Introduction to Tea and Its Varietal Diversity

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is Thea classified as within the botanical classification system?

A section within the genus Camellia (correct)

A standalone genus

A hybrid of tea

A species of C. sinensis

Which wild non-tea species is mentioned as found in Japan?

C. sasanqua (correct)

C. assamica

C. japonica

C. sinensis

What geographical area is thought to be the probable origin of tea?

Sichuan Plateau

Lower Yangtze River

Irrawaddy River (correct)

Upper Indo-China

In which year did commercial plantings of tea in Assam begin?

1836 Signup and view all the answers

Which crop did extensive tea plantations replace in Ceylon?

Coffee Signup and view all the answers

In which decade did commercial tea production begin in Kenya?

1920s Signup and view all the answers

What was the initial period of experimental tea plantings in India?

1818-1834 Signup and view all the answers

When was tea first successfully introduced to East Africa?

1900 Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for tea's distinctive flavor?

Essential oils Signup and view all the answers

Which component of tea is found in the highest concentration in the bud and top leaf?

Polyphenols Signup and view all the answers

What is the moisture content of fresh manufactured tea?

3% Signup and view all the answers

What process oxidizes polyphenols into O-quinones during tea preparation?

Fermentation Signup and view all the answers

Which environmental factor is essential for good quality tea production?

Moderate rainfall Signup and view all the answers

Where is tea predominantly cultivated?

Subtropical and mountainous regions Signup and view all the answers

What happens to tea quality when coarse plucking is practiced?

It reduces overall quality Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between tea growth and temperature extremes?

Tea does not grow when temperatures are extreme Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the plucking table?

To control and monitor the harvesting process Signup and view all the answers

What type of plucking involves removing three or more leaves and the bud?

Coarse plucking Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of too light plucking?

Rapid rising of the plucking table Signup and view all the answers

Which combination of plucking terms is characterized by leaving some new foliage above the previous level?

Fine and light Signup and view all the answers

Why is hard plucking not sustainable long-term?

It prevents the development of new maintenance foliage Signup and view all the answers

What is described as 'fine' plucking?

Removal of one or two leaves and the bud Signup and view all the answers

The leaf standard set by the factory should be described as:

Flexible but informative Signup and view all the answers

What happens if plucking is entirely 'two leaves and a bud'?

It is impossible to achieve in practice Signup and view all the answers

What is the diameter size of the collar at which plants raised from seeds are ready for planting?

15 mm Signup and view all the answers

What should be the depth of the hole prepared for transplanting the rooted cutting?

40 cm Signup and view all the answers

What is the appropriate soil condition for planting to avoid puddling around new plants?

Damp Signup and view all the answers

How long should the rooted cutting have been acclimatized before transplanting?

3 – 6 months Signup and view all the answers

What type of weather should planting ideally be avoided?

Excessively wet Signup and view all the answers

What is done to the soil removed from the hole during transplanting?

Mixed with fertilizer Signup and view all the answers

What should be done to the plant immediately after planting?

Shade it with ferns Signup and view all the answers

What is the ideal state of the soil for planting, according to the guidelines?

Damp and cloudy Signup and view all the answers

What is the average green leaf production per hectare in 2009?

7000 kg/ha Signup and view all the answers

What is the range of tea leaf harvesting days?

7 to 15 days Signup and view all the answers

Which organization commands the highest productivity level at 11000 kg/ha?

Sorwathe Signup and view all the answers

At what altitude is tea primarily planted in Rwanda?

Between 1900 and 2500 m Signup and view all the answers

How many tea farmer organizations are currently active in Rwanda?

13 Signup and view all the answers

What year was the first tea farmer organization in Rwanda established?

1964 Signup and view all the answers

Which province in Rwanda does ATP organization supply green leaf to Pfunda tea factory?

Western Signup and view all the answers

What is the total area of land commanded by the tea farmer organizations in Rwanda?

8600 ha Signup and view all the answers

What must be done with soft banjhi shoots as they rise above the plucking table?

They must be plucked immediately. Signup and view all the answers

Why should banjhi shoots below the plucking table not be plucked?

They are part of maintenance foliage. Signup and view all the answers

What effect does successive harvesting have on the height of the plucking table?

It raises progressively by 10 cm per year. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for pruning tea bushes?

To maintain permanent vegetative phase and stimulate new shoots. Signup and view all the answers

When should pruning for production be executed?

When carbohydrate reserves in roots are highest. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the plucking table after one production pruning?

It is placed 15 cm above the previous one. Signup and view all the answers

What is the frequency of pruning for production in tropical Africa?

Every 4 years. Signup and view all the answers

What additional substance is recommended to apply after establishing tea bushes?

