Abstract: The spring phenophase, biochemical composition and genetic diversity analysis of the 40 tea cultivars with same age, which passed the national and provincial examination or approval from Fujian, were surveyed and identified under the same ecological and cultural condition for two years. The results showed that among the 26 tested oolong tea cultivars, 31% of those were early sprouting cultivars, 23% were late sprouting cultivars and 46% were medium or medium-late sprouting cultivars, among the tested 14 green tea cultivars, 29% of those were extra-early sprouting cultivars, 7% were late sprouting cultivars, and the rest 64% were early or medium sprouting cultivars. Significant differences on bud stage among tea cultivars provided a strong basis for reasonable collocation on bud stage in production. In the tested cultivars, water extracts was from 40% to 52%, tea polyphenols from 9.8% to 20.8%, free amino acids from 3% to 6.8%, and caffeine from 2.9% to 5.0%. The results showed that the contents of each biochemical component among different cultivars had a relatively significant difference. The genetic diversity of tested cultivars was relatively higher, genetic distances of Zaochunhao, Zhenghe-dabaicha, Xiapu-yuanxiaocha, and Yuemingxiang were relatively farther away, and the rest 36 cultivars could be divided into 4 main groups: Tieguanyin type, Minnan type, Fuding-dabaicha type, and Huangdan type. This tudy provided important data reference and theoretical guidance for diversity of choice in production cultivars.

Key words: Fujian, tea cultivars, growth period, biochemical composition, genetic diversity