AU2019211602B2

AU2019211602B2 - Tea growth promotion method

Info

Publication number: AU2019211602B2
Application number: AU2019211602A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jieqi Fu; Kouji Ishigami; Hikaru Yoshida
Original assignee: Ito En Ltd
Current assignee: Ito En Ltd
Priority date: 2018-01-25
Filing date: 2019-01-22
Publication date: 2021-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 2039-01-22
Also published as: JPWO2019146561A1; CN111615330A; CN111615330B; JP6714177B2; WO2019146561A1; AU2019211602A1

Abstract

Proposed, as a new method for promoting the growth of tea, is a tea growth promotion method wherein the surfaces of tea leaves or tea plants are heated.

Description

TEA GROWTH PROMOTION METHOD

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method for promoting

the growth of tea.

2. Background Art

As a method for promoting the growth of a plant

including tea, a method of applying a chemical

fertilizer, or an agricultural and horticultural material

chemically synthesized or produced has been

conventionally known.

However, while such an agricultural and

horticultural material chemically synthesized or produced

exerts a strong and immediate effect in many cases exerts

a noticeable effect in the short term, the material may

cause problems of decreased soil fertility, acidification

of soil, environmental pollution due to residual

components, and further adverse effects and the like due

to the accumulation of the material in the human body and

livestock, etc. when frequently used. Therefore, a

method for growing a plant without the use of such an

agricultural and horticultural material chemically

synthesized or produced has been demanded.

For example, Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Patent

Laid-Open No. 6-256110) discloses a method for promoting

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU the growth of tea plants by watering a mixture of an amino acid (L-theanine or the like), a cytokinin (kinetin or the like), an auxin (indoleacetic acid or the like), and vitamins to the tea plants from the roots, or by sprinkling such a mixture on the leaf surfaces.

Patent Literature 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.

2002-068867) discloses a granular fertilizer which is

excellent in the slow releasability of nitrogen and well

grows agricultural and horticultural plants without the

desolation of soil and surrounding environment.

Patent Literature 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.

2002-322003) discloses a granular composition obtained by

compounding an agricultural active ingredient and high

purity lime powder as essential ingredients and

subjecting the resultant to extrusion granulation, as an

organic agricultural material, and a method for producing

the granular composition.

Patent Literature 4 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.

2006-232764) discloses a colloidal aqueous solution

formed by compounding silicon carbide, water, and bittern

at a predetermined ratio and mixing them, as a growth

promoting agent for plants.

Among the perennial crops, tea is a special crop,

and has a characteristic that the tea leaves are

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU harvested multiple times a year. The timing for plucking varies from region to region. For example, in Shizuoka

Prefecture in Japan, the first tea is plucked between the

middle of April and the middle of May, the second tea is

plucked after waiting for the following buds to grow on

around 45 to 50 days after the plucking of the first tea,

and then the autumn-winter tea is plucked after waiting

for around 3 months until autumn. Tea farmers manage the

tea plants strictly every day in order to improve the

production of tea at each timing for plucking of from the

first tea to the autumn-winter tea.

The production of tea leaves at each timing for

plucking depends largely on the rate of application of

fertilizer, and it is known that as the rate of

application of fertilizer is higher, the growth of tea

leaves is more promoted and the production of tea leaves

is more increased.

However, there is a limit to the amount of

fertilizer that can be absorbed into tea leaves and/or

tea plants even if the fertilizer is applied largely at a

certain level or more, a vicious cycle is caused in which

if the fertilizer is applied more than necessary, roots

of tea plants are damaged, the absorption/bioavailability

largely decreases, and the fertilizer is applied more and

more to compensate for the large decrease, and therefore,

there is a limit on the production of tea leaves by the

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU rate of application of fertilizer. Further, the unabsorbed fertilizer components flow out of the tea plantation, and cause even another problem of polluting nearby rivers.

Therefore, the present invention is to propose a

novel method for promoting the growth of tea, which can

promote the growth of tea by a method different from the

method of applying an agricultural and horticultural

material chemically synthesized or produced, a

fertilizer, or the like.

3. Summary of Invention

In one aspect, the present invention provides a

method for promoting the growth of tea, which is

characterized by heating a surface of a tea leaf and/or a

tea plant, wherein the heating is performed so that the

surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant reaches a

desired value and not exceeds same, as noted below.

