Pesticides

Tea plants are leaf crops cultivated for the harvest of young leaves and buds. Spring tea is the season with the highest quality and most significant economic benefits in the annual tea production cycle. Currently, it is a critical period for implementing spring farming activities across the province. Promptly addressing spring tea production and implementing relevant tea garden management measures play a vital role in enhancing tea yield and quality, as well as increasing the economic benefits for tea farmers and tea enterprises. I. Early Application of Bud Stimulating Fertilizer The new shoots of tea plants in spring grow vigorously, at a rapid pace, and consume relatively large amounts of nutrients. The root system has strong absorption capabilities, and it is difficult to meet the growth needs solely relying on the base fertilizer applied in the previous autumn, which can result in a "disconnection" of soil nutrients in the tea garden. Studies have shown that applying bud stimulating fertilizers about 25 days before the emergence of tea buds not only helps increase spring tea yields (comparing tea gardens with and without spring fertilization, there is an overall increase of 10%-20% in the annual yield), but also plays a good role…

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…

Weed control is a critical aspect of managing young tea gardens in Guizhou. Techniques such as manual weeding, tillage weeding, and mulching have proven effective, but they require significant labor and material inputs. Manual weeding alone can cost 700 to 800 RMB per mu, increasing the overall management costs of the tea garden. Intercropping soybeans in young tea gardens can effectively suppress weed growth, improve the ecological environment, and enhance soil fertility. Additionally, this practice generates supplementary income of around 1,000 RMB per mu. Soybeans are an important oilseed crop, and China's current production falls short of domestic demand. Intercropping soybeans in young tea gardens aligns with national policies aimed at increasing soybean production capacity and ensuring food security. To leverage the weed control and soil fertility benefits of intercropping soybeans, the Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences Tea Research Institute has developed this plan. Soybean intercropping in tea gardens in Datun Village, Shiqian County General Requirements 1. Adhere to Tea Garden Safety Principles All pesticides and fertilizers used in tea gardens must comply with Guizhou's safety standards. No pesticides or fertilizers prohibited in tea gardens should be applied, even if they are suitable for soybeans. 2. Balance Tea Management and…

Tea plants are perennial evergreen shrubs, and environmental pollutants accumulate in tea gardens and within the plants over time. Due to their large leaf surface area, tea plants have a higher initial deposition of pesticides or adsorb higher concentrations of environmental pollutants under the same dosage and air pollution levels compared to other crops. With multiple harvests per year, the interval between pesticide application and harvest is short, reducing the time for pesticide degradation. After picking, tea leaves are directly processed into dried tea, which is then steeped for consumption, causing any pesticide residues or pollutants to leach into the tea infusion based on their solubility. Therefore, the ecological environment of tea gardens and the quality safety of tea products receive significant attention. I. Development of Pest Management Technologies in China 1. Traditional Control Stage Before the 1940s, tea gardens were scattered and sporadic, with relatively few pest outbreaks. Pest control technologies were also rudimentary. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, although tea production rapidly developed, pest management in tea gardens remained at the stage of agricultural control measures and the use of plant-based pesticides. Although this period was technologically primitive from an ecological perspective, the populations…

According to forecasts from our city's meteorological station, from 14:00 on July 10 to 08:00 on July 11, the average precipitation in our city was 52.6 millimeters, with a maximum of 179.2 millimeters. Four towns and streets experienced heavy rainstorms (100–250 millimeters), 24 towns and streets experienced storms (50–100 millimeters), and 13 towns and streets experienced heavy rain (25–50 millimeters). Other towns and streets experienced moderate rain (10–25 millimeters). To effectively mitigate the impact of disastrous weather on tea gardens and tea production and stabilize summer and autumn tea production, the following technical guidance is proposed. I. Strengthen Patrols and Preventive Measures in Tea Gardens The flood season has arrived, and strong winds and heavy rains may occur at any time. We should closely monitor weather forecasts. Before heavy rains, strengthen patrols of tea gardens and reinforce greenhouses and other production facilities. Check and dredge drainage ditches in advance; dig drainage trenches where necessary, especially in low-lying or high groundwater areas, where trenches should be at least one meter deep. Move tea, production materials, and equipment from low-lying areas as a precaution against heavy rains. II. Promptly Drain Flooded Tea Gardens After heavy rains, organize labor to drain water from…

