Research body develops tea clone

In an effort to raise the yield and improve the quality, the United Planters' Association of Southern India's (UPASI) Tea Research Foundation (TRF) has developed a tea clone (TRF-2).

Introducing the tea clone to growers, S Babu, plant breeder at UPASI-TRF, said, "The clone developed by us has registered a 95 per cent survival rate in the field and showed a slow growth in the initial stages but grew vigorously subsequently." The new clone is suitable for the high ranges. The rooting and nursery performance of the clone is quite satisfactory with over 90 per cent rooting and growth of the plant in the nursery is uniform and vigorous, he added.

As for the yield and performance of the clone, it showed a yield of around 5,500 kg made tea (ready to use) per hectare per year in the fourth year after first pruning. The average yield of the clone in the first pruning cycle is about 4,500 kg of made tea per hectare per year at an out turn (final product) of 23 per cent and bush population of 13,000 plants per hectare.

As for the flavour concerned, Babu said the higher flavour index of 2.85 registered by TRF-2 proved that the clone inherently had a high level of flavour compounds. The organoleptic evaluation (taste characteristics found in tea) and the tasters' report consistently showed that the infusion was bright and fairly even, the cup was bright with good strength and briskness, possessed good flavour and clonal characteristics.

Babu further added: "This clone was tolerant to drought and the incidence of red spider mites and blister blight were comparatively lower. The tea clone TRF-2 is an orthotropic and semi-erect growing shrub. The morphological and molecular studies revealed that it should be grouped under chinery/cambod categories. This clone showed close similarity to CR-6017 in the molecular grouping." As far as the plucking table was concerned, it is said to be compact with numerous plucking points, flush shoots, mid-sized green leaves and elliptic, glabrous with sparse pubescence.

Estimation of biochemical constituents of green tea leaves and made tea revealed that the selection could be categorised as a high quality clone, said Babu.