Tea cultivation under changing climatic conditions

Description

Predicted climate change is likely to pose a major threat to normal tea cultivation. This chapter reviews the effects that climate change is likely to have on which regions are suitable for tea production and the duration of the plucking period. We consider how tea production might be improved by temperature increase and CO2 elevation, but also discuss the negative effects of heavy rains, frosts, the proliferation of pests and diseases and soil degradation. We suggest that tea quality is likely to deteriorate due to the imbalance in the ratio of free amino acids to polyphenols. Appropriate planning for adaptation and mitigation needs to be developed and extended for sustainable development of the tea industry. The adaption and mitigation strategies should have three levels: government policy, R&D for new technologies and techniques and community involvement and technology extension, which should be integrated and implemented immediately.

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