How do Leaf Hoppers help some time

For most crops, insect damage is a bad thing—both for yield and quality.  With tea, however, we have this somewhat unique case of the so-called “bug-bitten” teas where attack by an insect actually improves the quality compared to an un-attacked plant by inducing chemical changes that are said to improve the aroma of the finished tea.  Famous examples of this are Oriental Beauty (东方美人, dong fang mei ren), Concubine Wulong (贵妃, gui fei), and Honey-Aroma (蜜香, mi xiang) black teas.  All three of these teas are originally Taiwanese, so is there something special about Taiwan?  Well, when you dive into the scientific literature on leafhoppers on tea plants, most of the studies done in Taiwan are on a species of leafhopper known as Jacobiasca formosana, while most of the studies in mainland China talk about a leafhopper known as Empoasca vitis.  So it seems safe to assume that maybe one of these insects causes “good” chemical changes in the tea leaves that increase the quality and the other species causes “bad” chemical changes that decrease quality, right?  Well, according to a few recent studies, it turns out there is very strong evidence that they’re all the same species (Empoasca onukii), so the leafhopper responsible for Oriental Beauty is actually quite widespread!

 http://www.teageek.net/blog/2016/02/bug-bitten-teas-why-are-leafhoppers-only-sometimes-a-good-thing/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THREE TEAS TO HELP EASE YOU INTO COLD WEATHER

GUNPOWDER Gunpowder  green tea could be one of the most underrated teas on our site. Named for its gunpowder-like smell and appearance, this  green tea  has a slightly smoky flavor. You can enjoy this tea as is, or you can try it with mint in our  Moroccan Mint  blend. Inspired by a traditional Moroccan tea service, this tea’s blend of mint flavors will perk you up on the gloomiest of fall days. No matter how you enjoy your Gunpowder, you’ll be delightfully surprised by how this green tea veers from traditional green tea. WHITE WINTER CHAI So the name includes the word “Winter,” but that doesn’t mean it can’t be an amazing Fall tea, too!  Tali’s Masala Chai  and  Pumpkin Spice Chai  are obvious tea choices for the season, but for a mellower and cozier take on chai,  White Winter Chai  is an awesome choice. White Winter Chai features many of the same spices found in a classic chai drink, but with a white tea base. The white tea isn’t too overpowering, giving the spices room to s
Read more

Ready to Drink (RTD) Tea And Coffee Market Analysis

Industry Insights The global ready to drink (RTD) tea and coffee market size was USD 71.43 billion in 2015 and the is expected to increase exponentially on account of health benefits provided by these drinks. These drinks are being touted as a healthy replacement for carbonated drinks which are associated with numerous health hazards including obesity and hypertension. Improving health awareness coupled with rising disposable income is expected to boost demand for these products. The demand for these drinks is high among the millennials who are on the lookout for instant energy drinks. Manufacturers have now started formulating RTD drinks with nutraceutical ingredients to enhance the nutritive value provided by these drinks. The rising demand for on the go drinks is expected to boost the demand for these products. The major factor affecting the industry is the prices of tea and coffee. The untimely rains and rise in agricultural input costs have resulted in an incre
Read more

How to Actually Achieve More in A Day than Most Normally Do in A Week

 https://betterhumans.pub/how-to-actually-achieve-more-in-a-day-than-most-normally-do-in-a-week-e1193433c431 Yesterday was one of my most productive days ever. I wrote 3 articles, segregated my important documents, meditated for 30 minutes, made my monthly investments, caught up with an old friend, banged out an amazing workout, and got to bed early. My past self wouldn’t have achieved that much in an entire week. In fact, even my present “normal” days put my erstwhile most productive days to shame. I work a full-time job, write, work out, eat healthily, invest, read, sleep enough, play my guitar, spend time with loved ones, and constantly explore new things. I nei t her have a timetable nor insane willpower. What I do have are honed systems, consistent habits, and optimized frameworks — and these are what have revolutionized my productivity. “Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.
Read more