Vol. 130 (2017): Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society
Krome Memorial Institute (Tropicals)

Tea As a Novel Crop for Florida: Field Establishment of Eight Accessions

Published 2017-06-15

Abstract

Tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] is an economically important beverage crop, currently under investigation as a new specialty crop in the United States. Florida agriculture, long dominated by citrus, is in flux due to Huanglong-bing (HLB; syn. citrus greening). Tea may present an alternative crop to citrus. Tea accessions have been grown in a mulched, drip-irrigated field in North Central Florida since March 2016 in a completely randomized block design and rated every month for survival and growth. Different accessions showed varying levels of survival and growth, with the ‘CF-QB’ having both lowest survival and growth rates compared to the other accessions using a Tukey’s HSD. This work can help shape future directions of tea research, breeding, and recommendations for growers in establishing a novel industry in Florida.