According to the method for promoting the growth of

tea, which has been proposed by the present invention,

the growth of tea, in particular, tea leaves, tea plants,

tea-leaf buds, and the like can be promoted without

applying an agricultural and horticultural material

chemically synthesized or produced, a fertilizer, or the

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU like, and the yield of tea leaves in a desired tea season can be increased.

The method for promoting the growth of tea according

to the present invention (referred to as "the present

growth promotion method") is a method characterized by

heating a surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant (this

treatment is referred to as "heat treatment").

The tea leaves and/or tea plants to be targeted by

the present growth promotion method may be tea leaves

and/or tea plants (collectively also referred to as

"tea"), which are cultivated for the purpose of

extracting the plucked tea leaves or processed tea leaves

into a liquid and drinking the liquid. The tea leaves

and/or tea plants to be targeted may also be tea leaves

and/or tea plants, which are cultivated for the purpose

of eating the plucked tea leaves.

The tea leaves and/or tea plants described above

mean tea leaves, tea plants, or both of the tea leaves

and the tea plants.

Specific examples of the tea leaves and/or tea

plants include tea leaves and/or tea plants, which are

cultivated for tea for green tea, covered tea, gyokuro,

tencha, oolong tea, black tea, and other beverages.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

In the present growth promotion method, the heating

is performed so that the surface of a tea leaf and/or a

tea plant reaches 450C to 55°C.

If the heating is performed so that the surface

temperature of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant reaches 450C

or more, it is effective for promoting the growth of tea

leaves, and in addition, if the heating is performed so

that the surface temperature of a tea leaf and/or a tea

plant reaches 550C or less, the occurrence of heat injury

can be prevented.

From such a viewpoint, it is preferable to perform

the heating so that the surface of a tea leaf and/or a

tea plant reaches 450C to 550C, and it is particularly

preferable to perform the heating so that the surface of

a tea leaf and/or a tea plant reaches 460C or more or

530C or less among them, and 500C or more or 520C or less

particularly among them.

At this moment, the surface temperature of the tea

leaf and/or the tea plant can be adjusted by the

temperature and contact time of a heating medium to be

brought into contact with the tea leaves and/or tea

plants.

In the present growth promotion method, it is

preferable to perform the heating so that the surface of

a tea leaf and/or a tea plant is maintained at the above

temperature, that is, 450C to 550C for 1 second or more.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

Maintaining the above temperature for 1 second or

more is effective for promoting the growth of tea leaves,

but if the above temperature is maintained for so long a

period of time, the heat injury may occur.

From such a viewpoint, it is preferable to perform

the heating so that the surface of a tea leaf and/or a

tea plant is maintained at 450C to 550C for 1 second or

more, and it is more preferable to perform the heating so

that the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant is

maintained at 450C to 550C for 3 seconds or more or 10

seconds or less among them, and 5 seconds or more or 6

seconds or less particularly among them.

In the present growth promotion method, as the

timing for performing the heat treatment on the surface

of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant as described above, it

is preferable to perform the heat treatment within two

weeks from the time of the plucking or skiffing of tea

leaves, within one week among them, and within one day

particularly among them.

In this regard, the above-described plucking of tea

leaves is not particularly limited as long as it is the

plucking for harvesting tea leaves. Above all, the

plucking is preferably the plucking for harvesting the

first tea and/or the second tea.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

Further, the above-described skiffing of tea leaves

means a trimming operation on a plucking surface, which

is performed after the plucking of tea leaves. Above

all, the skiffing is preferably performed after the

plucking of the first tea or the second tea.

Among the above, it is preferable to apply the

present growth promotion method after the plucking of the

first tea and before the plucking of the second tea. In

this regard, the present growth promotion method may be

performed before the plucking of the first tea, or may be

performed after the plucking of the second tea.

Among them, it is preferable to perform the present

growth promotion method between the day of the plucking

of the first tea and the 14th day therefrom, and it is

more preferable to perform the present growth promotion

method between the day of from the plucking and the 7th

day therefrom among them, and between the day of from the

plucking and the 3rd day or less therefrom particularly

among them.

