Shading device for tea leaf farmland

Abstract

To make it possible to grow tea leaves that require shading, such as high-quality green tea and powdered green tea for matcha, while reliably suppressing damage from frost and drought without requiring manual labor as compared with conventional frost damage countermeasures and drought countermeasures.SOLUTION: A frame is installed on a tea leaf farmland for growing tea leaves that require shading for a prescribed period before plucking. Shading members are disposed with gaps for sunlight irradiation for irradiating the tea leaves with sunlight, the shading members being supported by the frame. A shading curtain is provided, the curtain being supported by the frame below the shading members and operating to be positioned at an open position for irradiating the tea leaves with the sunlight in accordance with an opening command and at a closed position for shading the tea leaves from the sunlight in accordance with a closing command. An installation area and / or an installed number of the shading members are adjusted so that a shading ratio of the sunlight by the shading members is from 40 to 60% inclusive.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1B

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a shading device for tea farming. [Background technology]

[0002] Gyokuro is a type of tea made by steaming, rolling, and drying tea leaves that have been shaded (covered) for a certain period before harvest. When the tea leaves sprout, they are shaded from sunlight, which inhibits photosynthesis and suppresses the astringency and bitterness of the tea, while increasing the umami flavor.

[0003] Tea is a perennial plant and needs to be protected from damage such as frost and drought throughout the year. For example, if the new buds that start to grow in early spring freeze with frost, the buds may wither. Also, if drought occurs due to abnormally high temperatures and little rain in summer, branches may die.

[0004] For this reason, traditional measures to suppress the occurrence of frost have been taken, such as installing frost prevention fans on tea farms to blow warm air down from high above onto the ground surface, and covering seedlings with heat-retaining materials during cultivation (traditional frost damage measures).In addition, sprinklers have been installed on tea farms to irrigate the soil and prevent it from drying out, and droughts have been suppressed by laying straw or mulching on farmland to prevent evaporation from the soil surface and a rise in ground temperature (traditional drought measures).

[0005] Patent document 1 (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-15006) describes an invention in which a large number of support wires are stretched across the ceiling surface of a greenhouse, a shading curtain is supported by these support wires, and the shading curtain is opened and closed using a rack and pinion mechanism driven by a motor.

[0006] Patent document 2 (JP Patent Publication No. 2006-325401) describes an invention in which a first and second running portion of a drive wire is provided above and below the ceiling of a greenhouse, and one drive portion drives the first and second running portions of the drive wire to control the opening and closing of two upper and lower curtain members. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Publication No. 3-15006 [Patent Document 2] JP 2006-325401 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] To provide a method for growing tea leaves such as tencha for matcha tea and gyokuro tea which require shading while surely suppressing damage from frost and drought without requiring much manual labor, as compared with conventional methods for preventing frost damage and drought. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The first aspect is a shading device for tea leaf farming, comprising: a stand installed on tea leaf farming land for growing tea leaves that require shading for a predetermined period before picking; a shading member supported by the stand, the shading member being arranged with a sunlight irradiation gap to allow sunlight to be irradiated onto the tea leaves; and a shading curtain supported by the stand below the shading member and operable to move to an open position where sunlight is irradiated onto the tea leaves in response to an open command and to a closed position where the tea leaves are shielded from sunlight in response to a close command, wherein the installation area and / or number of shading members are adjusted so that the sunlight shading rate of the shading member is 40% or more and 60% or less.

[0010] A second aspect is a shading device for tea leaf farming, in which the shading member is a solar panel in the first aspect.

[0011] A third aspect is a shading device for tea leaf farming, in which the shading curtain in the first aspect includes a first shading curtain in an upper layer and a second shading curtain in a lower layer.

