New green tea cultivar 'Yumewakaba' which quality is high on aroma and taste by slight half fermentation of leaves

New green tea cultivar 'Yumewakaba' has been bred at the Green Tea and Local Products Laboratory of Saitama Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry Research Center. The clone was crossed between 'Yabukita' and 'Saitama No.9' in 1968. Local adaptability, tolerance to bark split frost injury, and blister blight were tested at 17 prefectural tea experiment stations from 1994 to 2002. It was registered as 'Norin No.53' and named 'Yumewakaba' in 2006. The characteristics of the cultivar are as follows; The shape of the cultivar is erect type, and spread of tea bush is the same as 'Yabukita'. The size of mature leaves is smaller than those of 'Yabukita'. Immature leaves are lustrous green and soft. The rooting ability of nursery plants are high and taking roots after planting is good. The plucking time of the first crop of this cultivar in Saitama is 1 or 2 days later than that of 'Yabukita'. 'Yumewakaba' is middle budding cultivar. The yield of the 1st or 2nd crop is the same as that of 'Yabukita'. 'Yumewakaba' is resistant to cold drought and bark split frost injury. The level of resistance to freezing injury is stronger than that of 'Yabukita'. The damage to anthracnose is less than that of 'Yabukita'. The appearance is better than that of 'Yabukita', and the quality of liquor is the same as 'Yabukita'. The quality of processed goods from slightly half fermented leaves of this cultivar is high on the aroma and the taste. 'Yumewakaba' is suitable for northern tea producing areas, and cool semi-mountainous areas.