Evaluation of response to water-deficit stress in some selected tea ‎ ‎(Camellia sinensis L.) clones based on growth characteristics ‎

In order to evaluate water deficient tolerance of nine selected tea clones, an experiment was performed in tea collections, Shahid Eftekhari Fashalam Tea Research Station in Shaft. The experiment was conducted as split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Clones were considered as main plot in nine levels and irrigation treatments were as sub plot in two levels (irrigation and non-irrigation). Sixty days after the onset of water stress, water stress index, relative water content and quantitative traits included number of shoots, fresh and dry weight of shoot, length of shoot, length and width of 5th leaf and green leaf yield were evaluated in two stress and non-stress conditions for screening of tea clones. The results of variance analysis showed significant differences between clones, irrigation treatments and clone×irrigation interaction for all measured traits. Under water stress, relative water content, yield, yield components and other growth characteristics of clones decreased, so that the highest decrease belongs to green leaf yield. The results of water stress index and changing percent of measured traits showed that the clones of 276 and 100 promising clone with the highest water stress and the lowest changing percent of quantitative traits, have the higher potential to tolerate water deficit stress conditions compared with other clones and useful for tea breeding programs as tolerate clones, also because of the low water stress index and high changing percent of quantitative traits of clones 399 and 278, can be introduced them as susceptible to water deficit stress.