A Successful Plant Improvement Programme on Tea (Camellia Sinensis)

Abstract

The tea industry in Malawi is the oldest in Africa but in the past had always produced poor quality tea. A plant improvement programme was therefore started in 1956 at the Tea Research Stations in Mulanje. The improvement in made tea quality was assisted by an investigation into the biochemistry of tea fermentation. Early success was obtained with polyclonal seed varieties and the development of clones from field bushes. These were used in cross breeding to produce new progeny clones which are showing a steady improvement in quality and yield. The need for improved yield was recognised as the programme progressed and appropriate selection procedures adopted. Techniques for improved vegetative propagation for field planting, grafting of seed bearer trees and composite plants were developed. Liaison with the tea industry has been good and all new plantings in southern Africa since about 1975 have been with improved material. The programme is continuing and future prospects are good. Mejora de la planla del te en Malaui RESUMENLa industria del te en Malaui es la mas antigua de Africa, pero en el pasado ha producido siempre tc de baja calidad. Por tanto se inicio un programa de mejora de la planta en 1956 en las Estaciones de Investigacion del Te en Mulanje. Una investigacion dc la bioquimica de la fermentacion del te contribuyo a las mejoras llevadas a cabo en la calidad del te. Se obtuvo exito al principio con las variedades de semilla policlonales y con el desarrollo de clones de las matas del campo. Estos se utilizaron para cruces con el fin de producir nuevos clones progenie que muestran en la actualidad una mejora continuada en calidad y rendimiento. A medida que avanzo el programa se admitio la necesidad de un rendimiento mejorado y se adoptaron los procedimientos de seleccion adecuados. Se desarrollaron las tecnicas para la propagation vegetativa mejorada para la plantation en campos, los injertos de los arboles portadores de la semilla y las plantas compuestas. Las relaciones con la industria del te han sido buenas y desde 1975 todas las nuevas plantaciones en Africa del sur se han realizado con material mejorado. El programa continua y las perspectivas de futuro son buenas.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Antioxidants and ROS scavenging ability in ten Darjeeling tea clones may serve as markers for selection of potentially adapted clones against abiotic stress

“…(b) abiotic stresses (physical environment) such as salinity, heat, cold, drought etc. Loss by biotic stresses typically decrease crop yield less than 10 %, but abiotic stresses, are responsible up to 65 % reduction in yield (Ellis and Nyirenda 1995). Among the abiotic stresses drought is one of the major threat that adversely affect the plant growth and yield all over the world (Stephen and Carr 1989).…”

Analysis of the theaflavin composition in black tea (Camellia sinensis) for predicting the quality of tea produced in Central and Southern Africa

“…An increase in quality is continuously sought in the tea industry. Since 1956 the Tea Research Foundation (Central Africa) TRF(CA) has invested in a long‐term tea plant improvement programme 1. The aim of the work described here was to develop a method for predicting the quality of the final black tea product by analysis of the individual theaflavins.…”

Analysis of caffeine and flavan-3-ol composition in the fresh leaf ofCamellia sinesis for predicting the quality of the black tea produced in Central and Southern Africa

“…This prompted the Tea Research Foundation (Central Africa) TRF(CA) to adopt a long-term tea plant improvement programme in 1956 with the emphasis on quality. 1 Evaluation of new clones is a long term process requiring 15 years before release. The aim of this work was to develop a method for predicting quality early in this programme.…”

“…This will also mean that more clones can be screened for quality since no laborious and time consuming multiplication of clones would be necessary. 1 Biochemical tests for predicting black tea quality from green leaf composition include carotenoid and chlorophyll content, 12 caffeine content 13,14 and¯ava-nol composition. 15±17 The discrimination between tea clones on their carotenoid and chlorophyll level is still in a developing stage and not widely used.…”