Cultivation of New Extremely Late Budding Green Tea, ‘Okuharuka’ with Cold Resistance

Abstract

New extremely late budding green tea cultivar 'Okuharuka' with cold resistance has been bred at the Green Tea Laboratory of Saitama Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry Research Center. 'Okuharuka' was selected from seedlings crossed between Saitama20 and Saitama7 in 1975. Local adaptability, tolerance to bark split frost injury, and blister blight were tested at 14 prefectural tea experiment stations from 2002 to 2011. As a result, it was registered as 'Okuharuka' in 2013.
The shape of the cultivar is spread type, and the growth is vigorous. The plucking time of the first crop of the cultivar is 6 days later than that of 'Yabukita'. The yield of 1st and 2nd crop is more than that of 'Yabukita'. 'Okuharuka' has resistance to cold drought damage and bark split frost injury. However, it has slightly weak resistance to gray blight and blister blight. The green tea quality of 'Okuharuka' with the aroma like preserved-cherry-leaves and rich good taste is better than that of 'Yabukita'. The level of the aroma like preserved-cherry-leaves is enhanced in less steamed processing. 'Okuharuka' is suitable for northern tea producing area and cool semi-mountainous areas for its cold resistance.