Global Tea Breeding: Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives

400 Pages·2012·7.42 MB·English

by  Prof. Liang Chen

ADVANCED TOPICS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN CHINA
Liang Chen • Zeno Apostolides
Editors
Zong-Mao Chen
Global Tea Breeding
Achievements, Challenges
and Perspectives
123
ADVANCED TOPICS
IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN CHINA
ADVANCED TOPICS
IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN CHINA

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Liang Chen
Zeno Apostolides
Zong-Mao Chen

Global Tea Breeding

Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives

With 87 figures
Editors
Prof. Liang Chen Prof. Zeno Apostolides
Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Department of Biochemistry
Academy of Agricultural Sciences University of Pretoria
National Center for Tea Improvement Pretoria 0002, South Africa
Hangzhou 310008, China E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]

Prof. Zong-Mao Chen
Tea Research Institute of the Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Sciences
National Center for Tea Improvement
Hangzhou 310008, China
E-mail: [email protected]

ISSN 1995-6819 e-ISSN 1995-6827
Advanced Topics in Science and Technology in China

ISBN 978-7-308-08274-7
Zhejiang University Press, Hangzhou

ISBN 978-3-642-31877-1 ISBN 978-3-642-31878-8 (eBook)
Springer Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London

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(cid:2) Zhejiang University Press, Hangzhou and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012
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Preface
The tea plant, Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze, originated in the southwestern
part of China. Tea is one of the most popular non-alcoholic and healthy beverage
in the world. It contributes to massive wealth and job opportunities in many
countries, including China, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, etc. Up to date, tea plants
have been cultivated in more than fifty countries in Asia, Africa, South America,
Europe and Oceania. According to FAOSTAT (http://faostat.fao.org), the tea
harvest acreage was 2,996 kilohectares; the production was 3,885 kilotonnes in
2009. Of this, about 83.8% is produced in Asia, 13.7% in Africa. Tea acreage and
production have increased continuously in recent years. The increase is partially a
result of the release and wide extension of clonal tea cultivars in the main tea
producing countries. So far, more than 500 tea cultivars have been bred and
released to the public in China, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Japan, Bangladesh
Indonesia, and some other countries. Approximately half of the world tea acreage
consists of clonal tea gardens.
The tea plant, as a unique crop, from cultivation to harvesting, does not fit into
any typical cropping pattern. The production of tea, from processing to marketing,
is also specific. The world tea community has lacked a monograph on the subject
of tea germplasm and breeding for about 20 years. In recent years, the main tea
producing countries have progressed significantly in the field of tea breeding. At
the same time, they are facing big challenges owing to the progress of science and
technology and the serious demands for tea quality and consistency. This book
systematically and comprehensively expounds the achievements, challenges and
perspectives of worldwide tea breeding. It consists of several specific topics, such
as resistant breeding and molecular assistant selection in about ten different
countries. The chapter for each country usually includes (1) a general introduction
to the tea industry; (2) the collection, conservation, appraisal and utilization of tea
germplasms; (3) conventional and molecular tea breeding and selection
techniques; (4) the propagation and extension system for new cultivars; (5) future
tendencies, strategies, opportunities and perspectives for world tea breeding which
are well discussed. The authors are top tea breeders from China, India, Sri Lanka,
Kenya, Japan, Turkey, Indonesia, Korea, Nigeria, etc., accounting for 90% of the
world tea production.
vi Preface
We hope that this book will be useful not only to the world tea community to
enhance the understanding, exchange and cooperation of tea genetics and breeding
in the tea producing countries, to promote the progress of world tea breeding, to
help us breed more desirable new tea cultivars to meet the demands of different
markets and consumers in the world, but also as a reference for other woody
perennial species.
The publication of the book is partially supported by the Hi-Tech Research
and Development Program of China (863 Plan) (No. 2006AA10Z171), the
Earmarked Fund for the China Agriculture Research System (CARS-023), the
National Center for Tea Improvement in China, etc.
We would like to express sincere thanks to Dr. Satoshi Yamaguchi, Professor
of Tamagawa University, Japan, Dr. Ya-Ya Shi, Fruit and Tea Research Institute
of the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China, Ms Zhi-lan Wang, Tea
Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China, for
their constructive peer-reviews and revisions.

