Recently, there has been continuous heavy rainfall in most parts of our city with a certain degree of extremity. To minimize the adverse effects of heavy rainstorms and floods on Tea production and reduce disaster losses to stabilize summer and Autumn Tea production, the Chongqing Agricultural Technology Extension General Station and the Chongqing Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System Tea Innovation Team have developed guidance on techniques for tea production to prevent and mitigate disasters caused by heavy rainstorms and floods. This guidance is provided for reference by all planting entities.

01

Take Disasters Seriously and Effectively Prepare for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

Pay close attention to and be vigilant about heavy rainstorms and floods, closely monitor weather changes, and before the arrival of heavy rains, thoroughly inspect and dredge drainage ditches in tea gardens and excavate drainage ditches urgently. It is necessary to transfer tea leaves, production materials, and equipment from low-lying areas in advance and effectively prepare for the prevention of heavy rainstorm and flood disasters.

02

Act Promptly and Effectively Drain Waterlogged Tea Gardens

After heavy rainstorms, organize manpower as soon as possible to drain standing water from mature tea gardens that are waterlogged. For flat tea gardens, promptly dig perimeter ditches around the tea garden and intermediate or box ditches in the middle to drain water, reducing soil and environmental humidity to prevent prolonged soaking which could cause root rot in tea plants. For young tea gardens with weaker resistance to flooding, dig ditches immediately to drain water; where conditions permit, use water pumps to speed up drainage and minimize the impact of waterlogging and flooding.

03

Mobilize Extensively and Effectively Repair Damaged Tea Gardens

Hasten to repair damaged roads, ditches, and other infrastructure in tea gardens to create conditions for post-disaster recovery. For mountainous and hilly tea gardens, promptly repair roads, ditches, and terraces, dredge ditches to ensure smooth flow of water and access, and prevent secondary disasters. For collapsed tea gardens, rapidly organize restoration and reconstruction to quickly restore the appearance of the tea garden.

04

Strengthen Guidance and Effectively Manage Tea Gardens After Disasters

1. Strengthen Tree Management. For tea gardens inundated by floods, promptly remove mud and debris from the tree canopy to maintain cleanliness; for tea gardens buried under mud, quickly excavate accumulated soil and sand; for young tea gardens, promptly prop up fallen tea plants and cover roots with soil. For tea plants with prolonged waterlogging, severely damaged roots, and obvious wilting of leaves, after draining water, clearing ditches, and drying the surface soil, use pruning machines for severe or deep pruning to reduce evaporation of water and nutrients from the branches and leaves, preventing the death of the entire plant. For tea plants with exposed or injured roots, promptly cover them with soil and prune dragging branches covered in mud and sand. Other tea gardens with less severe damage should be pruned promptly to cultivate productive tree canopies and promote uniform sprouting of new buds.

2. Strengthen Soil Fertilization Management. After tea gardens are submerged in water, soil compaction may occur, so it is important to loosen the soil promptly. At the same time, strengthen soil fertilization management. By spraying urea and amino acid foliar fertilizers, promote the sprouting of new leaves and quickly restore tree vigor; by applying composted organic fertilizers and compound fertilizers through trench application to replenish nutrients, dig trenches about 15 centimeters deep, cover with soil after fertilizing, and promote the growth of new roots in tea plants.

3. Strengthen Pest and Weed Control. Currently, it is the peak season for pests such as the Green Tea leafhopper and tea orange spider mites. Closely monitor the occurrence of major tea pests and weeds, strengthen pest and disease forecasting and early warning, and when control thresholds are reached, use mineral-origin, bio-origin pesticides for control, or pesticides with low water solubility such as chlorfenapyr and indoxacarb for emergency control. For young tea gardens, crop stalks, weeds, and green manure can be used for inter-row mulching, with a thickness of about 10 centimeters, to suppress weed growth.