Adaptation and Growth Performance of Tea Plants (Camelia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze) in Obudu Hills, Cross River State

Young seedlings of five tea clones under cultivation (318, 236, 68, BB35, and 143) and five from the germplasm), were collected from the Kakara Highland tea Plantations, Mambila Plateau, Taraba State. Seedlings were planted in fifty sample boxes to enable the seedlings to be established first before transplanting to the field. After the establishment, they were transported to Obudu Hills for investigation. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RBCD) with 3 replications. Data collected on morphological traits were subjected to an analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. Multivariate analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis and correlation analysis were used to estimate genetic diversity between the tea plant clones. The result showed that the tea clones survived the first two months after transplanting. However, subsequently, the percentage of survival was reduced. Results from the morphological studies revealed that the accessions differed significantly (p>0.001) in all evaluated traits except for leaf width and dry biomass. Three principal components were identified based on eigenvalues; the first principal component contributed 44.18% of the total variation with an eigenvalue of 3.977, the second principal component accounted for 24.36% with total eigenvalue of 2.193 while PC3 accounted for 15.345% of the total variation with eigenvalue of 1.381. Cluster analysis showed that the evaluated tea clones were grouped into two main clusters containing sub-clusters. The high genetic diversity identified in Camellia sinensis clone in the study will serve as a guide in breeding, genetic improvement, utilization and conservation of this important nutritional and medicinal plant species.