The golden autumn season sees lush tea mountains, as tea gardens enter the autumn harvest period. In the fragrant tea gardens, tea farmers are seizing good weather to pick tea leaves. As autumn gives way to winter, while busy with harvesting, it is also important to focus on winter management of tea gardens to help the tea trees comfortably "survive the winter." Due to the compounded effects of drought and the pandemic, winter management has started earlier this year, with higher technical requirements and more meticulous fertilization management. Local areas should conduct targeted pruning of tea tree canopies, fertilization management, and pest control based on the impact of drought in their respective tea gardens. They should also prepare the necessary materials for winter management. Good tea comes from good cultivation and good management. Winter management of tea gardens is a crucial technical measure for increasing the yield and quality of tea next year, reducing pest and weed damage to tea trees, and enhancing the overall efficiency of tea gardens. To implement scientific tea cultivation, one must understand the growth characteristics of tea trees. The cessation of sprouting in tea trees marks a key timepoint for winter management of tea gardens.…

As spring returns to the earth, early spring green tea is being harvested in many places, and tea lovers can't wait to buy and taste the new batches. So why is early spring green tea considered good? 1. As temperatures gradually rise in spring, rainfall is relatively abundant. Additionally, after a period of rest during winter, tea plants produce lush shoots with vibrant green color, soft leaves, and a rich content of natural compounds. 2. With relatively low spring temperatures, there's an increased synthesis and accumulation of nitrogen-containing compounds. At the beginning of spring, amino acids gather in large quantities at the tips of young shoots, which results in a strong aroma and fresh, pleasant taste that also offers health benefits. 3. The low temperatures in spring slow down metabolism and reduce the presence of tea polyphenols, anthocyanins, and alcohols, aldehydes, and acids, thus making the tea less bitter. 4. Due to the low temperatures and fewer pests and diseases, farmers generally do not use pesticides on early spring teas, ensuring they are minimally contaminated with chemicals. While early spring tea is excellent, please be aware of the following precautions: 1. Although early spring tea is delicious, don't rush to…

Green Pest Management Techniques for Tea Trees Main Targets of Control ↑ Tea Blight Disease → Tea Looper Pests: Tea Green Leafhopper, Tea Looper, Tea Caterpillar, Tea Black Worm Moth, Black Scale Psyllid, Tea Red Mite. Diseases: Tea Blight Disease, Tea Anthracnose. Key Control Measures Agricultural Control 1. Timely Harvesting. Harvest young buds and leaves according to the requirements of tea production to reduce the population of pests like the tea green leafhopper, mites, and some bud diseases residing on the canopy surface of the tea tree. 2. Pruning as Needed. Prune tea trees after the spring harvest and in late autumn according to the requirements of tea garden management, reducing pest populations and creating conditions unfavorable for pests. Generally, deep pruning or heavy pruning is done after the spring harvest, and light pruning is performed in late autumn. 3. Garden Tilling. In late autumn, till the tea garden combined with the application of base fertilizer, which is detrimental to the survival of scale insects and weevils overwintering in the soil, thus reducing their occurrence in the following year. 4. Timely Garden Cleanup. Clear and bury leaves and topsoil near the roots of tea plants in late autumn, which can…

For Pu'er tea, many tea enthusiasts have the concept of "drink old tea, store new tea." So, how can we determine if a new tea has collection value? First, making a good tea requires many factors. The most critical are the following three aspects: What kind of new tea has the greatest collection value? I. Raw Materials Without good raw materials, no matter how skillful the process is or how correctly it's stored later, the tea cannot develop a good taste during its transformation later on. 1. Tea Variety A good tea is cultivated by people and is also the result of natural selection over thousands of years. Among various tea varieties, the sexual reproduction-based large-leaf type native to Yunnan is best suited for making Pu'er tea. 2. Growing Environment A suitable environment for growing tea trees. This includes appropriate altitude, proper sunlight duration and intensity, well-spaced planting, appropriate intercropping, no need for pesticides due to biodiversity that prevents the occurrence and development of diseases and pests, etc. 3. Picking Parts and Time Different parts of the tea leaves such as the bud tip, leaf, stalk, and yellow leaf play different roles in the post-fermentation process and have different effects…

Severe Infestation of Tea Looper How to Cope, Find Out Here It is currently late summer and early autumn, with cool weather in the morning and evening. This year has seen more rain than usual, resulting in vigorous growth of tea plants with lush green leaves, providing rich food for tea plant pests. According to investigations into the infestation of tea loopers in Longwu tea gardens, various age groups of larvae coexist, with severe overlapping generations. In some severely affected areas of tea gardens, the older leaves have been completely consumed, affecting the growth of tea plants, which requires close attention from tea garden managers. Due to differences in cultivation and management practices among individual households, the timing of infestations and the degree of damage vary across different tea gardens, making pest control challenging. It is essential to strengthen pest monitoring through field observations and the use of trapping devices, promptly understanding the dynamics of pest outbreaks and implementing appropriate measures: 1. Turn on insect-killing lamps, taking advantage of the fact that adult tea loopers are most active between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM. Set the operating times of the lamps accordingly, ideally using a light-controlled mode where they automatically…

