Study on the route of transmission and spread of tea (the Tea Road) in Japan

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12374
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80010:Area studies-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: Kubo Nakao 京都府立大学, 生命環境科学研究科, 教授 (60347440)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: チャ / 伝播 / DNAマーカー / 在来種 / 品種

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to assume the route of transmission and spread of tea (the Tea Road) in Japan, genetic characteristics of tea landraces and cultivars from Japan and the other countries were analyzed based on nine SSR markers. Landraces from northern Kyushu region were collected because they could be a key of the tea transmission and spread. Lines from the northern Kyushu and the other regions were included into a group of Kyoto landraces. The northern Kyushu landraces may have genetic differences because some of them were separated on the dendrogram. Parentages of 79 cultivars were also analyzed. Biparental and uniparental origins were confirmed or identified for 12 and 25 cultivars, respectively. Candidate pollen parents of yet-to-be-defined pedigree were newly identified for five cultivars.

Free Research Field

植物分子遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本のチャ伝来と伝播の基本的経路を明らかにすることで、我々の食事と共に発展してきた飲料である茶の成り立ちが解明され、日本の食文化、特に「和食」への理解が深化する。実用面では、在来種は茶の育成にとって貴重な素材であり、その遺伝的特徴の把握が重要である。本研究のデータは、将来、味や健康成分等と相関するDNA配列の探索にも応用できる。加えて、国内の茶価格が低迷し、海外シェアが中国産緑茶に圧迫されている中、日本のチャの成立や特徴を裏付けた科学的データを発信することで、茶産業の振興を通じた地方創生や国内外の販路拡大、日本のチャの世界的プレゼンス向上に貢献できる可能性がある。