Abstract: Based on the meteorological data observed by 65 basic weather stations and statistical data of tea yield, the photosynthesis potential productivity (Y_Q), photothermal potential productivity (Y_T), and climatic potential productivity (Y_W) of tea in Zhejiang Province in the past 43 years were evaluated with successive correction analysis. The main factors influencing Y_W were explored by analyzing the spatial and temporal variation of potential productivity. The climate resource utilization (P) was also assessed by combining the Y_W with actual productivity (Y_a). The results showed that,  in the past 40 years, the Y_Q of tea in Zhejiang Province was 15.17 t·hm^-2, with high value in north region and low value in the south region. The Y_T of tea was 11.27 t·hm^-2, increasing gradually from Jinhua to the surrounding areas. The Y_W of tea was 8.39 t·hm^-2, decreasing gradually from south to north. In the past 40 years, Y_Q, Y_T and Y_W all presented a decreased trend, with a climatic trend rate of -0.15, -0.45 and -0.40 t·hm^-2·10 a^-1, respectively. The variation speeds of Y_T and Y_W were more significant than that of Y_Q as the variation trend of heat and water resources was more obvious than that of solar radiation in the context of climate change. The P of tea in Zhejiang Province was 1.73%-35.12% (with an average of 11.90%) from 2009 to 2013. High P (>20%) was mainly distributed in the east of Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, south of Huzhou, and middle of Jinhua.

Key words: energy balance, sensible heat flux, latent heat flux, sparse shrubland,  , Loess Plateau.