Tea plants are damaged by the plucking, and as a

result of which the growth of the tea leaves and/or tea

plants may be inhibited. Therefore, it is preferable to

apply the present growth promotion method immediately

after the plucking of tea leaves.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

Further, the present growth promotion method is

performed between the 10th day and the 25th day counted

from the day of the plucking of the first tea, during

which the second tea-leaf buds emerge, and it is

particularly preferable among them to perform between the

15th and the 20th day from the day of the plucking.

It is preferable to perform the above-described heat

treatment within 24 hours from the time when the plucking

or the skiffing of tea leaves was performed, within 18

hours among them, and within 12 hours particularly among

them.

In the present growth promotion method, as the

frequency of the heat treatment, as described above, it

is preferable to perform the heat treatment once or more

within one month immediately before plucking.

Performing the heat treatment once or more within

one month immediately before plucking is effective for

promoting the growth of tea leaves, but if the frequency

of the heat treatment is extremely high, the heat injury

may occur, and the production cost may increase.

Therefore, as for the frequency of the heat

treatment, it is preferable to perform the heat treatment

twice or more within one month immediately before

plucking, and it is more preferable to perform the heat

treatment twice or more or 7 times or less among them,

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU and 3 times or more or 6 times or less particularly among them.

From the similar viewpoint, it is preferable to

perform the heat treatment once or more every two weeks

within one month immediately before plucking, and it is

more preferable to perform the heat treatment once or

more or 3 times or less among them, and once or more or

twice or less particularly among them.

In the present growth promotion method, examples of

the means for heating the surface of a tea leaf and/or a

tea plant include a method of bringing heated misty water

(also referred to as "heated mist") into contact with the

surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant, a method of

bringing heated air into contact with the surface of a

tea leaf and/or a tea plant, and a method of raising the

surface temperature of tea leaves and/or tea plants by

heating of soil.

Among the above noted different ways of heating a

tea leaf and/or a tea plant, it is preferable to employ a

method of heating the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea

plant by bringing heated misty water into contact with

the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant

(hereinafter, referred to as "the present vapor heating

method").

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

As described above, in the method of bringing heated

misty water into contact with the surface of a tea leaf

and/or a tea plant, since the amount of the water that

comes into contact with the tea leaf and/or the tea plant

can be significantly reduced as compared with the case of

bringing, for example, heated water, that is, non-misty

water, for example, water in the form of shower into

contact with the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea

plant, or of bringing water into contact with the surface

of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant by sprinkling the water

onto the surfaces, not only the occurrence of heat injury

can be suppressed but also the amount of the water to be

supplied to the soil can be extremely reduced, and

therefore, the method is a technique suitable for large

scale production, for example, for growing tea

particularly in a tea plantation. Specifically, the

method is a technique suitable for a tea plantation on a

scale of a tea plantation area of 1 ha or more. For

example, in a method of the showering of water or the

sprinkling of hot water, since a large amount of water is

sprinkled in a tea plantation, not only it is difficult

to perform the method in terms of the equipment, but also

moisture damage due to the drainage and the excessive

amount of water is generated, the growth of new buds

becomes poor, the yield and quality both decrease, and as

a result, matured leaves may turn yellow and fall off.

On the other hand, such a problem can be solved by the

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU method of bringing heated misty water into contact with the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant.

The water to be used in the present vapor heating

method may be, for example, tap water, well water, city

water, or the like, and if necessary, components such as

minerals and chlorine may be removed from the water, or

agents may be added into the water.

The "heated misty water" in the present vapor

heating method may be misty water of which the

temperature is at least higher than the room temperature

and which can heat the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea

plant by being brought into contact with the surface of a

tea leaf and/or a tea plant. The "heated misty water"

may be, for example, heated misty water obtained by

atomizing heated water, heated misty water obtained by

heating misty water, or heated misty water obtained by

cooling water vapor.

For example, as the method for producing the above

"heated misty water", a method of generating vapor by a

boiler and then bringing the vapor into contact with a

certain amount of air to cool the vapor to a

predetermined temperature can be mentioned from the

viewpoints of reducing the amount of the water to be used

and of increasing the energy efficiency of a heat source.

