Farmers poised to benefit from the genetic copies.
Tea growers in the country stand to benefit from the four newly improved clones released by the Tea Research Institute of Tanzania (TRIT).
The clones include 20 and 10 tea improved cultivars obtained from the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) and TRIT.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Guardian at Ngwazi Tea Research Station in Mufindi District, Iringa Region at the weekend, TRIT Head of Crop Improvement Programme Solomon Msomba said the clones were identified and selected among 30 tested ones from the clonal adaptability Trial (CAT).
According to Msomba the trial was conducted between 2005/06 and 2011/12 at four locations which represent the key tea based agro-ecological zones. These include Ngwazi Tea Research Station (NTRS) in Mufindi District, Ilenge site in Rungwe District in the Southern Highlands and Marikitanda Tea Research Station (MTRS) in the Usambara Mountains.
“The four clones are 301/5, 381/5, 303/178 and 430/63, whereby their superiority was based on parameters such as high yields of made tea (mostly out-yielding the comparable commercial clone by up to 23 percent (301/5)). The average yield for smallholders is in the range of 900 to 1000 kilogramme of made tea per hectare per annum, he said.
“All four new clones have proved better than smallholder yield performance,” he said.
He added: “Some of these newly released clones achieved excellent black tea brew quality (381/5 has excellent quality of black tea similar to standard clone 6/8). Others have moderate quality but well acceptable by most tea testers. The clones have demonstrated the high ability to tolerate drought stress — especially clone 430/63.
He underscored that other clones are moderately tolerant to drought stress as well as ability to withstand pest infestation such as helopeltis which is common during the dry season, especially at Ilenge in Rungwe District.
“The released clones have demonstrated vigorous growth during the early stages in the nursery under cool temperatures of 430/63,” he said.
“These characteristics are very important for adaptation of tea cultivars. Changing weather and climate patterns have rendered some of the areas which supported productive tea cultivation unsuitable hence the need for well adapted improved tea cultivar,” he went on to say.
The released clones will offer a rare opportunity for Tanzanian tea farmers to increase productivity while being assured that their tea gardens will survive adverse growing conditions, he observed.
In order to speed up the distribution and absorption of these clones by farmers, TRIT has embarked on the establishment of satellite mother bush plots at various representative tea growing areas, he said.
The plots will conveniently enable both smallholders and large tea growers to easily and adequately access the required propagating material (cuttings), he added.
He noted that the strategy is complemented by a persistent campaign to create awareness on the potential and availability of these materials to all tea stakeholders for wide adoption.
On record, the official release of the clones marks the first ever release of improved tea clones since the introduction of tea crop in the country during the early 1900s.
Explaining the way forward, Msomba who is also doing PhD studies at the Sokoine University of Agriculture said: “The government has to initiate Tanzania tea hybridisation programme (THP) for future development of tea cultivars as well as rehabilitate old seed barriers at Ambarngulu Tea Company, at West Usambara in Lushoto District and at Marikitanda Tea Research Station, in East Usambara, Muheza District and at Kibena Tea Company in Njombe District.”
He went on to say that TRIT plans to establish new seed barriers at Ngwazi Tea Research Station in Mufindi, where the plots will serve to develop new improved tea clones through crossing, evaluation and selection of superior clones for future recommendations to tea growers.
“We continue to create awareness on the tea clones to all stakeholders including growers, processors, tea market personnel, packaging personnel, consumers as well as continue disseminating the new technology through establishment of satellite mother bush plots to cover all representative tea areas in the country,” he said.
Source: ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=63973
