Agricultural and Biological Research

Establishment of collection and protection methods for local germplasm resources of tea trees-a case study of Anhui province

Wang Wen-Jie*, Liu Dan-Dan, Wu Qiong, Wang Lei-Gang, Ruan Xu, Jiao Xiao-Yu, Sun Ming-Hui

Local germplasm resources are the main component of the germplasm resources of tea trees. However, the protection is limited currently in China for local germplasm resources of tea trees. There is no comprehensive and systematic method for collection and protection. This study has created a new method for collecting and protecting local germplasm resources of tea trees. According to the distribution and area of tea trees planted in each teaproducing area, we planned and arranged sampling points and one sample from each sampling point was collected and planted in a resource garden for preservation. As a case study of Anhui province, the first germplasm resource garden of tea trees was established comprehensively with the application of this method, at a systematic provincial level. There are 920 samples collected and preserved, nearly 100,000 individual plants. The proportion of samples is close to the proportion of local tea garden areas in various regions of Anhui province. By applying this method to establish a resource garden, the genetic diversity of local germplasm resources of tea trees is maximally preserved. The preserved resources are the material basis for the future breeding of new tea varieties, analysis of genetic relationships and population structure of germplasm resources and gene search.