However, the method is not limited to this method.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

In the present vapor heating method, as for the

"heated misty water", it is preferable that the "heated

misty water", for example, mixed cooled water vapor is

brought into contact with tea leaves and/or tea plants in

an amount of 100 to 3000 L/min per 1 m 3 of the tea leaves

and/or tea plants, and it is more preferable that the

"heated misty water", for example, mixed cooled water

vapor is brought into contact with tea leaves and/or tea

plants in an amount of 120 L/min or more or 1500 L/min or

less among them, and 150 L/min or more or 1000 L/min or

less particularly among them. Further, as for the amount

of water, it is preferable that the "heated misty water",

for example, mixed cooled water vapor is brought into

contact with tea leaves and/or tea plants in an amount of

20 to 300 g per 1 m 3 of the tea leaves and/or tea plants,

and it is more preferable that the "heated misty water",

for example, mixed cooled water vapor is brought into

contact with tea leaves and/or tea plants in an amount of

30 g or more or 200 g or less among them, and 40 g or

more or 100 g or less particularly among them.

In this regard, the above-described mixed cooled

water vapor means "heated misty water" obtained by mixing

water vapor with air and cooling the mixture to a

predetermined temperature.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

In the present vapor heating method, it is

preferable that the "heated misty water" is brought into

contact with the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant

for 1 to 5 seconds.

Bringing the "heated misty water" into contact with

the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant for 1 second

or more is effective for promoting the growth of tea

leaves, but if the above contact time is so long a period

of time, the heat injury may occur.

From such a viewpoint, it is preferable to heat the

surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant so that the

surface is maintained at 450C to 550C for at least 1

second or more, and it is more preferable to heat the

surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant so that the

surface is maintained at 450C to 550C for 3 seconds or

more or 10 seconds or less among them, and 5 seconds or

more or 6 seconds or less particularly among them.

The temperature of the above "heated misty water" is

preferably a temperature at which the surface of a tea

leaf and/or a tea plant becomes 450C to 65°C when the

"heated misty water" comes into contact with the tea leaf

and/or tea plant. By setting the temperature in this

range, the surface temperature of tea leaf and/or tea

plant can be set to 45 to 55°C as described above, and if

the temperature is 450C or more, the growth promoting

effect of the present invention can be obtained, and if

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU the temperature is 550C or less, the occurrence of heat injury of tea leaves can be prevented.

From such a viewpoint, the temperature of the above

"heated misty water" is preferably a temperature at which

the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant becomes 450C

to 65°C when the "heated misty water" comes into contact

with the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant, and is

particularly preferably a temperature at which the

surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant becomes 470C or

more or 600C or less among them, and 500C or more or 550C

or less particularly among them.

In this regard, the temperature of the above "heated

misty water" may be a temperature at which the surface of

a tea leaf and/or a tea plant becomes 450C to 650C when

the "heated misty water" comes into contact with the tea

leaves and/or tea plants, and in order to adjust the

temperature of the surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea

plant as described above, the temperature of the "heated

misty water", the injection speed, the distance between

the spraying nozzle for the spraying and the tea leaf

and/or the tea plant, the amount of the "heated misty

water" to be sprayed, and the like may be appropriately

adjusted. Among them, the temperature of the above

"heated misty water" is preferably 45 to 1000C, and more

preferably 480C or more or 800C or less among them, 490C

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU or more or 600C or less particularly among them, and 500C or more or 550C or less more particularly among them.

It is preferable to adjust the time of contact of

the "heated misty water" with the surface of a tea leaf

and/or a tea plant (simply referred to as "contact time")

in relation to the water temperature.

It is preferable to adjust the temperature of the

water to be in contact with tea leaves and the contact

time of the water to be in contact with tea leaves so

that the product (A x h) of temperature (A) and contact

time (h) of the "heated misty water" is 450C x 6 S

(seconds) to 550C x 15 S (seconds) as a guide.

For example, by performing the treatment so that the

"heated misty water" at 450C is brought into contact with

the tea leaves within a contact time of 6 seconds, the

heat injury can be prevented while obtaining an excellent

growth promoting effect.

