Combating Climate Change in the Kenyan Tea Industry

Abstract

Climate change triggered by global warming poses a major threat to agricultural systems globally. This phenomenon is characterized by emergence of pests and diseases, extreme weather events, such as prolonged drought, high intensity rains, hailstones and frosts, which are becoming more frequent ultimately impacting negatively to agricultural production including rain-fed tea cultivation. Kenya is predominantly an agricultural based economy, with the tea sector generating about 26% of the total export earnings and about 4% gross domestic product (GDP). In the recent years, however, the country has witnessed unstable trends in tea production associated with climate driven stresses. Toward mitigation and adaptation of climate change, multiple approaches for impact assessment, intensity prediction and adaptation have been advanced in the Kenyan tea sub-sector. Further, pressure on tea breeders to release improved climate-compatible cultivars for the rapidly deteriorating environment has resulted in the adoption of a multitargeted approach seeking to understand the complex molecular regulatory networks associated with biotic and abiotic stresses adaptation and tolerance in tea. Genetic modeling, a powerful tool that assists in breeding process, has also been adopted for selection of tea cultivars for optimal performance under varying climatic conditions. A range of physiological and biochemical responses known to counteract the effects of environmental stresses in most plants that include lowering the rates of cellular growth and net photosynthesis, stomatal closure, and the accumulation of organic solutes such as sugar alcohols, or osmolytes have been used to support breeding programs through screening of new tea cultivars suitable for changing environment. This review describes simulation models combined with high resolution climate change scenarios required to quantify the relative importance of climate change on tea production. In addition, both biodiversity and ecosystem based approaches are described as a part of an overall adaptation strategy to mitigate adverse effects of climate change on tea in Kenya and gaps highlighted for urgent investigations.

Color Shade Nets Affect Plant Growth and Seasonal Leaf Quality of Camellia sinensis Grown in Mississippi, the United States

“…According to recent study, there is an increasing frequency of frost due to the climate change, which is detrimental to tea production (53)(54)(55). In this study, we observed that black, blue, and red shades all alleviated frost damage on tea plants within our experiment duration.…”

Genomic selection strategies to increase genetic gain in tea breeding programs

“…Climate change has led to extreme and unpredictable weather patterns, resulting in longer dry spells, heavy rainfall, more hail, higher temperatures, and increased attacks of pests and diseases (Marx et al., 2017). Therefore, effective tea‐breeding strategies that use genomic‐assisted breeding are needed to develop high‐yielding and high‐quality tea varieties that are also tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses (Mondal, 2011; Muoki et al., 2020).…”

Transcriptional analysis reveals key insights into seasonal induced anthocyanin degradation and leaf color transition in purple tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze)

“…Nevertheless, diversification is greatly influenced by availability of suitable germplasm, wherein, anthocyanin-rich tea cultivars due to their pleasant taste and rich health beneficial compounds are getting global attention for production of “Specialty Tea” that can fetch premium prices to the farmers. Through breeding (natural or artificial hybridization) followed by clonal field selection, anthocyanin-rich tea cultivars (purple tea) have been developed for product diversification 5 , 6 . Anthocyanin, a water-soluble secondary metabolite synthesized in the cytosol and localized in vacuoles, is an important plant pigment responsible for the red, violet, purple and blue pigmentations in different plant tissues 7 .…”