Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) Breeding in Korea

Abstract

Tea plant was introduced into Korea from China more than 2,000 years ago in the Kaya Dynasty. During the Goryeo Dynasty (918 – 1392), the tea culture flowered along with Buddhism. However, it gradually declined until the 1980s, when a period of economic growth in Korea combined with a rapid recovery of the tea culture and industry. Scientific tea research in Korea began at Boseong in 1992. The results of these studies are not concluded regarding tea breeding, cultivation and manufacture. In 2004, a tea research laboratory was opened at Mokpo Experiment Station, National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration (RDA). Over 80% of the total Korean tea gardens are seedlings on mountain slopes consisting of individuals with various sprouting times and growth types causing low yield, inconsistent product quality, as well as difficult to use machinery. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to develop and supply clonal cultivars with disaster-resistant, high quality and high yield features. Several clonal tea cultivars are already registered at Boseong Tea Experiment Station. A new strategy for shortening the process of clonal tea breeding, characteristic examination, clonal tests, local adaptability tests and propagation of promising lines has been carried out simultaneously at 6 local adaptability test stations. The highly adaptable clones will be selected for use throughout Korea.