[0012] A fourth aspect is a shading device for tea leaf farming in which, in the third aspect, at a first specified time period before the tea leaf picking season, either one of the first and second shading curtains is positioned in a blocking position to adjust the sunlight shading rate provided by the shading member and one of the shading curtains to a shading rate in the range of 70% or more and 80% or less, and at a second time period after a first specified period from the first time period, the other of the first and second shading curtains is further positioned in a blocking position to adjust the sunlight shading rate provided by the shading member and the first and second shading curtains to a shading rate of 90% or approximately 90% during a second specified period until the tea leaf picking season.

[0013] A fifth aspect is a shading device for tea leaf farming according to the fourth aspect, wherein the first time is a date and time one month or approximately one month before the tea leaf picking time, and the first specified period is a period of two weeks or approximately two weeks.

[0014] A sixth aspect is a shading device for tea farming, in which, in the second aspect, the installation height of the solar panel is set within a range of 2 m or more and 4 m or less. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the first to sixth aspects, compared to conventional countermeasures against frost damage and drought, it is possible to grow tea leaves that require shading, such as tencha for matcha and gyokuro, while reliably suppressing damage from frost and drought without requiring manual labor.

[0016] According to the first aspect, the installation area and / or the number of the shading members are adjusted to set the shading rate of sunlight by the shading members in the range of 40% or more and 60% or less, so that the occurrence of frost and drought is prevented throughout the year while ensuring sufficient light necessary for photosynthesis. That is, since the light necessary for photosynthesis is sufficiently ensured through the sunlight irradiation gap of the rack, tea leaves can be grown without poor growth or withering of branches and leaves. Furthermore, frost is prevented from occurring because the shading members of the rack suppress radiative cooling. Furthermore, drought is prevented because the shading members of the rack suppress solar radiation, geothermal heat rise, and water transpiration. Furthermore, by operating the shading curtain to the closed position from a predetermined time before the tea leaves are picked, tea leaves that require shading for a predetermined period before picking can be grown.

[0017] According to the second aspect, the light-shielding member of the stand is a solar panel, so that electricity is generated by the power generating body constituting the solar panel, making it possible to supply electricity to facilities and the like installed on tea farms.

[0018] According to the third aspect, the shading curtain supported by the stand is composed of a first shading curtain on the upper layer and a second shading curtain on the lower layer, so that the tea leaves can be covered with two different levels of shading rate, thereby improving the quality of the tea, such as by increasing the umami components.

[0019] According to the fourth aspect, the shading rate during the first specified period is set to a range of 70% or more and 80% or less, and the shading rate during the next second specified period is adjusted to 90% or approximately 90%, thereby improving the quality of the tea, for example by increasing the umami components.

[0020] According to the fifth aspect, shading begins one month or approximately one month before the tea leaves are harvested with a shading rate in the range of 70% or more and 80% or less, and after a period of two weeks or approximately two weeks, the shading rate is kept in the range of 90% or approximately 90% until the leaves are picked, thereby improving the quality of the tea, such as by increasing the amount of umami components.

[0021] According to the sixth aspect, the solar installation height of the mounting frame is set within the range of 2 m or more and 4 m or less, so that sunlight can be uniformly irradiated onto the tea leaf farmland through the solar irradiation gaps in the mounting frame even though it is below the maximum installation height of the solar panel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a top view of a tea leaf farm shading device according to an embodiment. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a front view of the tea leaf farming shading device according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the shading curtain is located at the shading position. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1C is a front view of the tea leaf farming shading device according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the shading curtain is in an open position. [Figure 1D] FIG. 1D is a perspective view showing a solar panel according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a driving mechanism for a light-shielding curtain, and is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1B. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a timing chart of the opening and closing control of the first and second light-shielding curtains. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a shading device for tea leaf farming according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] FIG. 1A is a top view of a tea farm shading device 100 according to an embodiment.

[0025] 1B and 1C are front views of the tea farm shading device 100 according to the embodiment, as viewed from the arrow A in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B is a view showing a state where the shading curtain is in a closed position. FIG. 1C is a view showing a state where the shading curtain is in an open position.

[0026] FIG. 1D is a perspective view showing a solar panel according to an embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a driving mechanism for a light-shielding curtain, and is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1B.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, the tea leaf farm shading device 100 mainly includes a stand 110, a shading member 120, and a shading curtain .

