Advances in Research on Tea Species Adaptive to Climatic Changes

Research done by small scale farmers through simple random sampling in Nyagesenda village, Sensi location, Kisii County, indicated five species of tea plants apart from Assam and china planted in mixed mode in their farms. The research was on experimental basis on the behavior, characteristic or features and appearance of tea harvested on production stage. The farmers experienced changes in tea behavior and characteristic in wet and dry seasons, as some ripen quickly after plucking during rainy season and others dry quickly during drought season. The farmers needed to identify a variety drought resistant, qualitative and quantitative production throughout the year. True experimental research was deliberately manipulated for ten years through observation method, on the alternating climatic changes of the area, in relation to occurrence of hail stones and drought. The research key findings of the varieties were; first, Tea leaves-slow to ripen rainy season, dark green, slender and small surface, soft plucking, and drought resistant, low weights and slow to ripen after hail stones. Second, tea leaves-quick to ripen rainy season, dark green, wide and large surface, softer plucking, dries quickly in drought season, weighs high and quick to ripen after hail stones. Third, tea leaves-quick to ripen rainy season, dark green, slender and small surface, softer plucking,drys in drought, weighs low, quick to ripen after hail stones. Fourth, Tea leaves-slow to ripen rainy season, yellowish green, wide and large surface, hard plucking, drought resistant weights low, slow to ripen after hail stones. Fifth, tea leaves-quick to ripen rainy season and never dry up in drought, yellowish green, average surface, softer to pluck rainy season and hard dry season, adaptive to all seasons, weighs high during rainy season and low dry season and ripens quickly after hail stones. It is concluded as the best variety followed by second and first and third varieties and lastly fourth variety. It is recommended all varieties are significant, therefore, should be grown in sections in the farm not in a mixed variety as it is done in tea farms.