What are the excellent tea plant varieties? Introduction to common varieties

Breeding and promoting excellent tea plant varieties is a fundamental measure for improving tea quality and yield and increasing the economic benefits of tea growing. A large amount of production practice and scientific research results prove that selecting excellent tea plant varieties has multiple effects in tea production:

First, it can increase yield. Tea yield is determined by comprehensive factors such as the number and weight of buds and leaves per unit area, the growth speed of buds and leaves during the annual growth period (cyclicity), and the length of the vegetative growth period. Under the same conditions, different varieties have different yield factors, so yield performance varies from high to low. Under relatively consistent environmental conditions and management levels, excellent tea plant varieties can increase yield by 20-60% compared with ordinary varieties, and some can even exceed double;

Second, improve quality. The relevant chemical components contained in tea buds and leaves are the material basis for the color, aroma, and taste of finished tea, and their appearance is also directly related to the traits of the buds and leaves;

Third, improve the stress resistance of tea plants. Excellent tea plant varieties have varying degrees of resistance to drought, freezing cold, and pests and diseases. The strength of tea plant resistance mainly depends on the heredity of the variety;

Fourth, planting according to an appropriate proportion of early, medium, and late bud varieties can regulate tea-picking labor and improve the utilization rate of tea-making equipment; fifth, it is conducive to improving tea-picking efficiency and realizing mechanized tea picking. In the same excellent variety tea garden, traits such as the early or late sprouting, fast or slow growth, bush height, and bud and leaf size are relatively consistent, so labor efficiency is improved and mechanical tea picking operations are easy to carry out.

Advanced cultivation technical measures and tea-making process technologies must all pass through the tea plant and its buds and leaves to fully play their role. Only when the tea plant variety itself has the genetic traits of high quality and high yield can the goal of high quality and high yield be achieved.

Chongqing and Sichuan are rich in tea plant variety resources, and variety work has a considerable foundation, but at present the popularization rate of excellent tea plant varieties is very low, the phenomenon of mixed varieties is still very serious, and the promotion of excellent varieties is quite weak. From the perspective of tea production development strategy, a fine variety breeding system should be established and improved as soon as possible, giving full play to the advantage of abundant variety resources in Chongqing and Sichuan, gradually increasing the proportion of excellent variety tea gardens according to tea category zoning and variety layout, and fundamentally improving the natural quality of tea, so as to enhance the position of strength in fierce competition.

1. Brief introduction to major excellent tea plant varieties

(1) Local varieties: tea plant varieties formed under certain natural environmental conditions through long-term natural evolution and artificial selection, with broad adaptability to local conditions. The main local varieties cultivated in the local tea areas include: Zaobaijian, Chongqing Pipa Tea, Niupi Tea, Nanjiang Daye Tea, etc.

Zaobaijian: belongs to the shrub type, medium-leaf category, early-sprouting variety. It sprouts early, has much pubescence, and has strong adaptability. The spring tea picking period is 10-15 days earlier than local general population varieties, the yield is about 10% higher, and the annual growth period is about 250 days. It is suitable for making high-grade famous tea and high-quality green tea. The congou black tea made from it once won a gold award in an international food competition.

Chongqing Pipa Tea: belongs to the arbor type, large-leaf category, early-sprouting variety. It has vigorous growth and strong stress resistance. The spring tea picking period is about 15 days earlier than local general population varieties, the yield is more than 40% higher, and the black tea made from it is of excellent quality, with a "Dianhong" flavor.

Niupi Tea: belongs to the shrub type, large-leaf category, medium-sprouting variety. The buds and leaves are plump and strong, and the finished tea is resistant to multiple infusions and has a chestnut aroma. The spring tea picking period is 7-10 days earlier than general population varieties, and the yield is more than 30% higher. It is suitable for making black tea and green tea.

Nanjiang Daye Tea: belongs to the shrub type, medium-leaf category, early-bud variety. It has strong bud-growing ability, vigorous growth, and strong adaptability. The spring tea picking period is about 10 days earlier than local general population varieties, and the yield is about 30% higher. It is suitable for making green tea and congou black tea.

(2) Introduced varieties: varieties introduced and domesticated from other provinces. Introducing excellent varieties can make up for certain deficiencies of local varieties and can enrich the tea plant resources of the local tea area. For example, Yunnan Daye Tea has a high content of polyphenolic components and rich inclusions, and has played a significant role in improving the quality of broken black tea; Fuding Dabaicha is a relatively good variety for processing famous tea. In addition, introduced varieties in the local tea area also include Qianmei 419, 502, Fuyun No. 6, etc.

Yunnan Daye Tea: belongs to the arbor type, large-leaf category, medium-bud variety. It originated in southwestern Yunnan Province. When cultivated in southeastern Sichuan, its unit yield is about 60% higher than local general population varieties. The black tea made from it is of excellent quality, and the green tea made from it is a superior raw material for processing Tuo tea and Pu'er tea.

Fuding Dabaicha: belongs to the shrub type, medium-leaf category, early-sprouting variety. It originated in Fuding County, Fujian Province. It has high yield, an early spring tea picking period, much white pubescence on the finished tea, and strong adaptability. It is distributed in tea areas throughout the country. It is a green tea variety propagated by vegetative propagation, and the black tea made from it is also relatively good in quality.

Qianmei 419: belongs to the small arbor type, large-leaf category, late-sprouting variety. It was bred by the Guizhou Meitan Tea Research Institute. It has relatively strong resistance to pests and diseases, high yield, a long growth period, and good tenderness retention of buds and leaves. It is suitable for making black tea and has excellent quality.

