Abstract:

In order to lay the germplasm resources and data groundwork for In order to lay the germplasm resources and data groundwork for developing new Hakka tea product and resuming historically famous tea from Hakka areal in a future time, biological character and main biochemical composition in spring, summer and autumn were investigated and analyzed systematically among 13 new Hakka tea strains selected from tea populations in Qingliangshan and Guoduo of Meizhou. The results indicated that Qingliangshan tea series were shrubs with small leaves, had high germinating densities ranged from 1719 to 2862 buds/m2, and weighted ranged from 8.4 to 15.2 g per 100 buds; Guodu tea series were trees or small trees with middle and small leaves, had smaller germinating densities ranged from 450 to 774 buds/m2, and weighted ranged from 25.0 to 43.8 g per 100 buds. All of the 13 strains were rich in contained substances. The contents of tea polyphenols, catechin and water soluble matters in summer were the highest, and free amino acids were more in spring than in summer and autumn significantly. Both caffeine and soluble sugar contents altered little in three seasons. There was little variation in free amino acids and soluble sugar contents between the two series tea plants. But the contents of tea polyphenols, catechin, water soluble matters and caffeine were all higher in Qingliangshan tea than in Guoduo tea, as the same as the ratio of tea polyphenols to free amino acids.