Natural Farming
Tea and Pesticides: how to avoid pesticide exposure from drinking tea
3. What pests and pesticides?
The following is a list of typical pests and recommended pesticides in major tea producing area in Japan. This is just to show tea has lots of pest problems. Some minor pests are not even mentioned here to keep it simple. The pesticides are used to prevent pest damage from happening.
The types of pesticides used may be replaced with pheromone traps, BT, bordeaux mixture, and organic pesticides that are derived from natural source and has less environmental impact, but typically result in higher cost. Some lab testing claim that the pesticides recommended below have less human and environmental health impact from pesticide residue. Some developing countries may not have regulations restricting use of more toxic chemicals.
To identify pests and disease, please see UH CTAHR disease ID page
Insect pests (http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/IP-28.pdf)
Disease (http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/PD-33.pdf)
Most pests and disease require specific pesticides. More than one pesticide is used to avoid pests acquiring pesticide resistance.
| Month | Pests / Disease | Preventative Pesticide uses |
| Feburary | Blight (disease) | Copper dihydroxide x1 |
| March | Spider mite, Leaf roller* (insect pests)
Beetle (insect pests) |
Etoxazole x1
x1 |
| 1st Flush | Aphid (insect pests) | Pirimiphosmethyl x1 |
| April (after 1st flush harvest) | Spider mite (insect pests)
Leaf roller (insect pests) Scale* (insect pests) |
Milbemectin x2
Tebufenozide x2 DMTP x1 |
| May (before 2nd flush harvest) | Leaf hopper, Leaf roller, Thrips, (insect pests)
beetle* (insect pests) Anthracnose (disease) |
Neonicotinoid x1
Tefluthrin x1 Tebuconazole x1 |
| May (after 2nd flush harvest) | Leaf hopper, Leaf roller, Thrips (insect pests) | Bifenthrin x2 |
| June (before 3rd flush harvest) | Leaf hopper, Thrips (insect pests)
Anthracnose (disease) |
Acephate x2
Fluazinam x1 |
| July (before 3rd flush harvest) | Leaf hopper, Thrips, leaf roller (insect pests)
Anthracnose (disease) |
Acetamiprid x1
Fenbuconazole x2 |
| August (before 3rd flush harvest) | Leaf roller, Looper, (insect pests)
Leaf hopper, Thrips (insect pests) |
Methoxyfenozide x2
Chlorfenapyr x2 |
| September | Leaf hopper, Thrips, Broad mite, Rust mite, (insect pests)
Leaf roller, Moth larvae, Looper, (insect pests) Scale (insect pests) |
Tolfenpyrad x1
Emamectin benzoate x1 |
| October (after fall harvest) | Leaf Roller, Spider mite, (insect pests)
Blight (disease) |
Profenofos x1
Copper dihydroxide |
| November-December | Beetle (insect pests)
Gray mold (disease) |
Fenitrothion x1
Fluazinam x1 |
*sprayed as necessary.
I like to drink tea, especially clean tea, I hope tea farms will have a process of producing clean tea so that everyone can enjoy clean tea every day.