Guidelines for High-Temperature Drought Early Warning and Disaster Mitigation Measures in Tea Gardens
Hunan Provincial Tea Industry Technology System
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
Implementing scientific shading can effectively reduce the harm caused by high temperatures and drought on tea plants. Shade nets can be set up above the tea plants to block direct sunlight, lower Leaf surface temperatures, and prevent scorching of the leaves. When setting up the shade nets, it is important to maintain a distance of 40-60 cm between the net and the canopy of the tea plants; avoid directly covering the tea plants to prevent leaf scald from the heat absorbed by the shade nets.
(3) Irrigation in Tea Gardens
Irrigation is the most effective measure for tea gardens to resist high temperatures and drought. Generally, when summer temperatures reach 35°C, the daily average temperature approaches 30°C, the daily average water evaporation reaches 9 mm, and these conditions persist for more than a week, and the soil moisture content falls below 70% of field capacity, irrigation should be initiated promptly. This includes Flood irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and drip irrigation.
II. Post-Disaster Recovery Measures
Once tea gardens have suffered harm from extreme high temperatures and drought, measures should be taken based on the extent of the damage and the characteristics of tea garden management, in order to promote the rapid recovery of tea plants after the disaster.
