Evaluation of shading on tea yield and phenolics in aerated and unaerated products

Abstract

Varying climatic conditions have pronounced effects on the tea plant. This study was to evaluate the effects of shade on yield and quality in aerated and unaerated products. Cultivar TRFK 6/8 was maintained under three shading regimes (30, 60, and 90%) and unshaded control in three seasons of a year.Yield components included shoot growth, shoot density, and monthly seasonal yields. Biochemical parameters included catechins, caffeine, and polyphenols. Yield components, catechin, and caffeine were negatively affected while polyphenols was positively affected by an increase in shading. Product diversification is possible in existing populations through the production of unaerated tea under moderate shading (30 and 60%) during the cold/wet season and high-quality aerated product during warm/hot seasons while maintaining optimum yields. There is a need to undertake genomic studies so as to provide insights into complex regulatory networks and the identification of genes relevant to biochemical changes due to shading in tea.