Characterization of Some Perennial Pigmented Tea Accessions of Assam

Abstract

Tea leaves has high antioxidant activity mainly due to presence of high amount of flavonoids and to some extent presence of pigments and has been a potential important raw material for the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore a study had been under taken to evaluate twenty (20 nos.) pigmented tea accessions exhibiting morphological variations of Experimental Garden for Plantation Crops, Assam Agricultural University, Assam to profile based on shoot growth and biochemical characters by field survey and laboratory investigation during the period 2017-18. Post hoc analysis was used to test the significance level and correlation similarity co-efficient matrix was used to analyze the genetic relationship among clones. The plucking point density which is an important criteria from yield point of view was found to be highest in THT 028 (0.158 g) with maximum fresh weight of young shoot for both Light Prune (LP) and Medium Skiff (MS) years whereas the maximum dry weight was found in THT 035 (0.036 g) followed by THT 028 (0.035 g) in both LP and MS years. An increasing trend of, antioxidant and total catechin content observed from rain flush to autumn flush in all the germplasms. The germplasms with purple young shoot colour THT 024, THT 032 and THT 039 had the highest anthocyanin content (39 mg/l, 43.7 mg/l and 40.56 mg/l respectively) and they can be further studied for development of specialty tea.  The germplasms with higher catechin content (THT 027, THT 030 and THT 034) can be studied for development of parent material for green tea manufacturing. On hierarchical cluster analysis based on dendogram, THT 024, THT 032 and THT 039 formed discriminated clusters on the basis of shoot characters and biochemical characters which can be selected for future breeding programme.