60 g of NPK (30-10-10) per plant. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Tea Introduction

Tea (Camellia sinensis) belongs to the Theaceae family, with 200+ species.
It likely originated near the Irrawaddy River, spreading to Southeast China, Indochina and Assam.
Tea became an important crop in the 19th century, championed by the British Empire.
Initially used medicinally in China, tea beverages have been consumed for 2000-3000 years.
Black tea involves wilting, rolling, fermenting, and drying leaves.
Green tea involves steaming and drying leaves without fermentation.
UK is the world's largest tea consumer, with almost half of the global imports.
The USA is the second-largest importer but consumes less tea per capita than the UK.
Tea is Rwanda's second-largest export after coffee, contributing up to 34% of national exports in the mid-1970s.

Tea Taxonomy and Varietal Diversity

Camellia sinensis is the correct botanical name for cultivated tea, regardless of varietal differences.
Tea is classified into China teas (C. sinensis var. sinesis) and Asian teas (C. sinensis var. assamica).
Assam types are a subtype of Asian teas, highly yielding with large, drooping leaves, less hardy, and found mainly in the Brahmaputra valley.
Manipuri tea types have dark green leaves are drought-resistant with poor yield and quality and are found in regions of lower yield and resilience to weather.
Hybrids between China and Assam types are known, commonly found in Darjeeling, India.
Tea cross-pollinates largely, with most commercial tea grown from seeds.

Tea Ecological Requirements

Tea cultivation primarily occurs in subtropics and mountainous regions near the equator.
Tea needs a consistent temperature between 12.8°C and 23.9°C.
Tea requires roughly 1200mm of rainfall per year, preferably without drought.
Tea thrives in well-drained, fertile soils with a pH between 4.5 and 6, often tropical red earths.
Hail damage to tea plants is notable.
Tea is a calcifuge; it doesn't like free calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and accumulates aluminum.

Tea Physiological Descriptions

Tea is diploid with 30 chromosomes.
Physiological attributes like pruning, plucking, and clone selection are key for quality tea production.
The amount of plucking, suitable size and quality of the leaves impacts tea processing efficiency.
Tea leaves must be kept at a moisture level of ~3% for fresh manufacturing
The professional tea tester infuses tea for 5 minutes and the extract contains about half the extract solids.

Tea Response to Water Stress

Droughts in Rwanda cause a decline in production during the dry seasons.
Drought-tolerant clones are best suited for areas with drier seasons to maintain efficient photosynthesis.

Basis of Varietal Improvement

Tea is highly heterogeneous due to cross-pollination, meaning individual fields show significant variability.
Varietal improvement in tea focuses on desirable traits like vigour, high yield, and adaptability, often through hybridisation of Assam and China varieties, along with vegetative propagation.

Cultural Practices

Tea plants can be propagated from seed, cuttings, or tissue culture.
Seed propagation involves proper soil preparation (deep, free-draining, slightly acidic).
Nurseries are crucial for initial plant care, including appropriate spacing, and shade to protect the young seedlings.
Maintenance, fertilization, and irrigation of nurseries are crucial.

Harvesting and Plucking

Tea is harvested after the first and second prunings, to support vigorous root development.
"Fine" plucking involves removing one or two leaves plus the bud.
"Coarse" plucking removes three or more leaves and the bud.
"Light" plucking leaves some foliage above the plucking table.
"Hard" plucking removes foliage down to the previous plucking level.
Planting tables require a consistent height.
Pruning and plucking are essential for obtaining adequate foliage suitable for processing.

Processing

Tea processing involves wilting, crushing, tearing, and curling (CTC) followed by fermentation and drying.
Wilting reduces leaf moisture to ~70%.
The CTC process breaks cell walls, exposing enzymes and facilitating subsequent fermentation.
Duration of fermentation depends on the temperature.
Drying stages gradually increase the temperature of the air currents to achieve the final 3% moisture content.
The moisture and temperature are meticulously controlled throughout the process to preserve the desired quality.
Post-processing, the tea is sorted into different quality grades based on factors like size, colour and shape.

Packaging

Tea is packaged based on similar grades to maintain consistent quality across batches.

Tea Production in Rwanda

Rwanda established tea-farming cooperatives from the 1960s due to a drop in the market value of coffee in the region.
Rwanda tea accounts for about 35.5% of total tea production area in industrial blocks; 9.9% in cooperatives; and 54.6% for small-scale farmers.
Major challenges include inadequate farmer capacity for quality control, lower farmer remuneration, lack of capital for crucial inputs (like fertilizers and transport), research into pest and disease issues, and infrastructure development within processing plants.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Explore the fascinating world of tea in this quiz, from its origins near the Irrawaddy River to its significant role as a global crop. Learn about the different types of tea, their preparation methods, and tea's economic impact in various countries. This quiz covers both the historical and botanical aspects of tea cultivation.