Identification of Novel QTLs for Black Tea Quality Traits and Drought Tolerance in Tea Plants (Camellia sinensis)

The main objective of tea breeding is to improve the quality and quantity of the final product. The levels of caffeine, catechins and theaflavins in the final product are related to tea quality. Breeding and selection for these compounds is important for tea breeders. However, the tea quality traits are complex and subjective, and breeding for these trait is time-consuming and depends on knowledge of the genetics of its components. The present study constructed a high-density genetic linkage map for tea tree plant by integrating DArTseq platform and ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) technique for QTLs linked to catechins, theaflavins, caffeine content, tea taster scores and percent relative water content for future marker-assisted selection for tea breeding. The DArTseq platform was used because it is capable of detecting very small polymorphisms, is cost-effective and is efficient for whole-genome scans and population structure.