Abstract:The aim of this study is to uncover young shoot pigment changes of albino tea plant (Camellia sinensis) cultivar ‘Zhonghuang 3’ (‘ZH3’) and their correlation with main biochemical components accumulation. With the evergreen ‘Taicha 15’ (‘TC15’) strain as the control, we determined and analyzed the dynamic changes of pigments and main biochemical components in young shoots (one bud and two leaves) from two resources sampled in April, May, July and August. The content of chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll in two resources initially increased and then decreased, while chlorophyll b content showed a different trend, and three physiological indicators reached its peak in August. Chlorophyll b content of ‘ZH3’ in April and May was 41.9% and 54.9%, respectively, lower than that of ‘TC15’, while that of ‘ZH3’ in July and August was 47.5% and 22.1%, respectively, higher than that of ‘TC15’. Carotenoids content of ‘ZH3’ decreased gradually, while that of ‘TC15’ first decreased, then increased and subsequently decreased. Anthocyanin content in two resources initially increased and then decreased. In April, May and August, anthocyanin content of ‘ZH3’ was slightly higher than that of ‘TC15’, but 26.4% lower than that of ‘TC15’ in July. The proportion of anthocyanin in two resources increased first and then decreased, whereas the opposite trend was observed for that of total chlorophyll. The proportion of carotenoids in ‘ZH3’ showed a decreased trend, while that in ‘TC15’ decreased first and then increased slightly. Free amino acids content in two types of tea plants was the highest in April, and showed a trend of decreasing first and then increasing, while the content of tea polyphenols reached the maximum value in July, and showed the opposite trend. No significant changes of water extracts and caffeine contents in ‘ZH3’ among different months were observed. Free amino acids, water extract and caffeine content in ‘ZH3’ was not significantly correlated with pigments content. Tea polyphenols content in ‘ZH3’ was positively and significantly correlated with chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll content, respectively, while negatively and significantly correlated with carotenoid content. Positive significant correlations between anthocyanin content with water extract and tea polyphenol content were observed for ‘TC15’. Free amino acid content in ‘TC15’ had positive correlations with total chlorophyll content. There were positive correlations between caffeine content with chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll and carotenoid content in ‘TC15’. Our data suggested that the yellower young shoots color in ‘ZH3’ was the higher content of carotenoid and free amino acids, the lower content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and tea polyphenols, the high chlorophyll a/b ratio, and the moderate anthocyanin content. There existed a very close relationship between pigments and biochemical components in young shoots of tea plant.