amino-acid type, high-tea-polyphenol type, and high-downy-hair type.
(3) Pay attention to the rational combination of varieties.
The rational combination of varieties mainly considers 3 aspects. First, pay attention to the rational combination of early-, middle-, and late-sprouting varieties. Different tea tree varieties differ obviously in the time of spring tea sprouting and plucking, and some may even differ by more than 1 month. By rationally combining early, middle, and late varieties, it is not only helpful to stagger the peak tea-plucking period and alleviate the contradiction of insufficient labor, but also possible to make full use of processing factories and mechanical equipment and reduce idleness and waste. More importantly, it can ensure that high-grade famous and excellent tea products are available throughout the entire spring tea period. Generally, the combination ratio of early, middle, and late varieties is 6:3:1 or 5:3:2. Second, pay attention to the rational combination of varieties with different stress resistance. After the rational combination of multiple varieties, the biodiversity of the tea garden ecosystem can be increased and the ability to resist natural disasters can be enhanced. Third, pay attention to the rational combination of varieties with different processing suitability. This includes two meanings. On the one hand, it refers to the rational combination of varieties that are suitable for processing the same type of tea but have different quality characteristics. Its significance lies in realizing the blending of product raw materials among varieties and complementary quality advantages. On the other hand, it refers to the rational combination of multiple varieties that are respectively suitable for processing different tea types (downy-hair green tea, low-downy-hair green tea, oolong tea, black tea). The advantage of doing so is that each type of variety has a certain area of tea garden, so multiple tea-type products can be developed to meet the increasingly diversified market demand for different tea-type products and improve economic benefits.
(1) The selected varieties should adapt to the local climate and soil conditions.
The expression of the characteristics of improved varieties is related to soil conditions, fertilizer and cultivation management level, planting and plucking methods, and other cultivation conditions. For example, Chaozhou Fenghuang Dancong tea has high yield in low-altitude tea areas with good soil fertility and cultivation management, but its quality is far inferior to that in high-altitude tea areas with much fog in the mountains. Therefore, when selecting varieties according to local conditions, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the local natural conditions and the characteristics of the varieties in order to avoid blindness.
(2) The selected varieties should be suitable for processing tea types that meet market demand, have high economic benefits, or have unique economic traits.
The economic benefits of tea are ultimately realized through market sales. Therefore, when selecting tea tree varieties, it is necessary to consider that the tea-type suitability of the selected varieties should be compatible with local market demand and enterprise product positioning. Generally speaking, the selected varieties should be provincial- or national-level improved varieties and have characteristics such as strong growth and propagation ability, strong adaptability, good stress resistance, high yield, and high quality. In addition, according to needs, certain unique economic traits of the varieties may be considered, such as high-aroma type, low-caffeine type, high-amino-acid type, high-tea-polyphenol type, and high-downy-hair type.
(3) Pay attention to the rational combination of varieties.
The rational combination of varieties mainly considers 3 aspects. First, pay attention to the rational combination of early-, middle-, and late-sprouting varieties. Different tea tree varieties differ obviously in the time of spring tea sprouting and plucking, and some may even differ by more than 1 month. By rationally combining early, middle, and late varieties, it is not only helpful to stagger the peak tea-plucking period and alleviate the contradiction of insufficient labor, but also possible to make full use of processing factories and mechanical equipment and reduce idleness and waste. More importantly, it can ensure that high-grade famous and excellent tea products are available throughout the entire spring tea period. Generally, the combination ratio of early, middle, and late varieties is 6:3:1 or 5:3:2. Second, pay attention to the rational combination of varieties with different stress resistance. After the rational combination of multiple varieties, the biodiversity of the tea garden ecosystem can be increased and the ability to resist natural disasters can be enhanced. Third, pay attention to the rational combination of varieties with different processing suitability. This includes two meanings. On the one hand, it refers to the rational combination of varieties that are suitable for processing the same type of tea but have different quality characteristics. Its significance lies in realizing the blending of product raw materials among varieties and complementary quality advantages. On the other hand, it refers to the rational combination of multiple varieties that are respectively suitable for processing different tea types (downy-hair green tea, low-downy-hair green tea, oolong tea, black tea). The advantage of doing so is that each type of variety has a certain area of tea garden, so multiple tea-type products can be developed to meet the increasingly diversified market demand for different tea-type products and improve economic benefits.