Drought

Impacted by a moderate-strength El Niño event, and superimposed on the backdrop of global warming, the global average temperature in 2023 may break the record for the warmest year set in 2016. It is expected that temperatures in most regions of China will be close to or higher than the long-term average this winter through to next spring, but with active cold air phases. Precipitation in southern regions is expected to be above normal, increasing the risk of compound meteorological disasters. Given these complex climate changes, timely management of tea gardens during winter can help them safely overwinter and lay a foundation for high-quality tea production and increased income for tea farmers in the coming year. So how should we manage tea gardens in winter? Follow along as we look at the winter and spring tea garden management technical guidelines developed jointly by the Department of Plant Industry Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center, and the Expert Advisory Group for Tea of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. 1. Disaster Prevention 1.1 Preventing Frost Damage Monitor weather forecasts closely. Before a cold wave, implement frost protection measures such as…

Summer and autumn are critical periods for tea garden management. Strengthening summer and autumn tea garden production management is the foundation for ensuring high-quality and high-yield summer and autumn tea and the following spring tea. The Planting Industry Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, together with the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center, the Expert Advisory Group for Tea of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Tea Industry Technology System, have developed the following technical guidance on summer and autumn tea garden production management and disaster prevention and mitigation. Strengthening Tea Garden Production Management (1) Tea Plant Pruning - For year-round harvesting tea gardens, promptly perform the initial light pruning after spring tea harvesting, cutting off the top 5-10 cm of shoots from the canopy. During summer tea harvesting, it is advisable to allow some growth retention and use the leaf-retention method or tip-picking method to maintain an appropriate leaf layer thickness. Harvesting should be appropriately stopped earlier in autumn to avoid affecting the yield and quality of the following year's spring tea. To cultivate a good picking surface, the second light pruning should be completed before mid-July, with the pruning height…

Recently, in response to the persistent high temperatures and drought conditions across multiple regions of the province, the Provincial Tea Industry Technology System and the Science and Technology Service Team for the "515" Action Plan in the tea industry have been working under high temperatures and visiting grassroots levels to conduct research and guidance. Considering the actual situation of tea production in our province, the following technical measures are proposed to cope with extreme high-temperature weather, for reference by tea-producing areas. I. Emergency Technical Measures for Tea Garden Management 1. Timely and Reasonable Irrigation For tea gardens with irrigation facilities, various methods such as spray irrigation, drip irrigation, and surface irrigation can be employed to water the plants, preferably during the morning or evening. Spray irrigation is particularly effective, as it not only alleviates water shortages caused by drought but also reduces near-surface temperatures in the garden, mitigating the impact of high temperatures. When using surface irrigation, care should be taken to avoid excessive water flow that could result in surface runoff, wasting water resources and causing soil compaction in the tea garden. 2. Scientific and Effective Shading Using shade nets to provide shading for tea gardens can immediately and…

Guidelines for High-Temperature Drought Early Warning and Disaster Mitigation Measures in Tea Gardens Hunan Provincial Tea Industry Technology System Li Saijun & Li Wei July 25, 2024 Since early July, our province has been experiencing persistent high temperatures and droughts, with the drought rapidly worsening in most areas, severely impacting normal tea garden production. On July 25, the Hunan Meteorological Observatory issued the first red alert for extreme heat of the summer. In response to this extreme high-temperature and drought climate disaster, the Hunan Provincial Tea Industry Technology System has timely provided technical guidance, proposing specific measures for pre-disaster prevention and protection, as well as post-disaster recovery work in tea gardens. I. Pre-Disaster Prevention and Protection Measures (1) Interspace Covering ① Lay an appropriate amount of straw, fallen leaves, etc., in the gaps between tea plants to cover the soil surface at a thickness of 5-10 cm. This layer helps protect the soil, reducing water evaporation and aiding in the retention of nutrients in the soil. ② Intercropping green manure can effectively provide shade, reduce temperatures, and improve the microclimate within the tea garden, thus effectively preventing damage to tea plants from high temperatures and intense sunlight. (2) Scientific Shading…

Affecting a moderate-strength El Niño event and superimposed on the backdrop of global warming, the average global temperature in 2023 may break the record for the warmest year set in 2016. It is expected that most regions in China will have temperatures similar to or higher than the long-term average this winter through next spring, but with active cold air phases. Precipitation in southern regions will be above normal, increasing the risk of compound meteorological disasters. In response to complex climate changes, timely management of tea gardens during winter can help ensure their safe overwintering and lay the groundwork for high-quality and high-yield tea production and increased income for tea farmers in the coming year. So how can we properly manage tea gardens in winter? Follow along as we explore the winter-spring tea garden management guidelines developed by the Department of Plant Industry Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center and the Expert Advisory Group on Tea of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. 1. Disaster Prevention 1.1 Freeze Prevention Closely monitor weather forecasts and implement protective measures such as mulching between rows and covering the canopy…

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To prevent drought damage in tea gardens and reduce losses in tea production, supplementary measures to replenish water and suppress evaporation can be taken before the onset of drought. These include irrigation to supplement water, loosening the soil and weeding, inter-row grass covering, etc., to maintain and regulate soil moisture and improve the microclimate around the tea plants, thereby enhancing the tea trees' drought resistance. Irrigation Replenishment Tea garden irrigation methods include furrow irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation, among others, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Furrow irrigation is suitable for flat tea gardens and can quickly increase soil moisture levels, promptly rescuing drought-stressed tea trees, but it consumes a large amount of water, has a small impact on air humidity, and can lead to waste of water resources through surface runoff and deep seepage, as well as damaging some of the topsoil structure. Drip irrigation reduces evaporation and saves water, but it requires a higher initial investment and cannot effectively improve the microclimate of the tea garden. Therefore, in recent decades, sprinkler irrigation has been the primary method used for drought prevention and mitigation in tea gardens. Sprinkler Irrigation can not only increase soil moisture but also lower…