From such a viewpoint, it is preferable that the

product (A x h) of temperature (A) and contact time (h)

of the "heated misty water" is 450C x 6 S (seconds) to

550C x 15 S (seconds), and it is particularly preferable

to perform the adjustment so that the product is 460C x 6

S (seconds) or more or 530C x 12 S (seconds) or less

among them, and 500C x 3 S (seconds) or more or 520C x 10

S(seconds) or less particularly among them.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

Further, by adjusting the temperature A (0C) of the

water to be in contact with tea leaves and the time h

(seconds) of the contact of "heated misty water" with tea

leaves so that the equation of {temperature A (°C) of

"heated misty water" - 300C}A2 x {time h (seconds) of

contact of "heated misty water" with tea leaves} + 100

results in 50 or less, 10 or more or 40 or less among

them, and 12 or more or 30 or less particularly among

them, the growth promoting effect can be obtained in a

shorter period of time.

In the present vapor heating method, the speed of

performing the spraying of the "heated misty water" is

preferably a speed of 2.0 m/s to 10.0 m/s. By setting

the speed in this range, the "heated misty water" can be

prevented from excessively diffusing or from excessively

coming into contact with tea leaves.

From such a viewpoint, the speed of performing the

spraying of the "heated misty water" is preferably a

speed of 2.0 m/s to 10.0 m/s, and particularly preferably

3.0 m/s or more or 9.0 m/s or less among them, and 4.0

m/s or more or 8.0 m/s or less particularly among them.

In the present vapor heating method, it is

preferable to bring the above "heated misty water" into

contact with at least tea leaves at the surface part of a

leaf layer among the tea leaves and/or tea plants, and it

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU is more preferable to bring the "heated misty water" into contact with bud parts of the tea leaves to be plucked among them.

By bringing the "heated misty water" into contact

with tea leaves at the surface part of a leaf layer, the

growth of the tea leaves can be promoted. Further, by

bringing the "heated misty water" into contact with leaf

bud parts of the tea leaves to be plucked, the growth of

the buds can also be promoted.

In particular, it is preferable to bring the "heated

misty water" into contact also with the cut surfaces of

stems, and it is preferable to bring the "heated misty

water" into contact also with young leaves on which

trichomes are present. Further, it is preferable to

bring the "heated misty water" into contact also with the

hardened leaves present below the plucking surface, which

are generally called "parent leaves", it is preferable to

bring the "heated misty water" into contact further with

the branches, and it is preferable to bring the "heated

misty water" into contact furthermore with the trunks.

Bringing the above "heated misty water" into contact

with the cut surfaces of stems is effective for growing

the tea leaves and the tea-leaf buds. Further, bringing

the above "heated misty water" into contact also with the

parent leaves, the branches, and the trunks is effective

for promoting the growth of tea plants.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a

method for producing tea is proposed.

Tea plants are allowed to grow by applying the

present growth promotion method, and the plucking may be

performed at some intervals in two to four periods among

the periods of the first tea (March to May), the second

tea (June to July), the third tea (July to August), and

the autumn-winter tea (autumn).

For example, in Kagoshima prefecture in Japan,

usually, the timing for plucking the first tea is from

the middle of April to the end of May, the second tea is

plucked after waiting for the following buds to grow on

around 45 to 50 days after the plucking of the first tea,

the third tea is plucked on 40 to 45 days after the

plucking of the second tea, and the fourth tea is plucked

on 50 to 60 days after the plucking of the third tea.

Therefore, as described above, it is preferable to

perform the present growth promotion method as described

above within two weeks after each plucking or skiffing,

within one week among them, and within one day

particularly among them.

The plucked tea leaves are steamed with vapor at a

tea-leaf drying factory to inactivate the oxidase

contained in fresh tea leaves (parching treatment),

subsequently the inactivated tea leaves are processed

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU into dried tea leaves through a series of steps of the rollings by primary drying, tea rolling, secondary drying, final rolling, and the like, and drying, and then processing of the obtained dried tea leaves may be further performed according to the application.

In a case where the expression "X to Y" (X and Y are

arbitrary numbers) is used in the present specification,

the expression "X to Y" includes the meaning of

"preferably larger than X" or "preferably smaller than Y"

together with the meaning of "X or more and Y or less"

unless otherwise specified.

Further, in a case where the expression "X or more"

(X is an arbitrary number) or "Y or less" (Y is an

arbitrary number) is used in the present specification,

the expression also includes the intention of "preferably

larger than X" or "preferably less than Y".

