Genetic diversity of the wild ancient tea tree (Camellia taliensis) populations at different altitudes in Qianjiazhai

Abstract

In this study, the genetic diversity and population structure of 4 wild ancient tea tree (Camellia taliensis) populations at different altitudes (2,050, 2,200, 2,350, and 2,500 m) in Qianjiazhai Nature Reserve, Zhenyuan country, Yunnan province, were investigated using EST-SSR molecular markers to compare their genetic variation against altitude. In total, 182 alleles were detected across all loci, ranging from 6 to 25. The top one informative SSR was CsEMS4 with polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.96. The genetic diversity of this species was high, with 100% of loci being polymorphic, an average Nei’s gene diversity (H) of 0.82, and Shannon’s information index (I) of 1.99. By contrast, at the population level, the genetic diversity of wild ancient tea tree was relatively low, with values of H and I being 0.79 and 1.84, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a minor genetic differentiation (12.84%) among populations, and most of the genetic variation (87.16%) was detected within populations. Using population structure analysis, we found that the germplasm of wild ancient tea tree was divided into three groups, and there was a substantial gene exchange among these three groups at different altitudes. Divergent habitats caused by altitudes and high gene flow played important roles in genetic diversity of wild ancient tea tree populations, which will provide new opportunities for promoting their protection and potential utilization.

The Genetic Diversity of Natural Ilex chinensis Sims (Aquifoliaceae) Populations as Revealed by SSR Markers

“…Melch. (87.1% vs. 12.9%) [57]. However, the genetic differentiation of I. chinensis is significantly higher than that of some forest-dominant tree species, e.g., Quercus liaotungensis Koidz.…”

Development of Genome-Wide Intron Length Polymorphism (ILP) Markers in Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) and Related Applications for Genetics Research

“…Molecular markers have played a pivotal role in investigating the domestication origin and evolution of cultivated tea plants. Since the late 20th century, scholars from China, India, Japan, and other countries have analyzed the genetic diversity and structure of various cultivated tea plants through different regions using diverse molecular marker techniques [ 45 , 46 ]. The success of DNA fingerprinting applications relies heavily on various marker attributes, including polymorphic potential, reproducibility, and discrimination power [ 47 ].…”

The effects of tea plant age on the color, taste, and chemical characteristics of Yunnan Congou black tea by multi-spectral omics insight

“…The ancient black tea was manufactured from natural ingredients planted in nonpolluting areas over hundreds of years, usually possessing extreme scarcity, superior qualities, and high commercial values. Therein, the universal definition of the ancient tea tree remains unclear ( Wang et al, 2023 ). The metabolite profile of black teas manufactured by fresh leaves of old-age and young-age tea plants is still ill-defined.…”

“…The sweet-mellow taste and red liquor color are critical factors in evaluating the sensory quality of black tea infusions. Black tea contains various chemical constituents that contribute to the taste and color characteristics, including oxidation products, flavonoid glycosides, amino acids, monosaccharides, and alkaloids ( Wang et al, 2023 ). Several studies have explored that enzymatic oxidation products, such as theaflavins, dihydrotheasinensin, theacitrins, theacitrinins, thearubigins, and theabrownins, were the prominent taste and color components of black tea infusion ( Zhou et al, 2022 ).…”