Oil Tea Grafting Time and Methods
Today's focus is to introduce the timing and methods of oil tea grafting and the best time for tea tree grafting, related to the green plant aspects. Let's learn about it together.
Oil tea is one of the major high-quality edible woody oil resources unique to China. It is known as one of the world's four largest woody oil varieties, along with oil palm, olive, and coconut. Hillside resources are of great significance for the development of rural economy.
Common oil tea seeds are used as rootstocks for grafting. The maturity of the seeds is a key factor affecting the germination rate, and seeds for seedlings must be fully mature before harvest. During the oil tea picking period, select mature tea peaches, then dry them in the shade for 1-2 days to remove the fruit skin. Choose large, plump, and disease-free seeds as rootstocks to ensure seed germination rate and the robustness of the rootstock.
Before storage, seeds can be soaked in a 400mg/kg potassium permanganate solution for 10-30 minutes. Storage method: Choose a clean, flat, sunny, well-ventilated, and well-drained area, and lay a sand bed. Use bricks (or wood boards) to build a sand bed about 1m wide and 25-35cm high. The length depends on the location and the number of seeds, but it is best to keep it within 12m. On the sand bed, spread a layer of about 15cm thick clean wet river sand, level the wet river sand, then evenly spread the sterilized seeds on top, and cover with another 10cm thick layer of wet river sand. If the space on the sand bed is limited, a second layer of seeds can be stored, i.e., another layer of seeds is planted on top, then covered with 10cm thick wet river sand. At the same time, pay attention to preventing rodent damage.
From late February to early March, increase the humidity and temperature of the seed sand storage bed to germinate oil tea seeds.
Preparation of grafting tools and materials. Grafting knife: A single-edged blade can be used. Bandage: Aluminum foil, 3-4cm long and 1cm wide. Towel: Used to moisten the seedlings during grafting. Small board: 10cmx20cm, used for cutting the rootstock and scion. Hoop diameter: Bamboo strips 2.0m long and 1.5cm wide. Greenhouse film: 2m wide plastic film, used to keep the seedbed moist. Sprayer: Used for watering.
Selection and preparation of scions. Oil tea has many varieties. Currently, 13 excellent tea flower varieties have been selected in Huangshan City, including 6 certified varieties: Huangshan 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8; and 7 certified varieties: Wan Hui 1, 2, 3; and Wan Qi 1, 2, 3, 4. Eight excellent varieties can be promoted by the Anhui Provincial Forestry Bureau in oil tea planting areas: Changlin 3, 4, 18, 27, 40, 53, 56, and 166. Therefore, we must first select the seedlings to be planted and cut out well-developed spring buds from the current year's spring growth. Healthy, disease-free, and certified clones. The scions should be picked as soon as possible. If transportation is needed, note the variety and clone number, tie them together, pack them in moist packaging, and transport them quickly.
The general grafting time for oil tea is from May 10 to June 20, with the best grafting time being May 15 to June 10. For the seedling rootstock grafting method, gently remove the seedlings with cotyledons from the sand bed, wash off the sand on the seedlings with water, and be careful not to let the cotyledons fall off.
Make a double斜面 cut about 1-1.5cm long on both sides of the scion full of axillary buds 2-3mm below the petiole, forming a wedge shape where the medullary intersects, the斜面 cut should be smooth, not torn, then make a cut 2-3mm from the top of the petiole, turning it into a scion with one leaf and one bud. If the leaves of the scion are large, half of the leaves can be cut immediately before grafting, or they can be placed in clean water to keep them moist, but the soaking time should not exceed 1 hour.
Place the new buds on a small board and cut them at a distance of 2.5-3.5cm on the branches and leaves. If the bud seedlings are curved, too thin, or too short, cut them at the branches and leaves, then cut the rootstock. The cut length is 12-15cm, with the main root and fibrous roots long, so the total length of the young rootstock is about 6-8cm.
Oil Tea Grafting Time and Methods
First, roll the aluminum plate into a cylinder (or wrap it directly with a bandage), then place it on the cut scion, gently insert the cut scion, align one side to form a layer, and finally tightly pinch the aluminum plate. Stack the grafted seedlings and cover them with a wet towel to keep them moist for planting.
Choose a loose, slightly acidic, breathable, and fertile farmland that is easy to irrigate and drain. Make ridge beds no more than 1.2m wide, bed length no more than 16m, and about 25cm high. Make a drainage ditch about 30cm deep around the seedbed. This is conducive to drainage and management. Usually, in the winter before the seedlings, dig 25cm deep, apply 750kg/hm2 to 1500kg/hm2 (100-200kg/mu) of compound fertilizer, then shallowly dig 10cm to cover the fertilizer with soil. Then, sprinkle 225kg/hm2 (30kg/mu) of ferrous sulfate and 22.5kg/hm2 to 30kg/hm2 (3-4kg/mu) of furan furan on the seedbed.
A week before grafting, break up the soil, level the bed surface, and evenly cover the bed surface with 2-3cm thick stone-free, fine-grained yellow heart soil, and it can be used with a board.
Preparation before sowing: Before sowing, fill the seedbed with bottom water to ensure the soil is moist. Planting density: Row spacing is about 6-7cmx10cm.
Planting method: First, insert a hole 10cm deep with a bamboo stake, extend the grafted seedling into the hole, place the cotyledons in the soil, then press the seedling with one hand, and insert the bamboo stake 4cm into the soil with the other hand to remove it from the seedling, then move to the next seedling.
Watering: After sowing, water thoroughly to make the seedlings adhere closely to the soil. Mulching: After sowing, cover the agricultural film in time, and use plastic film to cover the seedbed on sunny days to prevent excessive soil moisture.
Mulching method: First, support the arch shed with bamboo strips every 1m, then cover with agricultural film, and press the surrounding soil with soil. Strictly prohibit air convection to ensure the temperature and humidity required by the seedlings and prevent rainwater from entering. Set up a shading net, choose a 3-pin shading net with a shading degree of 60-70%, which will help keep warm and prevent direct sunlight. Controlling the temperature and humidity inside the shed is key to the survival of the seedlings.
Seedling management. Implement four preventive measures: First, prevent the agricultural film from being broken or blown away by the wind; second, prevent shading; third, prevent waterlogging in the seedling field; fourth, prevent the damage of caterpillars. If there are caterpillars, open the film in the morning and evening. After spraying chrysanthemum, cover the film.
The seedlings heal about 40 days after sowing, with 10% of the young buds as the standard. Choose a cloudy and rainy day or at night to uncover the film cover.