4. Description of Specific Embodiments and Examples of

the Invention

Next, the present invention will be described in

more detail on the basis of embodiments, examples and

comparative examples. However, the present invention is

not limited to the embodiments described below.

Test 1

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

The relationship between the heat treatment and the

growth promoting effect on tea leaves and/or tea plants

was verified.

Test area 1

In a field in Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan, for the

tea variety "Yabukita", heated mist at 450C was prepared

and injected onto tea plants and tea leaves for 6 seconds

by using a commercially available nozzle (20 heads), the

surface temperature (leaf surface temperature) of the tea

leaves was measured, and further the production per tan

was calculated from the plucked amount (kg) per unit area

as the production of the plucked tea leaves.

At this moment, as for the heated mist at 450C, that

is, heated misty water, the water vapor (900C or more)

produced by using a commercially available boiler ALIII

(manufactured by Marubun Seisakusyo Co., Ltd.) was mixed

with air by a mixer, the temperature of the mixed gas of

the water vapor and the air, which is emitted from a

nozzle, was measured, and on the basis of the temperature

measured above, the amount of the air to be taken in by

the mixer was adjusted to obtain heated mist having a

desired temperature (also referred to as "cooled water

vapor"). The temperature of the heated mist is shown as

the "temperature of water vapor".

Further, as for the leaf surface temperature of tea

leaves, the surface temperature of parent leaves located

on the surface of the leaf layer was measured by using an

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU infrared thermometer (SK-8700II, manufactured by Sato

Keiryoki Mfg. Co., Ltd).

In addition, the amount of the heated mist, that is,

the volume (L/min) of the heated misty water, and the

water content (g) thereof which was used for the

injection per 1 m 3 of the tea leaves and/or tea plants

are shown in Table 1.

Test areas 2 to 12

In a field in Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan, for the

tea variety "Yabukita", a treatment in which "cooled

water vapor", that is, heated mist having the temperature

shown in Table 1, prepared in a similar manner as in test

area 1 is injected onto tea plants and tea leaves in a

similar manner as in test area 1 for only the treatment

time shown in Table 1 to obtain the leaf surface

temperature shown in Table 1, was performed at the timing

of the two-leaf stage (April 22) before the plucking of

the first tea and/or one week before plucking (April 26).

Subsequently, the results of measuring the

production (production per tan) of the plucked tea leaves

on the plucking day (May 3) of the first tea are shown in

Table 1.

In the present specification, production per tan is

indicated. Tan is a Japanese unit that define the size of

an area, i.e. 1 tan = 300 Tsubo, which is a measurement

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU unit still used in relation to agricultural land (size).

In metric units, 1 Tan = approx. 991.7 m2

In addition, the amount of the heated mist, that is,

the volume (L/min) of the heated misty water, and the

water content (g) thereof which was used for the

injection per 1 m 3 of the tea leaves and/or tea plants

are shown in Table 1.

Test area 13

Test area 13 was an untreated area in which the

heated mist had not been injected onto tea plants and tea

leaves, and was similar to test areas 1 to 12 except that

the tea plants and tea leaves had not been treated with

the heated mist.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

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Results

In the untreated test area, the tea leaves could not

be plucked, and therefore, the growth promoting effects

of tea leaves could not be directly compared with each

other, but it was confirmed that the growth of tea leaves

could be promoted and the production could be increased

by performing the treatment in which the "cooled water

vapor", that is, heated mist is brought into contact with

tea plants and tea leaves.

In particular, since the production per tan was

higher than that of test area 13 being the untreated area

in test areas 9 to 12 in each of which the "cooled water

vapor", that is, heated mist had been brought into

contact with tea plants and tea leaves at the timing of

the two-leaf stage and one week before plucking (in

combination), it was confirmed that the growth promoting

effect on tea leaves could be obtained by bringing the

"cooled water vapor", that is, heated mist into contact

with the tea plants and the tea leaves at the timing of

the two-leaf stage and one week before plucking.

