Constraints on tan $\beta$ in the MSSM from the Upper Bound on the Mass of the Lightest Higgs boson

We investigate the possibilities for constraining tan beta within the MSSM by combining the theoretical result for the upper bound on the lightest Higgs-boson mass as a function of tan beta with the informations from the direct experimental search for this particle. We discuss the commonly used ``benchmark'' scenario, in which the parameter values m_top = 175 GeV and M_susy = 1 TeV are chosen, and analyze in detail the effects of varying the other SUSY parameters. We furthermore study the impact of the new diagrammatic two-loop result for mh, which leads to an increase of the upper bound on mh by several GeV, on present and future constraints on tan beta. We suggest a slight generalization of the ``benchmark'' scenario, such that the scenario contains the maximal possible values for mh(tan beta) within the MSSM for fixed m_top and M_susy. The implications of allowing values for m_top, M_susy beyond the ``benchmark'' scenario are also discussed.