[0029] The stand 110 is installed on a tea leaf farm 200 for growing tea leaves 210 that require shading for a certain period before harvest. Tea leaves 210 are grown on the tea leaf farm 200. The tea leaves 210 are, for example, tencha tea for matcha or gyokuro tea.

[0030] The light shielding member 120 is supported by a stand 110. The light shielding member 120 is arranged with a sunlight irradiation gap 130A provided therebetween for irradiating sunlight onto tea leaves 210 on tea leaf farm 200.

[0031] The light blocking member 120 is, for example, a solar panel. As shown in FIG. 1D, the solar panel 120 has a frame 120FL made of aluminum or the like. A power generating body 121 made of a photoelectric cell or the like is supported from the outside by the inside of the frame 120FL. The power generating body 121 constituting the solar panel 120 is electrically connected to a sensor, module, or equipment (not shown) arranged in the farmland 200. The sensor, module, or equipment arranged in the farmland 200 is electrically operated by being supplied with electricity generated by the power generating body 121 constituting the solar panel 120.

[0032] Each solar panel 120 and each solar light irradiation gap 130A can be configured to have the same size (same area). Also, each solar panel 120 and each solar light irradiation gap 130A can be configured to have different sizes (different areas).

[0033] 1A, 1B, and 1C, the solar panels 120 are supported by a stand 110. For example, 20 solar panels 120 are supported on one stand 110. Here, in order to irradiate sunlight uniformly onto the tea leaf farmland 200A through the solar irradiation gaps 130A of the stand 110 while being below the installation height limit of the solar panels 120, the installation height H of the solar panels 120 is set within a range of 2 m or more and 4 m or less.

[0034] 1A, the left-right direction of the paper surface is the left-right direction 110A of the mount 110, and the up-down direction of the paper surface is the front-back direction 110B of the mount 110. As shown in FIG 1A, the solar panels 120 are arranged at equal intervals along the left-right direction 110A of the mount 110, with gaps 130A for solar irradiation spaced apart. Also, the solar panels 120 are arranged at equal intervals along the front-back direction 110B of the mount 110, with gaps 130A for solar irradiation spaced apart.

[0035] Twenty solar panels 120 of the same area are arranged on the stand 110, and twenty solar irradiation gaps 130A of the same area as the solar panels 120 are provided. Therefore, the solar panels 120 as shading members block only 50% of the sunlight that should be irradiated onto the tea leaves 210 on the farmland 200. In other words, the installation area and number of the solar panels 120 are adjusted so that the solar panels 120 as shading members block 50% of the sunlight.

[0036] Here, a shading rate of 50% is just one example. In order to prevent the occurrence of frost and drought throughout the year while ensuring sufficient light necessary for photosynthesis, the installation area and / or number of solar panels 120 as shading members should be adjusted so that their sunlight shading rate is in the range of 40% or more and 60% or less.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, the light-shielding curtain 130 is supported by a stand 110 below a solar panel 120 serving as a light-shielding member.

[0038] The light-shielding curtain 130 includes a first light-shielding curtain 131 at the top and a second light-shielding curtain 132 at the bottom.

[0039] A first shading curtain 131 is installed below the solar panel 120 of the frame 110. The first shading curtain 131 is installed between a gate stopper line 133 and a shelf line 134. The first shading curtain 131 is disposed between the left support column 111 and the center support column 112 of the frame 110, and also between the center support column 112 and the right support column 113.

[0040] A second shading curtain 132 is installed below the solar panel 120 of the frame 110 and below the first shading curtain 131. The second shading curtain 132 is arranged above the tea leaves 210 on the farmland 200. The second shading curtain 132 is installed between the gate stopper line 133 and the shelf line 134, similar to the first shading curtain 131. The second shading curtain 132 is arranged between the left support column 111 and the center support column 112 of the frame 110, and also between the center support column 112 and the right support column 113.

