ABSTRACT
Tea is usually grown as a monoculture crop over large land areas. It can be cultivated under different climatic conditions and using various agricultural practices. The tea plant is maintained in its vegetative phase throughout its economic lifespan. The plant is susceptible to diseases at various stages of its life cycle, which affect the growth of tea plants, reduce their economically sound lifespan and reduce crop yields. Such diseases also pose the biggest challenge to pesticide-free production of tea; yet many of today’s tea consumers demand cups of high-quality, pesticide-free tea.