Qianmei 502: belongs to the small arbor type, large-leaf category, medium-sprouting variety. It was bred by the Guizhou Meitan Tea Research Institute. It has vigorous growth, forms a garden quickly, and has good tenderness retention of buds and leaves. It is suitable for making black tea and has excellent quality.

Fuyun No. 6: belongs to the small arbor type, large-leaf category, early-sprouting variety. It was bred by the Fujian Tea Research Institute. It has much pubescence, strong sprouting ability, fast growth, and strong adaptability. It is suitable for making black tea and green tea.

(3) Newly bred varieties: new varieties that are selected through different breeding methods to screen out excellent materials, then undergo comparative trials, resistance trials, tea-making process trials, and other processes, select variety materials with relatively large breakthroughs in some aspect compared with existing varieties, undergo regional trials, and then apply for approval by crop variety approval committees at all levels. The Chongqing Tea Research Institute has bred national-level new tea plant varieties including Shuyong No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, 307, 401, 703, 808, and 906; and provincial-level new tea plant varieties including Zaobaijian No. 5, Chongpi 71--1, Nanjiang No. 1, and No. 2. A brief introduction is given below.

Shuyong No. 1: belongs to the small arbor type, medium-leaf category, medium-sprouting variety. It has a relatively long growth period, high yield, and resistance to tea tarsonemid mites. The black tea made from it has good quality, high and lasting aroma, bright red liquor color, a fairly strong taste, and a bright red leaf base; the green tea made from it shows silvery pekoe and has a fresh and strong aroma and taste. It is a variety used for both black and green tea. The new shoots of this variety mature relatively quickly, so they should be picked in time when they reach the standard.

Shuyong No. 2: belongs to the small arbor type, large-leaf category, medium-sprouting variety. It grows fast, has vigorous growth, high yield, and strong tenderness retention of buds and leaves. The black tea made from it is of excellent quality, and it is a high-quality, high-yield black tea variety. When this variety is made into broken black tea, "fermentation" is especially fast, and during processing it must be put into the dryer immediately when "fermentation" reaches the appropriate degree.

Shuyong No. 3: belongs to the small arbor type, large-leaf category, early-sprouting variety. The buds and leaves have much pubescence, strong tenderness retention, the garden forms quickly, and unit yield is high. It is a high-quality, high-yield variety with a wide range of adaptability and relatively strong resistance, used for both black and green tea.

Shuyong 307: belongs to the small arbor type, large-leaf category, medium-sprouting variety. The new shoots have strong tenderness retention, much pubescence that is relatively short, high unit yield, and strong cold resistance. The finished tea has a fresh and brisk taste and good quality, with the advantage of being suitable for both black and green tea.

Shuyong 401: belongs to the small arbor type, large-leaf category, medium-sprouting variety. The garden forms rapidly, and the bud-growing ability is relatively strong with neat sprouting. It is a high-quality, high-yield variety with strong resistance and a wide range of adaptability, used for both black and green tea.

Shuyong 703: belongs to the small arbor type, large-leaf category, early-sprouting variety. Its yield is especially high, and the buds and leaves are thick and strong with strong tenderness retention. The broken black tea made from it is excellent in color, aroma, and taste, and the green tea made from it is of excellent quality. This variety has high autumn tea yield, so autumn fertilizer should be applied in a timely manner.

Shuyong 808: belongs to the small arbor type, large-leaf category, late-sprouting variety. Its yield is especially high, the garden forms quickly, and it has strong resistance to tea tarsonemid mites. The black tea made from it has a fresh and brisk aroma; the green tea made from it has a rich aroma and taste. It is a late-sprouting companion variety used for both black and green tea.

Shuyong 906: belongs to the small arbor type, medium-leaf category, medium-sprouting variety. The buds and leaves are neat and fresh green. The broken black tea made from it is strong, intense, fresh, and brisk; the green tea made from it has a relatively strong taste, is resistant to multiple infusions, and has a tender, even, and bright leaf base. This variety has a large proportion of spring tea, so attention should be paid to applying spring fertilizer appropriately.

Zaobaijian No. 5: belongs to the shrub type, medium-leaf category, early-sprouting variety. It has high unit yield, strong adaptability, resistance to the small green leafhopper, and moderate resistance to gray blight and annellated leaf spot. The famous tea made from it has tight, elegant strips, is emerald green and covered with pubescence, and has a lasting tender aroma; the green tea made from it has a strong and fresh taste and a delicate fragrance; the broken black tea made from it has a mellow and rich aroma, a strong and intense taste, and a bright red leaf base. It is an excellent variety for making famous tea, green tea, and black tea.

Chongpi 71--1: belongs to the small arbor type, medium-leaf category, early-to-medium-sprouting variety. It has high yield, strong cold resistance, and a wide suitable planting range. The green tea made from it has a lasting chestnut aroma; the black tea made from it has a strong and intense taste and a pure aroma. It is a black and green tea dual-use variety with a high-aroma type.

Nanjiang No. 1: belongs to the shrub type, medium-leaf category, early-sprouting variety. It has dense branching, fast growth, strong tenderness retention of new shoots, cold tolerance, and moderate resistance to the small green leafhopper. The green tea made from it has a lasting delicate fragrance, a mellow taste, and green liquor; the broken black tea made from it has a pure aroma, red liquor, and a strong taste. It is an excellent variety suitable for making high-quality, high-grade green tea and black tea.

Nanjiang No. 2: belongs to the shrub type, medium-leaf category, early-bud variety. It has dense branching, neat sprouting, strong growth and tenderness retention, high unit yield, cold tolerance, and relatively wide adaptability. The green tea made from it has a lasting aroma with a chestnut note and a tender green, bright liquor color. It is suitable for making famous tea and high-quality green tea.