Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Molecular Mechanisms of Pre-Winter Watering Treatment Enhancing Cold Tolerance in Camellia sinensis

WANG Mengqi; SONG Dapeng; YIN Hongxu; ZHOU Chao; SHEN Jiazhi; QIAN Wenjun; CHEN Zhenzhen; FANG Fengxiang; SUN Xia; DING Shibo

doi:10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2026.05.008

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Journal of Tea Science ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (5) : 857-872. DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2026.05.008

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Molecular Mechanisms of Pre-Winter Watering Treatment Enhancing Cold Tolerance in Camellia sinensis

WANG Mengqi¹, SONG Dapeng¹, YIN Hongxu², ZHOU Chao¹, SHEN Jiazhi³, QIAN Wenjun⁴, CHEN Zhenzhen⁵, FANG Fengxiang¹, SUN Xia^1,*, DING Shibo^1,*

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Abstract

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which pre-winter watering enhances cold resistance in tea plants, this study investigated the physiological and transcriptomic responses of Camellia sinensis cv. ‘Lucha 1' under simulated low-temperature stress. Plants were subjected to pre-watering (W) and control (C, no watering) treatments prior to exposure to overwintering conditions in a climate chamber. The results showed that the POD activity was significantly higher in the W group compared to the C group at﹣7 ℃/24 h (199.90 U∙mL^-1 and 142.58 U∙mL^-1) (P<0.05), as was SOD activity at ﹣7 ℃/36 h (107.29 U∙mL^-1 and 84.29 U∙mL^-1). No significant difference was observed in CAT activity. The W group consistently maintained significantly higher soluble sugar contents at ﹣7 ℃/12 h, ﹣7 ℃/24 h and ﹣7 ℃/36 h. Its soluble protein content was also significantly elevated at ﹣7 ℃/24 h, ﹣7 ℃/36 h, and during the recovery phase. Consequently, at ﹣7 ℃/36 h, the content of MDA was significantly lower in the W group (4.30 nmol∙mL^-1) than in the C group (5.98 nmol∙mL^-1). Transcriptome analysis reveals that pre-watering amplified the transcriptomic response to low-temperature stress, with a significantly higher number of DEGs in group W (435) than in group C (184). GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that DEGs in group W were predominantly enriched in energy metabolism-related pathways, such as proton transport and ATP synthesis, whereas genes associated with the photosynthesis-antenna proteins pathway were specifically down-regulated. In contrast, DEGs in group C were mainly enriched in pathways related to secondary metabolism and antioxidant processes, including flavonoid biosynthesis and oxidoreductase activity.

Key words

tea plant / pre-winter watering / low-temperature stress / physiological indexes / transcriptome

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WANG Mengqi, SONG Dapeng, YIN Hongxu, ZHOU Chao, SHEN Jiazhi, QIAN Wenjun, CHEN Zhenzhen, FANG Fengxiang, SUN Xia, DING Shibo. Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Molecular Mechanisms of Pre-Winter Watering Treatment Enhancing Cold Tolerance in Camellia sinensis[J]. Journal of Tea Science. 2026, 46(5): 857-872 https://doi.org/10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2026.05.008

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