Liang Chen
Hangzhou, China
April, 2012
Contents
1(cid:2) Delicious and Healthy Tea: An Overview.....................................................1
1.1(cid:2) Development of the Global Tea Industry.................................................1
1.2(cid:2) Botanical Characteristics.........................................................................2
1.3(cid:2) Genetics and Breeding.............................................................................4
1.4(cid:2) Physiology and Biochemistry..................................................................5
1.5(cid:2) Kinds of Tea and Manufacture.................................................................8
1.6(cid:2) Tea and Human Health............................................................................8
1.6.1(cid:2) Antisenile Activity......................................................................9
1.6.2(cid:2) Improvement in Immunity..........................................................9
1.6.3(cid:2) Anticaries....................................................................................9
1.6.4(cid:2) Reduction in Blood-Cholesterol and Prevention of
Cardiovascular Disorders............................................................9
1.6.5(cid:2) Anticarcinogenic Activity.........................................................10
References.......................................................................................................11
2(cid:2) Tea Germplasm and Breeding in China......................................................13
2.1(cid:2) General Introduction to the Chinese Tea Industry.................................14
2.1.1(cid:2) Historical Development of the Tea Industry.............................14
2.1.2(cid:2) Location and Distribution of Tea Areas....................................15
2.1.3(cid:2) Tea Production and Its Global Standing...................................17
2.2(cid:2) Collection, Conservation, Appraisal and Utilization of
Tea Germplasm......................................................................................19
2.2.1(cid:2) Collection and Conservation.....................................................19
2.2.2(cid:2) Appraisal and Utilization..........................................................22
2.3(cid:2) Tea Breeding and Selection Techniques................................................37
2.3.1(cid:2) Breeding Techniques................................................................38
2.3.2(cid:2) Selection Techniques Used for Yield, Quality and Resistance......42
2.3.3(cid:2) Local Adaptability Tests and Registration................................45
2.4(cid:2) Propagation and Extension System of New Cultivars...........................51
2.4.1(cid:2) Propagation Techniques............................................................52
2.4.2(cid:2) Extension Systems....................................................................54
2.4.3(cid:2) Strategy for Promotion of New Cultivars.................................54
viii Contents
2.4.4(cid:2) The Intellectual Property Protection of New Cultivars.............54
2.5(cid:2) Developments and Prospects for Tea Breeding.....................................55
2.5.1(cid:2) Precise Appraisal of Tea Germplasms......................................55
2.5.2(cid:2) Isolation and Application of Functional Genes.........................56
2.5.3(cid:2) Marker-Assisted Selection........................................................56
2.5.4(cid:2) Genetic Transformation............................................................57
2.6(cid:2) Conclusions............................................................................................57
Acknowledgements.........................................................................................58
References.......................................................................................................58
3(cid:2) Breeding of the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) in India..............................69
3.1(cid:2) General Introduction to the Indian Tea Industry....................................70
3.1.1(cid:2) Historical Introduction to the Tea Industry...............................70
3.1.2(cid:2) Global Standing........................................................................72
3.1.3(cid:2) Type of Tea Produced...............................................................74
3.1.4(cid:2) Climate......................................................................................76
3.2(cid:2) Tea Germplasm Collection, Conservation, Appraisal............................78
3.2.1(cid:2) Collection and Conservation.....................................................78
3.2.2(cid:2) Appraisal and Utilization..........................................................84
3.2.3(cid:2) Assam Tea and Its Quality........................................................86
3.3(cid:2) Tea Breeding and Selection Techniques................................................87
3.3.1(cid:2) Breeding Techniques................................................................87
3.3.2(cid:2) Selection Techniques Used for Yield, Resistance and Quality...98
3.3.3(cid:2) Local Adaptability Tests and Registration Systems...............102
3.3.4(cid:2) Value Added Products and Cultivars Used............................102
3.4(cid:2) Propagation and Extension System of New Cultivars........................103
3.4.1(cid:2) Propagation Techniques.........................................................103
