Study And Conservation Of The Germplasm Resources Of The XieBei Tea In Longyan City, Fujian Province

Longyan Xiebei Tea is historically famous in Fujian, which has a history of more than 300 years. It is mainly distributed in the sexual species of native groups which exist in Laozhai Village , Xinzhai Village and Beiyang Village etc of Jiangshan Township , Xinluo District of Longyan City, Fujian Province, at an altitude of above 1000 metres in deep Meihua Mountain. Its special qualities, known as the light mugwort fragrance, fresh olive flavour and the"yellow green shown from three aspects"characteristics( the color and lustre of dry tea being ash green with yellow, infusion yellow-green and the infused leaves verdancy and yellow-bright) , are deeply loved by local people, most West Fujian old comrades and Overseas Chinese. Our elder Zhang Tianfu, the leading authority in Tea field of China, once investigated it in 1964. As one of the Chinese famous tea , Xiebei Tea was written into"The Classic of Chinese Tea", and in the year of 2008, together with Tie KuanYin , it was listed in"The conservation directory of the first tea tree germ plasm resources in Fujian province". The study has collected 14 varieties ( strains ) in all. By undertaking a comprehensive research on the germplasm resources of Xiebei Tea and based on the factors of its phonological period, morphology, biological characteristics and Leaf anatomical structure, it broke the traditional"Five Varieties Theory"and preliminarily classified Xiebei Tea into three types according to the tea taxonomic theory. Meanwhile it determined the biochemical composition of their fresh leaves and finished tea, and focus on those 10 varieties ( strains ) which have a larger area and one mixed sample, we conducted a study on whether they suit to make green tea, black tea or oolong tea and developed two new products as well. It improved the processing technology, product quality grade and excellent production rate of Xiebei Green tea. By biochemistry composition determination and sensory evaluation and identification, three main tea types'productive characters of Xiebei Tea were determined, and the goal of product diversification was achieved. Aiming at the growth situation of local tea garden, after conducting the diagnoses on the climate and soil fertility in Xiebei Tea's provenance, a complete set of conservation and management measures were formulated, which has raised Xiebei Tea's output, broken through the present situation that tea was harvested in only one season, achieved the goal of producing 3 seasons'tea in one year, and increased local tea growers'income level.