I. Overview of the Technology

(a) Basic Information on the Technology

Jiangxi is a major Tea-producing province with a long history of Tea culture. In recent years, under the guidance of national strategies such as “Poverty Alleviation” and “Rural Revitalization,” local governments at all levels in Jiangxi have been actively promoting the development of tea brands like Lushan Cloudy Mist Tea, Wuyuan Green Tea, Fuliang Tea, Suichuan Doggu Brain, and Ning Hong Tea. The Jiangxi Provincial People's Government issued the Three-Year Action Plan (2025-2025) for High-Quality Development of Seven Major Agricultural Industries in Jiangxi Province, which explicitly states the goal of focusing on high-quality teas and expanding export teas, aiming to reach a comprehensive output value of 20 billion yuan by 2025. To further improve the quality of tea and build a brand of pesticide-free and organic teas, it is crucial to integrate and promote green pest management techniques for tea diseases and pests.

According to annual monitoring, the main diseases and pests affecting tea in Jiangxi include the tea green leafhopper, tea geometrid moth, tea tussock caterpillar, aphids, night moths, spiny moths, tea tentiform leafminer, tea orange spider mite, leaf miners, anthracnose, ring spot disease, tea cloud pattern blight, red leaf spot disease, tea white rust, and tea blister blight, among others. Based on the occurrence patterns and regional characteristics of these diseases and pests in Jiangxi, as well as successful experiences in pest control over the years, an integrated green pest management model has been developed.

(b) Demonstration and Promotion of the Technology

Focusing on the construction of green pest management demonstration zones, an integrated pest management model that emphasizes ecological regulation, physical and chemical luring, biological control, and scientific and safe use of pesticides is being promoted. Currently, this technology has been widely applied in major tea-producing areas across Jiangxi Province, primarily concentrated in Jiujiang, Shangrao, Yichun, Ji'an, Jingdezhen, and other places. The demonstration area covers 84,000 mu (approximately 5,600 hectares). The systematic investigation, monitoring, and management of tea garden diseases and pests have been included in Jiujiang City's science and technology plan projects (key research and development – agriculture sector) (Document No. [2025]38 of the Jiujiang Science and Technology Bureau, Project No. 2025086).

(c) Quality Improvement and Efficiency Enhancement

Based on preliminary calculations in Jiujiang and Yichun, the use of green pest management techniques in demonstration zones has reduced the use of chemical pesticides by more than 20%, saving labor and pesticide costs of over 100 yuan per mu. The additional value of fresh tea leaves harvested is more than 400 yuan per mu, resulting in a net increase in comprehensive economic benefits of over 500 yuan per mu. Meanwhile, the demonstration zones have spurred surrounding tea gardens to purchase and apply green pest management products independently, creating extensive radiation zones. Comprehensive assessments estimate that each mu in these radiation zones can generate additional economic benefits of over 100 yuan, achieving significant quality improvement and income growth.

By promoting green pest management techniques for tea diseases and pests, we can achieve a reduction in pesticide usage while increasing efficiency, significantly lowering the pollution caused by pesticides to the tea garden ecosystem. This helps protect natural enemies of pests, maintain ecological balance, increase farmers' income, and promote the green development of the tea industry, yielding remarkable economic, ecological, and social benefits.

(d) Awards Received by the Technology

N/A

II. Key Points of the Technology

(a) Control Strategy

The strategy adopted is based on agricultural control, with physical and chemical luring, biological control, and ecological regulation as important measures, and chemical control as an emergency measure. Priority is given to controlling major diseases and pests using fitness cultivation, biopesticides, and the protection and utilization of natural enemies. Safe, scientific, and rational use of efficient, low-toxicity, and low-residue pesticides is advocated to minimize the use of chemical pesticides, enhance biodiversity, and ensure the safety of tea products and the tea garden ecosystem.

(b) Main Technologies Promoted

1. Agricultural Control Techniques

Strengthen tea garden management to enhance tree vigor. Through pruning and deep plowing and fertilization, clear dead branches and leaves, diseased and pest-infested branches from the tea garden, collect and remove pupae and cocoons of tea geometrid moths, and dispose of them outside the tea garden to reduce the number of pests. Timely and repeated picking of tea leaves removes infested buds, eggs, insect cocoons, and diseased leaves, alleviating the damage caused by aphids, tea green leafhoppers, tea orange spider mites, and tea white rust, among others.

Figure 1 Pruning Tea Gardens

2. Ecological Regulation Techniques

Improve the tea garden ecosystem to create habitats and breeding grounds for natural enemies, protecting and utilizing beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, mirids, parasitic wasps, and spiders, thus promoting a healthy cycle in the tea garden ecosystem.

(i) Intercropping leguminous green manure plants (such as white clover and crimson clover) can fix nitrogen and improve soil fertility.

(ii) Straw mulching in the rows between tea plants during summer and winter provides a good habitat and breeding ground for natural enemies.

(iii) Retaining shallow-rooted, low-growing natural weeds in tea gardens or planting meadow foxtail, Mexican mint marigold, white clover, and calendula can suppress the growth of noxious weeds, improve the tea garden environment, and protect natural enemies.

3. Physical and Chemical Luring Techniques

(i) Use light to lure pests. Install one insect-killing lamp for every 30-50 mu (approximately 2-3 hectares) of tea garden (preferably using natural enemy-friendly insect-killing lamps), with the lamp positioned 20-60 cm above the tea canopy. Turn on the lights from 7-10 PM from early April to late October to lure and kill pests such as the tea geometrid moth, tea tussock caterpillar, and tea green leafhopper.

Figure 2 Insect-killing Lamp Luring Pests (the lower image shows a natural enemy-friendly insect-killing lamp)

(ii) Use sex pheromones to lure pests. From early March to October, install 1-2 sets of sex pheromone traps per mu (approximately 0.067 hectares) in the tea garden, containing pheromones for the tea geometrid moth or tea tussock caterpillar. Suspend the traps 25 cm above the tea canopy to lure male adults. Replace sticky boards and pheromone cores regularly and promptly.

Figure 3 Sex Pheromone Trap Luring Pests

(iii) Use color boards to lure pests. Install 20-25 color boards per mu (approximately 0.067 hectares) evenly throughout the tea garden (preferably using natural enemy-friendly sticky boards), arranged in a checkerboard pattern. Position the bottom of the boards 10-20 cm above the tea canopy to lure pests such as black scale, tea green leafhopper, and aphids.