Abstract: Advances in germplasm enhancement of tea breeding, techniques for identification of new tea cultivars, changes in breeding objectives, improvement of breeding program, achievements of tea breeding, system of propagation and extension of new tea cultivars were reviewed in this paper, which provides useful information for further studies in tea genetics and breeding. Hybridization is still the major method for innovating tea breeding materials, and the physical and chemical mutagenesis methods have been extensively used, while transgenic technique remains to be further improved. Combination of the high resolution inspecting equipments and the gene identification technology with the forecasting models established by computer technology made the early identification of tea cultivars more accurate. The breeding target has been diversified after going through yield breeding, quality breeding and early flushing breeding stages. Improving early identification accuracy and shortening breeding cycle will be the aim for tea breeding technology development.

Key words: tea breeding, identification technique, breeding program, breeding objectives, propagation and extension