Comparison of Open Pollinated Seedlings Obtained from Commercial Varieties of Camellia Oil Tea.

Abstract

The aim of this research was to select superior seedlings obtained from China’s commercial oil tea varieties [from National Center for Oil-Tea Camellia Science, The Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry (RISF), Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF)]. Criteria for selection were high growth rate, high yield and high oil content. Seeds from open pollinated 9 varieties of Changlin Series e.g. numbers 3, 4, 18, 23, 26, 27, 40, 53 and 166 were germinated and grown for selection at Chiang Mai Royal Agricultural Research Center from 2012 to present. It was found that the oil tea trees which had high relative growth rate, tree height and tree canopy diameter and high yield were from Changlin Nos. 4, 40 and 166. All selected varieties would be used to replace those currently grown in farmers’ plantations in Chiang Rai province and prepared for research on oil tea varietal development in the future