Abstract
A new cultivar of green tea ‘Kirari31’ was developed at the Tea Branch Facility, Miyazaki Agricultural Research Institute and released in 2013. ‘Kirari31’ was selected from seedlings of the crosses between ‘Sakimidori’ and ‘Saemidori’, which were created in 1994.
The characteristics of ‘Kirari31’ are as follows :
‘Kirari31’ is early budding and plucking time of the first crop is about three days earlier than that in ‘Yabukita’. The shape of the plant is of intermediate type and its growth is vigorous. ‘Kirari31’ is fairly resistant to tea gray blight (Pestalotiopsis longiseta [Speg.] K.Dai & Ts.Kobay), but it is susceptible to tea anthracnose (Colletotrichum theae-sinensis [I.Miyake] W.Yamam) and tea blister blight (Exobasidium vexans Massee). It is slightly susceptible to bacterial shoot blight (Pseudomonas syringae pv. theae [Hori 1915] Young, Dye & Wilkie 1978).
‘Kirari31’ is resistant to cold injury damage in winter. The yield of ‘Kirari31’ is higher than that of ‘Yabukita’. Sencha, Kabusecha, and Gyokuro to make with ‘Kirari31’ is high quality, as indicated by the bright green color of tea and mild aroma and taste. The amino acid content in the processed tea is high, whereas the tannin content is low.