The integrated approach to green precision prevention and control of major tea pests involves using core technologies such as narrow-band LED insect traps, yellow-red dual-color insect-attracting boards, and efficient sex pheromone lures to maintain target pest populations at a low level through long-term and efficient trapping. This is complemented by biological preventive measures, such as spraying inchworm virus preparations and releasing predatory mites, along with good agricultural practices to control pest populations. Finally, highly efficient, low water-soluble chemical pesticides are used as emergency measures in the event of large-scale pest outbreaks. In recent years, tea plant protection scientists have conducted extensive research on pest control techniques, developing effective green precision prevention and control technologies for tea pests. Below, we will use three of the most important pests in Chinese tea gardens—the gray inchworm, the tea inchworm, and the tea tiny green leafhopper—as examples. Integrated Approach to Green Precision Prevention and Control of Major Tea Pests I. Green Precision Prevention and Control Technology Model for Gray Inchworm and Tea Inchworm Note: “√” indicates the selected control technique at the corresponding time. The same applies below. 1. Core Key Technologies (1) Sex Pheromone Lures. Based on the severity of the previous year,…

Main pests in autumn tea gardens and their control measures. The weather gradually cools down in September, with vigorous growth of tea plants and abundant food for pests, which is very conducive to the occurrence of pests such as mites and tea green leafhoppers. If not controlled in time, they can easily cause outbreaks that severely impact the yield and quality of next year's spring tea. The main pests occurring currently and their control measures are as follows: I. Tea Orange Spider Mite This pest is small in size, with adult and juvenile mites piercing and sucking tea plant sap. When mite numbers are low, the damage is not obvious and hard to detect. However, when mite numbers increase, the veins of affected leaves turn red, the leaves lose their green color and luster. Severe infestations result in a brown rust appearance on the underside of the leaves, withered and dried shoots and leaves, and a scorched appearance, and may even cause defoliation. Some tea gardens have experienced heavy infestations recently. Without effective control measures, mite populations will continue to rise. The following measures are recommended for control: 1. Strengthen garden management by removing weeds and fallen leaves. Timely picking…

The regional high-temperature drought that began in June 2022 caused varying degrees of damage to tea trees in some areas of our country. During the drought, we recommended not to carry out field operations such as picking, pruning, fertilizing, spraying pesticides, tilling, and weeding. However, with the recent drop in temperature and the arrival of autumn rains, the drought situation in the tea gardens has been significantly alleviated. With the onset of autumn, tea garden management needs to be stepped up, and the main task at this stage is to restore the vitality of the tea trees. Pruning Dead Branches It is now September, and the time for new shoots to grow on the tea trees is extremely limited; therefore, try to prune less and retain more in tea garden management. For those affected lightly, such as only partial leaf scorching, no treatment is needed, allowing the tea tree to self-repair. For severe cases where branches of the tea tree have died, prune off the withered, yellowed, and scorched branches and leaves to reduce water evaporation and the spread of necrotic tissues. Prune 1–2 cm below the dead parts to minimize energy consumption and transpiration in the tea tree. Light…

To strengthen the management of tea gardens during summer and autumn and ensure production of teas during these seasons as well as the following spring, the Department of Plant Industry Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, together with the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center, the Expert Advisory Group on Tea of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Tea Industry Technology System, have proposed technical guidelines for tea production in summer and autumn 2024. Strengthen Fertilization Management of Tea Gardens 1. Top-Dressing Fertilization in Tea Gardens (a) Root Fertilization: Top-dressing fertilization for summer tea should be carried out after the spring tea harvest, and for autumn tea after the summer tea harvest. For tea gardens in production, about 15-20 kg of urea or 20-30 kg of specialized compound fertilizer for tea (with a formula of 18:8:12 N:P2O5:K2O) is generally applied per mu, with higher-yielding gardens receiving slightly more. Image Source: Anji White Tea Website Fertilizer should be applied in trenches dug vertically below the edge of the tree canopy, with a depth of about 10-15 cm. Broadcasting of fertilizer is prohibited. In young tea gardens (1-2 years old), fertilizer should be applied 5-10…