[0041] 2, the configuration of the drive mechanism for first light-shielding curtain 131 and second light-shielding curtain 132 will be described below by taking first light-shielding curtain 131 as a representative. Note that second light-shielding curtain 132 is also driven by a drive mechanism similar to that shown in FIG.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, the first shading curtain 131 is opened and closed by a rack and pinion mechanism 150 using a motor 140 as a drive source.

[0043] An output shaft 141 of the motor 140 is connected to a drive shaft 151 suspended in the front-rear direction 110B of the stand 110 via a reduction mechanism (not shown). A pinion gear 152 is fixed to the drive shaft 151 so that the drive shaft 151 serves as the center of rotation. A rack 153 meshes with the pinion gear 152 so as to be movable in the left-right direction 110A of the stand 110.

[0044] The rack 153 is connected to an end 131 A of the first light blocking curtain 131 .

[0045] Therefore, when the motor 140 is driven in the corresponding forward direction in response to a close command to rotate the pinion gear 152 to the right in the figure, the rack 153 moves to the right in the figure, and the end 131A of the first shading curtain 131 moves from the open position P0 to the closed position P1.

[0046] When the motor 140 is driven in the corresponding reverse direction in response to a close command to rotate the pinion gear 152 to the left in the figure, the rack 153 moves to the left in the figure, and the end 131A of the first shading curtain 131 moves from the closed position P1 to the open position P0.

[0047] The same applies to the second light blocking curtain 132.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1B, the first and second shading curtains 131 and 132 each operate in response to a close command to be positioned at a blocking position P1 for blocking the tea leaves 210 from sunlight.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 1C, each of first and second shading curtains 131 and 132 operates in response to an open command to be positioned at an open position P0 where sunlight is irradiated onto tea leaves 210.

[0050] The opening and closing control of first light-shielding curtain 131 and second light-shielding curtain 132 will be described below.

[0051] FIG. 3 is a timing chart of the opening and closing control of first light-shielding curtain 131 and second light-shielding curtain 132. In FIG.

[0052] (1st step)

[0053] During the period (up to T1) until a predetermined first time T1 before the tea leaf picking time T3 is reached, the first shading curtain 131 and the second shading curtain 132 are both located at the open position P0. That is, the tea leaves 210 are grown in a state where only 50% of the sunlight that should be irradiated onto the tea leaves 210 on the farmland 200 is blocked by the solar panel 120 as a shading member.

[0054] (2nd process)

[0055] At a predetermined first time T1 before the tea leaf picking time T3, the first shading curtain 131 is positioned at the open position P0 and the second shading curtain 132 is positioned at the closed position P1. Here, the shading rate of sunlight by the solar panel 120 and the second shading curtain 132 as the shading members is adjusted to a shading rate in the range of 70% or more and 80% or less. The state in which the first shading curtain 131 is positioned at the open position P0 and the second shading curtain 132 is positioned at the closed position P1 is maintained from the first time T1 to the second time T2 after the first predetermined period LT1. That is, the tea leaves 210 are grown from the first time T1 to the second time T2 after the first predetermined period LT1 in a state in which the sunlight that should be irradiated to the tea leaves 210 on the farmland 200 is blocked by the solar panel 120 and the second shading curtain 132 as the shading members by 70% to 80%. The first time T1 is preferably one month or approximately one month before the tea leaf picking time T3, and the first predetermined period LT1 is preferably two weeks or approximately two weeks.

[0056] (3rd step)

[0057] At a second time T2 after a first predetermined period LT1 from the first time T1, the second shading curtain 132 remains positioned at the closed position P1, and the first shading curtain 131 is further moved from the open position P0 to the closed position P1. Here, the shading rate of sunlight by the solar panel 120 as the shading member and the first and second shading curtains 131 and 132 is adjusted to a shading rate of 90% or approximately 90%. The state in which the first and second shading curtains 131 and 132 are positioned at the shading positions 131B and 132B, respectively, is maintained from the second time T2 until the tea leaf picking time T3 after the second predetermined period LT2. In other words, the tea leaves 210 are grown from the second time T2 to the tea leaf picking time T3 after the second predetermined period LT2 in a state in which 90% or approximately 90% of the sunlight that should be irradiated onto the tea leaves 210 on the farmland 200 is blocked by the solar panel 120, the first shading curtain 131, and the second shading curtain 132 as shading members.

