Guwahati: In a breakthrough for India’s tea industry, researchers from Assam Agricultural University (AAU) have uncovered crucial genetic insights into Assam’s indigenous tea germplasm. Their study, recently published in Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, paves the way for developing superior tea cultivars with enhanced flavour, resilience, and commercial potential.
Tashmi Konwar and coauthors conducted the research under the leadership of Dr. Bidyut Kumar Sarmah, Director of the Department of Biotechnology at the North East Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology. The authors are affiliated with Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, and the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow.
Assam is home to over 200 indigenous tea germplasms, many tracing their origins to seeds collected by the British in the 18th and 19th centuries from various parts of Northeast India. While historically and genetically valuable, these tea plants had remained largely unexplored in terms of agronomic and biochemical potential—until now.
The Experimental Garden for Plantation Crops at Assam Agricultural University currently preserves over 200 indigenous tea germplasms originally cultivated by the British during the colonial era. These germplasms represent a unique legacy, yet their full potential had remained underutilized.
For this study, researchers collected fresh leaf samples—two leaves and an active bud—from tea plants at the Experimental Tea Garden of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat.
The study examined 169 indigenous tea germplasms, focusing on key bioactive compounds such as catechins, polyphenols, caffeine, and tannins—critical components that define tea’s taste, health benefits, and market value. Using advanced Reverse Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC), researchers identified Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) as the most abundant metabolite, followed by caffeine and other catechins.
A key discovery was that the Cambod-type tea germplasm exhibited the highest concentrations of these bioactive compounds, surpassing both the Assam-type and China-type varieties. The quantified order of abundance of key metabolites was:
???? (-)-Epigallocatechingallate (EGCG) > Caffeine > (-)-Epicatechin > (-)-Epicatechingallate > Gallic acid > (-)-Epigallocatechin > (+)-Catechin
This finding positions Cambod-type tea as a potential game-changer in breeding programs aimed at enhancing the quality of Indian tea. The Cambod variety (Camellia sinensis var. cambodiensis) is an intermediate between Assam-type (C. sinensis var. assamica) and China-type (C. sinensis var. sinensis), combining the robustness of Assam tea with the subtlety of Chinese cultivars—making it a strong candidate for premium tea production.
The research has far-reaching implications for India’s tea industry and the global tea market. As climate change increasingly affects tea cultivation, understanding the heritability of key metabolites can help develop resilient tea varieties suited for shifting weather conditions.
Moreover, the findings align with the growing demand for high-value specialty teas rich in polyphenols and catechins. With health-conscious consumers driving the premiumization of tea, Assam’s indigenous germplasm holds immense potential for crafting teas that cater to both domestic and international markets.
This study underscores the need to preserve and utilize Assam’s unique tea biodiversity—not just as a historical treasure but as a key to the future of Indian tea. By integrating these research insights, Indian tea breeders, producers, and industry stakeholders can develop next-generation cultivars that offer superior taste, resilience, and market competitiveness.
For tea lovers, this marks an exciting era where Assam’s indigenous teas, deeply rooted in India’s rich terroir, can reclaim their place as some of the finest and most distinctive teas in the world.
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