Preservation and development of purple tea genetic resources
On the midland hillsides of traditional tea regions, purple tea does not appear in large numbers but is scattered among green tea fields. In Vo Tranh commune, Thai Nguyen province, the purple tea region is better known through the activities of the Thai Ninh Safe Tea Production Cooperative.
The purple tea area here was built from the passion of people who have devoted their whole lives to tea plants. A typical example is Mr. Pham Van Dung, who spent many years researching, cultivating, and selecting to create nearly 1 hectare of purple tea on his family hill.
Purple bud midland tea hill at Thai Ninh Cooperative.
Not only does it have a distinctive appearance, purple tea also impresses with its flavor and quality when processed. At the cooperative's processing area, purple tea is harvested, processed and hand-processed according to a unique process, combined with care using entirely organic fertilizers.
The producer said that purple tea gives the best taste from the second infusion, and can be brewed up to the sixth or seventh infusion while still retaining its rich flavor. The tea has a dark, slightly purple color, with a fragrant aroma of young rice. The initial taste is slightly bitter but quickly turns to deep sweetness and leaves a long aftertaste in the throat. It is this harmonious aroma - color - taste that makes purple tea a product especially loved by tea connoisseurs.
The value of purple tea is not only in the sensory but also in the medicinal ingredients. According to Dr. Duong Trung Dung, Head of the Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agriculture and Forestry (Thai Nguyen University), purple tea buds contain many medicinal activities, which have the effect of reducing the risk of cancer, reducing tumor size, reducing blood sugar, reducing cholesterol, killing bacteria, and killing influenza viruses. At the same time, the ingredients in purple tea also contribute to anti-inflammation, limiting the growth of cancer cells, reducing blood pressure, increasing the strength of blood vessels, and slowing down the aging process. Therefore, purple tea is considered a natural herb with great potential for health tea products, functional foods and natural cosmetics derived from tea plants.
Realizing the medicinal potential and economic value of this tea variety, since 2019, the University of Agriculture and Forestry (Thai Nguyen University) has been researching the genetic resources of purple bud Midland tea, from selecting parent plants, breeding, researching processing procedures to developing specialized organic fertilizers.
The research team selected healthy seedlings from Thai Nguyen and Phu Tho , planted them in nurseries for propagation. Because midland tea is suitable for intercropping with other plants, it both protects the environment and creates good ecological conditions, so the yield and quality of tea buds are guaranteed. The area of purple tea, if exploited commercially, can reach 5-6 tons/ha at the age of 4, bringing high economic efficiency, while preserving rare genetic resources.
Although the yield is not as high as hybrid varieties, purple tea has high value thanks to its distinctive flavor, deep sweet aftertaste, and great export potential. Currently, 1 hectare of purple tea yields about 500 kg of dried tea buds each year, priced at 1 million VND/kg. Thai Ninh Cooperative applies organic processes, manual processing, focusing on "clean tea good for drinkers", attracting many tea connoisseurs.
On that basis, in the period of 2021-2025, the school will preside over the national science and technology task "Test production and processing of some products from purple bud Trung Du tea genetic resources for the Northern mountainous region" chaired by Dr. Duong Trung Dung. The task aims to both preserve and effectively exploit purple tea genetic resources, while building a production - processing - trade chain with high added value.
Dr. Duong Trung Dung researches on purple bud Trung Du tea variety.
From scientific research to practical application
Within the framework of the task, the research team has completed the propagation process for purple bud Trung Du tea to overcome the strong separation when planting by seeds. The results show that propagation by cuttings in the period from September to December gives a high survival rate and export rate, averaging about 90%. Cutting productivity can reach 3.42 million cuttings/ha, of which about 65.41% are grade A seedlings. A source of uniform, healthy seeds is the foundation for expanding the area of purple tea cultivation towards commodities.
Along with the breeding technology, the intensive cultivation process is also optimized. Research shows that applying 5 tons of organic fertilizer/ha helps plants grow well and gives the highest yield, reaching 5.45 tons/ha in Phu Tho and 5.23 tons/ha in Thai Nguyen. The harvest season in July-August brings about a yield of about 5.99 tons/ha, while the sensory test score reaches 17.92 points, classified as good. Integrated pest control measures are applied systematically, contributing to limiting pests and diseases and are suitable for the ecological conditions of the Northern midland and mountainous region.
In the processing stage, the research team applied the method of killing yeast by steaming - spraying water vapor, combined with cold drying and roasting, to preserve the maximum polyphenol content and the characteristic flavor of purple tea. From this process, the team successfully processed 1,000 kg of high-quality purple green tea buds, 100 tea bags supplemented with polyphenols and 2 kg of pure polyphenol powder with an active ingredient content of 85% or more, serving the pharmaceutical and functional food sectors.
The demonstration models of new planting and intensive cultivation of purple tea have shown positive results. The survival rate of plants in the model is from 93.44 to 93.68%, the average yield is about 8.07 tons/ha, 34.95% higher than mass tea production. Economic efficiency increased to 76.06%, affirming that the direction of medicinalizing purple bud Trung Du tea is completely suitable for market demand. The price of purple tea products ranges from 510,000 to 1,500,000 VND/kg, significantly higher than traditional green tea lines. In addition, the mission also organized 6 training courses with the participation of 200 farmers, helping tea growers grasp new techniques of breeding, intensive cultivation and processing.
High-tech purple tea bud cultivation.
From a commercial perspective, midland purple tea promises to develop high-end products: specialty, organic, medicinal tea, combined with modern processing such as tea bags, matcha, natural cosmetics. Promoting tea associated with Thai Nguyen tea culture and tourism can enhance the brand, expand export markets to Japan, EU, US - countries that favor high-end tea. E-commerce and international platforms (Amazon, Alibaba, Shopee Global) will be an important "push" to expand the output of purple tea.
People hope that the purple tea growing area will be expanded, processed into many unique products, and enhance the reputation of Thai Nguyen tea brand on the international map.
Purple bud Midland tea is a valuable natural variation, rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, suitable for the production of medicinal tea and functional foods. Research and conservation of indigenous genetic resources is an important foundation for sustainable agricultural development, especially for tea - a key industrial crop. When exploited in the right direction, purple bud Midland tea not only increases the economic value of the raw material area but also preserves valuable genetic resources, and at the same time becomes a new key product, contributing to the development of the local economy and society.
Enjoying purple tea, drinkers not only feel the mild astringency and deep sweetness, but also see the cultural, health and economic potential value of this special tea. With the tea industry development strategy for the period 2025-2030, along with traditional green tea, midland purple tea can completely become a national and international specialty product, contributing to the preservation of Thai Nguyen tea culture and raising the Vietnamese brand on the world map.
Source: https://mst.gov.vn/hanh-trinh-danh-thuc-nguon-che-bup-tim-quy-197251120004113822.htm
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