Integrating satellite images and spectroscopy to measuring green and black tea quality

This study quantifies the effects of green leaf and black tea parameters that influence tea quality in Northeast India. It was motivated by a decline in tea quality that is of concern to tea growers. The rationale of the study is to identify the different parameters that have a significant influence on liquor brightness and other variables measuring tea quality. Here, we investigate several methods for estimating tea quality based on tea quality data, near infrared spectroscopy and remotely sensed data (NDVI). Attention focused on two high yielding clones (TV1 and S3A3). NDVI was obtained from ASTER images. Statistical analysis shows that liquor brightness is affected by the levels of caffeine content, theaflavins and catechins. Relationships exist between quality parameters and remote sensing in particular for the S3A3 clone. NDVI has a positive relation with caffeine, theogallin, EC, and ECG. NIR is negatively related to caffeine, theogallin, and catechins. We conclude that NDVI and Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy have a large potential to be used for monitoring tea quality in the future.