Morphological characters and genetic relationship between catechins-rich and -poor tea tree (Camellia sinensis L.) lines

Abstract

Catechins-rich and -poor tea tree lines were selected through a colorimetric selection method from 160 tea tree lines used in previous studies. The selected tea tree lines, catechins-rich lines (HR-52, HR-29, HR-82, HR-123, and HR-55) and catechins-poor lines (HP-19, HP-108, HP-138, HP-150, and HP-18), were analyzed through morphological (leaf width, leaf length, leaf area, and shoot length) and genetic analysis. The cluster pattern of morphological characters showed a positive correlation between the catechins contents and the leaf morphology. In RAPD analysis, the amplified DNA bands did not appear with 10 primers, however, the various sizes of DNA bands were detected with 22 primers. The special DNA bands between the rich and poor lines were not found. These results suggest that the morphological and genetic character may be somewhat related to secondary metabolites of tea trees. ? 2012 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.