Further, when comparing test areas 1 to 4 in each of

which the "cooled water vapor", that is, heated mist had

been brought into contact with tea plants and tea leaves

at the two-leaf stage with test areas 5 to 8 in each of

which the "cooled water vapor", that is, heated mist had

been brought into contact with tea plants and tea leaves

one week before plucking, the production per tan of tea

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU leaves was higher in the test areas in each of which the

"cooled water vapor", that is, heated mist had been

brought into contact with tea plants and tea leaves at

the two-leaf stage, and therefore, it was suggested that

it was effective to perform the treatment at the two-leaf

stage as the timing of the treatment for the growth

promoting effect on tea leaves.

Test 2

The relationship between the number of heat

treatments and the growth promoting effect on tea leaves

and/or tea plants was verified.

Test areas 14 to 25

In a field in Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan, for the

tea variety "Yabukita", a treatment in which the "cooled

water vapor", that is, heated mist having the temperature

shown in Table 2, prepared in a similar manner as in test

area 1 is injected onto tea plants and tea leaves in a

similar manner as in test area 1 for only the treatment

time shown in Table 2 to obtain the leaf surface

temperature shown in Table 2, was performed in total of

three times of the first treatment (May 10), the second

treatment (May 23), and the third treatment (June 6)

during the period from the plucking of the first tea to

the plucking of the second tea, and the effects on the

production of the second tea were investigated.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

Subsequently, the results of measuring the

production (production per tan) of the plucked tea leaves

on the plucking day (June 13) of the second tea are shown

in Table 2.

In addition, the amount of the heated mist, that is,

the volume (L/min) of the heated misty water, and the

water content (g) thereof which was used for the

injection per 1 m 3 of the tea leaves and/or tea plants

are shown in Table 2.

Test area 26

Test area 13 was an untreated area in which the

heated mist had not been injected onto tea plants and tea

leaves, and was similar to test areas 14 to 25 except

that the tea plants and tea leaves had not been treated

with the heated mist.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

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Results

Since the production of tea leaves was higher than

that of test area 26 being the untreated area in all of

test areas 14 to 25 in each of which a heat treatment had

been performed, in particular, the "cooled water vapor",

that is, heated mist had been brought into contact with

tea plants and tea leaves, it was confirmed that the

growth promoting effect on tea leaves could be obtained

by bringing the "cooled water vapor", that is, heated

mist into contact with the tea plants and tea leaves.

It was confirmed that it was more effective for

promoting the growth of tea leaves by performing the

treatment which in particularly the "cooled water vapor",

that is, heated mist is brought into contact with tea

plants and tea leaves twice or three times before the

plucking of tea leaves.

In the above Examples, the treatment in which the

"cooled water vapor" is brought into contact with tea

plants and tea leaves was performed. However, with

respect to the effect of heating the surface of a tea

leaf and/or a tea plant, it is considered that a similar

effect can be obtained also in a case where other "heated

misty water" was brought into contact with tea plants and

tea leaves.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

Claims

1. A method for promoting the growth of tea, comprising

heating a surface of a tea leaf and/or a tea plant,

wherein the heating is performed so that the surface of

the tea leaf and/or the tea plant reaches 450C to 55°C.

2. The method for promoting the growth of tea according

to claim 1, wherein the heating is performed so that the

surface of the tea leaf and/or the tea plant is

maintained at 45°C to 550C for at least 1 second.

3. The method for promoting the growth of tea according

to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heating is performed by

bringing heated misty water into contact with the surface

of the tea leaf and/or the tea plant.

4. The method for promoting the growth of tea according

to claim 3, wherein the heated misty water is brought

into contact with the surface of the tea leaf and/or the

tea plant for 1 to 5 seconds during the heating.

5. The method for promoting the growth of tea according

to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heating is

performed twice or more within one month immediately

before plucking of the tea plant.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU

6. The method for promoting the growth of tea according

to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heating is

performed once or more every two weeks within one month

immediately before plucking of the tea plant.

7. A method for producing a tea leaf product,

comprising: subjecting tea plants before or between tea

leaf harvesting to at least one thermal treatment for a

time sufficient for a surface of leaves of the tea plants

to reach 450C to 55°C; optionally maintaining the tea

leaves at said temperature for a an amount of time

greater than 1 second; allowing growth of the thermally

treated tea leaves for a predetermined number of days;

subsequently harvesting the thermally treated, grown tea

leaves; and processing the harvested tea leaves into a

tea leaf product.

8. A tea leaf product obtained from the method of claim

7.

16279391_1 (GHMatters) P113996.AU