Whole-genome resequencing, genome-wide association study (GWAS), population differentiation analysis and domestication selection analysis were integrated for this research.
Key Findings
Parallel domestication and evolutionary patterns were verified for Assam tea and Chinese small-leaf tea, confirming Southwest China as the core origin center of tea plants.
Major gene loci associated with leaf morphology, tea polyphenol synthesis and stress resistance were mapped.
Genomic resources and target genes were provided for marker-assisted molecular breeding and directional improvement of elite tea varieties.
Related paper titled Genomic analyses of agronomic traits in tea plants and related Camellia species was published in Frontiers in Plant Science (Impact Factor = 5.87).