You have probably seen stars like this:
Isn’t it quite good-looking? After all, literati always love to write about the stars they saw in the countryside during their childhood.
Not all stars are so beautiful. Most of the tea lovers present have probably seen this on a tea tree:
Tea white spots
This thing also has a star in its name, it’s called Chabai Xingbing. It doesn’t seem like a star that is admired and praised by people. Tea white star disease, this thing is not a good person.
No.1, I’m unlucky to meet you
We all know how to recite the saying ‘good tea comes from high mountain clouds and mist’. But the high mountain clouds and mist happen to be excellent conditions for the invasion of tea white star disease.
Just like the spring when rain nourishes, the weather is warm, and everything is revived, the flu virus also likes this climate and runs rampant. Tea gardens with flat hills and low altitudes are less affected by tea white spot disease, while high-altitude tea gardens with humid air are the paradise for the growth of tea white spot disease pathogens, which are not only prone to disease, but also susceptible to multiple infections.
What’s the unlucky way to encounter it? Firstly, it is a spore forming plant, which means its transmission speed is fast. This year, only a few tea trees have been infected, and in two years, the entire tea garden may be wiped out.
The conidia of tea white star disease can germinate within 2-30 degrees Celsius, and the suitable temperature is 16-22 degrees Celsius. In early April, the disease spots begin to grow, and they are most severe during spring tea picking. The symptoms gradually decrease from July to August, and when autumn arrives and the weather cools down, they reappear.
The second unlucky thing is that it will cause a reduction in tea production. We have seen a tea garden that has reduced production due to tea white star disease, with a visual reduction of at least 50%.
For those who are not very serious about this disease, it can be reduced by 10%, for those who are serious, it can be reduced by 50%, and for those who are more serious, guess what? I can only cry while holding onto the tea tree! When the disease spots on the leaves are connected, they will deform, form holes, and eventually fall off. Tea made from leaves with disease spots is not aesthetically pleasing.
Large white patches map
The third unlucky place is the quality of tea. If we can barely make do with the first few unlucky points, we can’t make do with them. Isn’t the taste the most important thing when brewing tea?
Take the three most important substances in tea, amino acids, tea polyphenols, and caffeine, as examples. In the early stage of tea white star disease, the content of amino acids does not decrease but increases. As the condition of fresh leaves worsens, the content of amino acids gradually increases from the normal range of 1.96% to 3.15%. Although the content of amino acids has increased, it is necessary to determine whether it is beneficial for the quality of tea and whether it is coordinated based on the type of free amino acids. If the content continues to increase without coordination, it will not improve the quality of tea.
The content of tea polyphenols and caffeine gradually decreases with the degree of infection, and the reduction of their contents not only causes a decrease in their corresponding taste, but also makes the tea soup “thinner”.
In the evaluation process, the appearance of tea leaves should be complete and have a bright color. Spots and gaps on susceptible leaves can affect the evaluation of dry tea and leaf bottoms.
No. 2 is unlucky, teach me how to remove mold!
Firstly, let’s talk about the most effective method in the short term, which is drug spraying, also known as chemical control. Using some carbendazim and methyl thiophanate is still very effective against tea white star disease. However, with the increase of usage years and repeated use of drugs, the resistance of bacteria will gradually strengthen, and the effect of drugs will weaken.
To prevent this situation, multiple pesticides can be used in rotation to catch the bacteria off guard, as two fists cannot compete with 70-90 hands. Considering the issue of pesticide residues, this method may not be applicable to all tea gardens.
So we need to propose the second method, which is biological control, including plant-based fungicides, microbial pesticides, and biofertilizers. Biological control is not as effective as chemical control, but there are no harmful residues.
For example, oil tea saponin liquid and L C fungicides are harmful to both animals and plants; Biological fertilizer can use soybean milk bacterial fertilizer and SOD active biological fertilizer, which can enhance the immunity of plants and create a good environment for crops. As far as we know, the application of microbial pesticide technology in tea white spot disease is not yet mature, so it will not be mentioned for the time being.
The third one is the pruning technique. Removing infected branches through pruning can reduce the number of pathogens and not only control their spread, but also ensure normal production. At the same time, ensuring a good ecological environment is also important. After pruning, the diseased branches and leaves in the tea garden should be cleaned up in a timely manner, and methods such as intercropping with other crops and applying bio fertilizers should be used to keep the tea garden in a healthy state.
Tea white star disease is said to be so powerful that it can knock down the tea garden at once, but it will gradually erode the entire tea garden. So for the beautiful tomorrow of the tea garden, it is still important to prevent and control it! Otherwise, I would really have to cry while holding onto the only remaining branches!