[0058] (4th step)

[0059] When the tea leaf plucking time T3 arrives, the tea leaves 210 on the farmland 200 are plucked. The first light-shielding curtain 131 and the second light-shielding curtain 132 are each moved from the closed position P1 to the open position P0.

[0060] As described above, the shading curtain 130 supported by the stand 110 is composed of the first shading curtain 131 on the upper layer and the second shading curtain 132 on the lower layer, so that the tea leaves 210 can be covered with two different levels of shading rate, thereby improving the quality of the tea, such as by increasing the umami components.

[0061] Furthermore, the light blocking rate during the first predetermined period LT1 is set to a range of 70% or more and 80% or less, and the light blocking rate during the next second predetermined period LT2 is adjusted to 90% or approximately 90%, thereby improving the quality of the tea, such as by further increasing the umami components.

[0062] Furthermore, shading begins at a shading rate of 70% or more and 80% or less one month or approximately one month before the tea leaves are picked T3, and then after a period of two weeks or approximately two weeks, the shading rate is kept at 90% or approximately 90% until picking, which further improves the quality of the tea, such as by increasing the umami components.

[0063] Although the second shading curtain 132 is first positioned at the blocking position P1 and then the first shading curtain 131 is positioned at the blocking position P1, it is also possible to first position the first shading curtain 131 at the blocking position P1 and then position the second shading curtain 132 at the blocking position P1.

[0064] The light blocking member 120 is not limited to a solar panel, and any material that can block sunlight can be used.

[0065] The tea leaf farming shading device 100 of the embodiment can be modified, such as by omitting, adding, changing, or replacing components, within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 100 Shading device for tea farmland 110 Mount 120 Solar Panels 130 Blackout Curtains 131 First Blackout Curtain 132 Second Blackout Curtain 200 Farmland 210 Tea leaves

Claims

1. A rack installed on tea farm ground for growing tea leaves that require shading for a predetermined period before picking; A shading member supported by the stand, the shading member being arranged with a sunlight irradiation gap for irradiating sunlight onto the tea leaves; a light-shielding curtain supported by the stand below the light-shielding member and operable to be in an open position in which sunlight is irradiated onto the tea leaves in response to an open command and to be in a closed position in which sunlight is shielded from the tea leaves in response to a close command; The installation area and / or the number of the shading members are adjusted so that the shading rate of sunlight by the shading members is 40% or more and 60% or less. Shading device for tea farmland.

2. The light blocking member is a solar panel. A shading device for tea farming according to claim 1.

3. The light-shielding curtain includes a first light-shielding curtain in an upper layer and a second light-shielding curtain in a lower layer. A shading device for tea farming according to claim 1.

4. At a first predetermined time period prior to the tea leaf picking season, either one of the first and second shading curtains is positioned at a closed position to adjust the shading rate of sunlight by the shading member and the one shading curtain to a shading rate in the range of 70% or more and 80% or less, and at a second time period after a first predetermined period from the first time period, the other of the first and second shading curtains is further positioned at a closed position to adjust the shading rate of sunlight by the shading member and the first and second shading curtains to a shading rate of 90% or approximately 90% during a second predetermined period until the tea leaf picking season. A shading device for tea leaf farming according to claim 3.

5. The first time is a date and time one month or approximately one month before the tea leaf picking time, and the first predetermined period is a period of two weeks or approximately two weeks. A shading device for tea leaf farming according to claim 4.

6. The installation height of the solar panel is set within a range of 2 m or more and 4 m or less. A shading device for tea leaf farming according to claim 2.

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