Determination of the effects of using seeds and cuttings in tea sapling cultivation on root development and sapling quality

The tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) is an agriculturally and ecologically important crop in Türkiye, particularly in the Eastern Black Sea Region. However, most of the tea plantations in the country have been established using saplings propagated from seeds. While this approach increases genetic diversity, it also reduces homogeneity within plantations, thereby negatively affecting yield and quality. In contrast, vegetative (clonal) propagation methods, which are widely used in global tea cultivation, allow for the establishment of more uniform, high-yielding, and high-quality plantations. In this study, seed and cutting propagation methods were compared to reveal their similarities and differences in terms of rooting success and sapling quality. A total of eight tea cultivars and genotypes were used as plant materials: one of Chinese origin, one of Japanese origin, one registered local cultivar developed by ÇAYKUR, and five genotypes obtained from the TÜBİTAK 1007 project numbered 118G038. For each genotype, 48 cuttings and 48 seeds were used, resulting in a total of 768 saplings. In cutting propagation, single-node leafy cuttings obtained after pruning were used. These cuttings were treated with 4000 ppm IBA hormone and planted in trays containing a peat/vermiculite mixture (3:1 ratio). Similarly, mature seeds were sown in trays under the same conditions. Rooting rate, shoot development, and overall sapling quality were regularly monitored and evaluated for all saplings. Statistical analyses showed that seed propagation exhibited certain advantages in root development, shoot length, and biomass; however, cutting propagation produced better results in sapling quality and root development for some genotypes. Particularly, genotypes 28 Tİ 09 and 53 ME 265 stood out in many traits. As a result, cutting propagation was found to achieve a similar level of success to seed propagation in terms of root development and sapling quality. These findings are of great significance for the renewal of aging and low-yielding tea plantations in Türkiye with superior clonal saplings. Furthermore, by encouraging producers and nursery growers to adopt cutting propagation, these results can pave the way for sustainable improvements in tea yield and quality.