Abstract: To shorten the breeding cycle of tea clones and improve the seedling quality, twigs of three-year-old Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze cv. Taicha 12 (Jin Xuan) were used as cuttings materials for propagation under the condition of full-illumination and mist. The effects of apical-shoots and cuttings with one, two or three mature functional leaves on rooting and growth of tea cuttings were studied. The physiological and biochemical analysis of buds and leaves of different positions were performed before the cuttage. The results showed that soluble sugar and chlorophyll content increased with the maturity of leaves increased. The net photosynthetic rate showed a similar trend with its peak in the second functional leaves. The contents of soluble protein exhibited an opposite trend with the leaf maturity and the apical shoot with one bud and tender leaves possessed the highest soluble protein contents. Both the survival and rooting rates of cuttings with mature functional leaves were 100.00%, but those for single-bud cuttings with one or two tender leaves were only 5.00% and 23.33% respectively. The best materials for rooting were the cuttings with apical shoot and three mature functional leaves, which possessed the fastest speed of rooting and had the maximum amount of roots. A large number of roots emerged from the base of stem segment within 10 days and the formation of secondary roots for 60%-70% tea cuttings only required 37 days. Its new formed functional leaves were also more than others. However, the seedling heights of tea cuttings with apical shoot and three mature functional leaves were less than those with one bud and two tender leaves. The increasement of basal stem diameter was also smaller. The formation of new functional leaves facilitated root growth and development, which could also improve survival and rooting rates. The rooting and growth of cuttings with apical shoot were better than cuttings without apical shoot.

Key words: tea, softwood cutting, apical shoot, functional leaves, fast propagation and rooting, aerial growth