3.4.2(cid:2) Extension Organization and Structure...................................115
3.4.3(cid:2) Strategy for Promotion of New Cultivars..............................115
3.4.4(cid:2) Cultivar Specific Issues..........................................................116
3.5(cid:2) Research and Development.................................................................117
3.5.1(cid:2) R&D Institutions....................................................................117
3.5.2(cid:2) Success Stories of Research in Breeding and Selection.........118
3.6(cid:2) Conclusions.........................................................................................119
Acknowledgements......................................................................................120
References....................................................................................................120
4(cid:2) Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) Breeding in Sri Lanka..............................125
4.1(cid:2) General Introduction to the Sri Lanka Tea Industry...........................126
4.1.1(cid:2) Tea Growing Areas in Sri Lanka...........................................126
4.1.2(cid:2) Historical Introduction to Sri Lanka Tea...............................127
4.1.3(cid:2) Climate, Soil Conditions and Productivity Levels of
Tea Growing Area.................................................................128
4.1.4(cid:2) Sri Lankan Tea Industry in the International Market.............130
4.1.5(cid:2) Types of Tea Produced..........................................................131
Contents ix
4.2(cid:2) Tea Germplasm Collection, Conservation and Appraisal...................133
4.2.1(cid:2) Origin of Planting Materials Used in the Country.................134
4.2.2(cid:2) Collection and Conservation Efforts......................................134
4.2.3(cid:2) Characterization and Evaluation of Germplasm....................137
4.2.4(cid:2) Germplasm Utilization...........................................................141
4.2.5(cid:2) Germplasm Enhancement and Pre-Breeding.........................142
4.2.6(cid:2) Other Issues Related to the Germplasm.................................143
4.3(cid:2) Tea Breeding and Selection................................................................143
4.3.1(cid:2) Early Attempts at Tea Improvement......................................144
4.3.2(cid:2) Conventional Breeding and Selection Program.....................144
4.3.3(cid:2) Screening and Evaluation......................................................150
4.3.4(cid:2) Multi-Location Adaptability Trials and Recommended
Tea Cultivars..........................................................................153
4.3.5(cid:2) Dissemination of Planting Material to the Growers...............158
4.3.6(cid:2) Non-Conventional Approaches to Tea Breeding...................158
4.3.7(cid:2) Application of Biotechnological Tools for Breeding.............159
4.3.8(cid:2) Genomics to Aid Tea Breeding..............................................160
4.4(cid:2) Propagation and Extension System of New Cultivars........................161
4.4.1(cid:2) Propagation Techniques.........................................................161
4.4.2(cid:2) Extension System in the Country...........................................164
4.4.3(cid:2) Strategy for Promotion of New Cultivars..............................164
4.4.4(cid:2) Cultivar Specific Issues..........................................................164
4.5(cid:2) Future Trends and Goals for Breeding and Selection.........................165
4.5.1(cid:2) Cultivars with Expanded List of Traits..................................166
4.5.2(cid:2) Diversifying Breeding Objectives..........................................166
4.5.3(cid:2) Handling Climate Change......................................................166
4.5.4(cid:2) Complementary and Cost-Effective Strategies in
Germplasm Management.......................................................167
4.5.5(cid:2) Application of Molecular Markers and Genomics.................167
4.5.6(cid:2) Decentralized Approach in Cultivar Selection.......................169
4.5.7(cid:2) Perspectives for the Future.....................................................170
References....................................................................................................170
5(cid:2) Tea Improvement in Kenya.......................................................................177
5.1(cid:2) General Introduction to the Kenya Tea Industry.................................178
5.1.1(cid:2) Introduction of Tea to Africa.................................................178
5.1.2(cid:2) Introduction of Tea to Kenya.................................................179
5.1.3(cid:2) Economic Importance of Tea in Kenya.................................180
5.1.4(cid:2) History of Tea Improvement in Kenya..................................180
5.2(cid:2) Collection, Appraisal and Utilization of Tea Germplasm...................184
5.2.1(cid:2) The Collection and Introduction of Tea Cultivars.................185
5.2.2(cid:2) The Relative Tea Species.......................................................186
5.3(cid:2) Current Tea Breeding Strategies.........................................................186
5.3.1(cid:2) Breeding and Clonal Selection...............................................194
5.3.2(cid:2) Combining Abilities...............................................................200