Oolong Tea Core Germplasms Construction and Genetic Evaluation Based on Aroma Metabolites

Twelve representative oolong tea cultivars (Camellia sinensis) were used to establish a process for constructing a germplasms classification based on the phenotypic SPME-GC-MS database of the aromatic substances in the plants. At a sampling rate of 25%, Tieguanyin, Yuemingxiang, and Jinmudan were identified as the core germplasms, while linalool oxide I, linalool, caproic acid (Z)-3-hexene ester, aromatic alcohol oxide Ⅲ benzyl acetate, geraniol, nerolidol, and indolecore the principal aroma metabolites. In addition to the existing SSR marker genotype data, the genetic diversity analysis showed no significant differentiations on 7 phenotypic traits between the core and the primary germplasms. A prototype process based on SSR markers and aromatics in oolong tea plants for constructing a systematic germplasms classification was established.