Advances in tea breeding in Japan: from traditional methods to genomic approaches
Abstract
L.), is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide. Traditional breeding methods have contributed to the development of cultivars with desirable traits; however, these breeding approaches are time-consuming and constrained by the limited genetic diversity of tea plants. Despite the significant impact of genomic information on crop breeding, its application in tea plants has remained limited. Recently, the rapid accumulation of genomic resources for tea plants has enabled the research development for markers-assisted selection and genomic selection in tea breeding. These genomics-based approaches are positioned as complementary methods to phenotypic selection. In this review, we summarize the advancements in breeding technologies for tea in Japan and highlight future directions for genomics-based tea breeding.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Tea Polyphenols and Effects
Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions
Genetic diversity and population structure
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Ikushugaku zasshi
- Publisher
- Japanese Society of Breeding
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 76–85
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN