Tea Plant Propagation for Nursery Production

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: greenhouses, nurseries, varieties and cultivars
• Education and Training: demonstration, extension, participatory research, technical assistance, workshop
• Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity
• Sustainable Communities: employment opportunities, new business opportunities

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is an emerging specialty crop in the United States, however, the limited availability of tea plant material and limited knowledge and skill for tea plant propagation are major barriers for tea production in Washington and the United States overall. Tea propagation guides did not work well in Washington, but through preliminary experiments at Washington State University (WSU NWREC), we have identified techniques that work well in our region. This research project will evaluate the rooting and plant growth of 14 different tea varieties during propagation in western Washington. The experimental design will be a randomized complete split plot with 14 main plot treatments, 2 subplot treatments, and 3 replications. We will provide hands-on training on tea cutting propagation methods to our grower partner at the grower’s farm in the first year and to all growers and nursery propagators at WSU NWREC in the second year of the project. We will develop guides for propagating and planting tea in western Washington. At the end of this project, tea plants will be available for WA nursery growers to collect cuttings upon request. We will post all tea plant propagation and establishment information developed by this project on our website https://vegetables.wsu.edu/tea/. We will share project results with stakeholders in meetings, field days, and conferences. This research study will develop appropriate techniques for tea plant propagation so that nurseries can sell tea plants locally and nationally and be a part of the emerging tea industry in the United States.

Research objective:

1. Conduct varietal trials of tea plants for propagation

Educational objectives:

1. Provide hands-on training on tea cutting propagation method to growers
2. Write an extension guide on tea propagation for Western Washington nursery grower and a guide on garden/field planting for customers
3. Present research results at conferences