Project on Drought Resistant Tea Varieties in Tea Agriculture
Considering that tea farming is facing serious dangers, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University (RTEU) prepared a comprehensive project in cooperation with ÇAYKUR to determine drought-resistant tea varieties. This project was implemented with support from TÜBİTAK. Four different tea plants were brought to the project from Japan, China and Azerbaijan. In addition, the 12 highest quality and most productive tea varieties were determined from 2,034 varieties of tea plants collected in the National Tea Gene Pool.
These 12 tea varieties are determined within the scope of the project will be examined for three years and those resistant to drought will be determined. The resistant varieties determined will be recommended to producers with tea lands and their planting will be encouraged. At the beginning of the studies, the first cutting processes were carried out for sapling production.
‘We Will Determine the Most Drought-Resistant Tea Variety’
Making a statement on the subject, Kezban Yazıcı, Director of the RTEU Tea and Tea Products Research and Application Center, stated that they will determine the most drought-resistant tea plants with the project. Yazıcı said, “In 2008, we collected all tea genetic resources in Turkey and preserved them in the National Tea Gene Pool. As a result of our analyses, we determined the best 12 candidate varieties. When we came to the stage of recommending these varieties to producers, we developed a new project to determine varieties resistant to heat and drought, which threatens tea agriculture worldwide, and submitted it to TÜBİTAK. Our most important stakeholder while preparing our projects is ÇAYKUR. The problem is the problem of all of us; Therefore, we must act together. Within this scope, we will determine the most drought-resistant one among the highest quality 12 candidate varieties after the three-year project. After this stage, we will recommend these varieties to our producers for the purpose of renewing their tea gardens. In addition, we signed a protocol with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, the Ministry of Agriculture, ÇAYKUR and the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry and implemented the tea garden renewal project.”
‘We Will Complete Our Process By Determining Our Best Teas’
ÇAYKUR Atatürk Tea and Horticulture Research Institute Deputy Director Dr. Atilla Polat, who stated that the most drought-resistant one among 12 candidate varieties will be selected, said, “As Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University and ÇAYKUR, we are conducting a study to determine drought-resistant tea variety candidates. In our previous study, we determined the high-quality, productive tea varieties suitable for our region and continue on our way with 12 of them. In this study, we will evaluate whether our tea varieties are resistant to drought. ÇAYKUR plays an important role in the renewal process of existing tea gardens. We have currently started to create our breeding tea gardens. Our high-quality and high-yielding candidate varieties are used in these gardens. Afterwards, drought-resistant teas will also be determined in our current study and these varieties will be included in the project. Field studies and laboratory tests are ongoing. “As the results come in, we will determine our most suitable and high-quality teas and finalize our process.”
