Advances in Tea Agronomy

This book considers research findings that can inform the practice of managing tea crops.

M. K. V. Carr (Author)

9781107095816, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 11 January 2018

466 pages, 47 b/w illus. 199 colour illus. 26 tables
25.3 x 17.8 x 2.5 cm, 1.1 kg

'An exquisite work describing the major aspects of tea planting and cultivation, written by Professor M. K. V. Carr, a famous scholar in this field. I believe this book will be a distinguished addition to the world of tea science.' Zong-Mao Chen, Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China

Tea is big business. After water, tea is believed to be the most widely consumed beverage in the world. And yet, as productivity increases, the real price of tea declines while labour costs continue to rise. Tea remains a labour intensive industry. With a distinguished career spanning over 50 years and rich experience in diverse crops, Mike Carr is eminently qualified to indulge in an intelligent discourse on tea agronomy. In addition to a comprehensive review of the principal tea growing regions worldwide in terms of structure, productivity and principal constraints, he has attempted to question and seeks to find the associated experimental evidence needed to support current and future crop management practices. The book will assist all those involved in the tea industry to become creative thinkers and to question accepted practices. International in content, it will appeal to practitioners and students from tea growing countries worldwide.

Foreword V. S. Sharma
Preface: it all depends
Acknowledgements
1. Karibuni! Welcome to you all
2. The world of tea: a geriatric problem
3. A changing climate: stay cool!
4. Taxonomic delight: only plant the best!
5. The well-bred tea bush: developing high-yielding clones R. H. V Corley and G. K. Tuwei
6. Planting and replanting: who ever said this was simple?
7. Understanding the growth processes: creating a framework
8. Roots exposed: life underground
9. We are only growing leaves: source or sink?
10. Plucks shoots, and leaves: looking after the children
11. Machine-assisted harvesting: the need of the hour M. K. V. Carr and C. J. Flowers
12. Hidden hunger and intelligent guesswork: we can only build on what has gone before
13. Pores for thought: gaseous exchange
14. More pores for thought: the answer lies in the soil
15. Water productivity: more crop per drop
16. A shady business: teas need trees
17. A nice cup of tea: is it made in the field or in the factory?
18. Fair trade? Smallholders are beautiful
19. The agronomist's report: a synthesis
20. Support services: how sustainable is sustainability?
Glossary
References
Further reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Smallholdings [TVM], Agronomy & crop production [TVK], Sustainable agriculture [TVF], Irrigation [TVDR], Agricultural science [TVB], Agriculture & farming [TV], Environmental management [RNF], Plant ecology [PSTS], Botany & plant sciences [PST], Agriculture & related industries [KNAC]