Growth, photosynthetic and biochemical responses of tea cultivars infected with various diseases

Abstract

Under natural and greenhouse conditions we found a significant reduction in the physiological and biochemical constituents in leaves of five disease types when compared to healthy ones. The growth characteristics such as height, dry mass, photosynthetic and transpiration rates, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency were reduced significantly more in susceptible cv. TRI-2024 than in tolerant cv. TRI-2025. Also contents of total sugars, nitrogen, amino acids, proteins, polyphenols, and catechin were reduced in diseased plant leaves. However, the reduction was more prominent in susceptible than tolerant cultivar. Canker size and barker moisture content were larger in the susceptible cultivar than in the tolerant cultivar. © 2007 Institute of Experimental Botany, ASCR.