Tea (Camellia sinensis) as an Alternative Crop for Central Florida

James Orrock* (1), Brantlee Spakes Richter (1), BalaRathinasabapathi (2)

(1) University of Florida, Department of Plant Pathology, Gainesville, FL, USA (2) University of Florida, Horticultural Sciences Department, Gainesville, FL, USA

Project Background

Project#: 00125629

James Orrock

Brantlee Spakes Richter

“Saba” Rathinasabapathi

Objectives and Acknowledgments

• Can tea grow successfully in Florida?

• What varieties and accessions will grow best in Florida’s unique climate?

• Identification of potential pathogens

• Overview– Site Background

– Pruning

– Survival results

– Plant growth and yield

– Anthracnose

• Acknowledgements– Kristen Sandsted

– Yang Yue

New Crop Emergence

Photos (L to R): Bob Mullica, Larry Jordan, OakleyOriginals, Victor Fazio, Jean tuka108 on Flickr

Optimal Conditions for Tea Production

• Evergreen shrub

– High humidity

– Temperatures 60-85F (16-30C)

– Sandy, well drained, acidic, high OM soils

– Shade

Photo: www.sephi.com Munar, Kerala, India

Photo: www.indiawrites.org Assam, India

Photo: www.dammann.fr Fujian, China

Pinehurst Tea Plantation, 1898

Hawaii:US’s only extension-

supported tea industryGreat Mississippi Tea Co.(working towards Organic

cert.)

>10,000 Plants

> 1,000 Plants

Fairhope Tea Plantation(Orig. Lipton Research

Facility)

Pinehurst Tea Plantation, 1888-1915

Charleston Tea Plantation, 1987-2003

Bigelow, 2003-Present

Tea Cultivation in the U.S.

Tea in Florida

Waverly Tea Estate600 plants

Raindrop Gardens160+ plants

30 plants

Green Tea PlantsNursery

Site information• Irrigated every morning and afternoon

for 30 mins – rate of 15 gallons per 100’ of irrigation line

• Fertigated daily and once annual (spring) slow release application– typical industry levels of fertilizer at a rate of

6lbs of N, 8.5lbs of S and 7 lbs of K per acre per week

• row spacing 75 cm (between plants) x 150 cm (between rows)

Our Cultivars Accessions

MS-BL MS-FH MS-GEO MS-SL

CF-AS CF-CH CF-LL CF-QB

20 July 2017 (4 mo. after pruning)

Pruning

• Left unpruned, tea will grow into a tree

• Pruning cycles are adapted to a growing regions wet/dry and warm/cold seasons. – A Florida specific protocol is

needed

– Cultivar architecture, grower objectives, etc…

• 1st Prune = March 2017– Decentering prune (pruned plants

to approx. 8” above ground)

• 2nd Prune = November 2017– Framing prune (Development of 3

evenly spaced branches, 18” above ground)

www.tocklai.org

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.10.041

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CF AS CF LL CF CH MS BL MS FH MS Geo MS SL

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Accessions

Survival from Original Planting2016 2017 2018

Heat Stress?

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Pruned Biomass (per plant)Mar-17 Nov-17

• Late frost damage from March 18 data

• Wet weight is pre-processed weight

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Tea Market

• 2016 Global consumption exceeded production

– Consumption growing at ~5%/yr

– Production growing at ~2%/yr

– Medical research backs up health promotion potential of green tea

• US is 3rd largest importer

– Ready-to-Drink (↑6% in 2015)

– Specialty teas (↑10%/yr)

Tea Market

Emerging Industry Challenges

• Flavor Components & Taste Testing

• Plant Selections & Cultivar Development

• Strategic Marketing

Questions?

12 Sept 2017

Anthracnose of Tea

• A known problem in other tea producing countries.

• More tolerant varieties exist in other countries.

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Severity CF AS CF LL CF CH MS BL

MS FH MS Geo MS SL

3.83.2

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2.513.16

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Average Severity and Weather

Future Directions• Heat tolerance

• Other potential pathogens

• Phenolics (Do some varieties have more polyphenols?)

• Identification of accessions to start production of Florida cultivars

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Time (Days)

PS2 EfficiencyFairhopeSmall LeafBig Leaf