Plasma-Activated Sodium Lactate Enhances Secondary Metabolites and Physiological Resistance of Young Tea Plants

ZHANG Yunfan; ZHOU Fengjue; HU Junming; SONG Chuankui; ZHENG Fuhai; ZHANG Junhui; LI Tingting; LI Yuxiang

doi:10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2026.01.006

Journal of Tea Science >

2026 , Vol. 46 >Issue 1: 61 - 72

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2026.01.006

Research Paper

Plasma-Activated Sodium Lactate Enhances Secondary Metabolites and Physiological Resistance of Young Tea Plants

ZHANG Yunfan ,
ZHOU Fengjue ,
HU Junming ,
SONG Chuankui ,
ZHENG Fuhai ,
ZHANG Junhui ,
LI Tingting ,
LI Yuxiang

Expand

1. Agricultural Resources and Environmental ResearchInstitute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Guangxi Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation, Nanning 530007, China;
2. Agricultural College, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China;
3. School of Tea Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China

Received date: 2025-06-07

Revised date: 2025-09-04

Online published: 2026-02-06

Fold

Abstract

Plant stress resistance refers to the adaptive capacity of plants to cope with environmental stress through physiological and biochemical regulation. Young tea plants have relatively weak physiological resistance. This study aimed to clarify the regulatory mechanism of plasma-activated substances on secondary metabolites and free amino acids in young tea plants under oxidative stress. Plasma-activated sodium lactate (PAL) was used to treat young tea plants under stress conditions. Two dilution gradients were set: a high concentration of 25 times and a low concentration of 100 times. Through control experiments and targeted metabolomics in a greenhouse, the study investigated the effects of plasma-activated sodium lactate on biomass, antioxidant capacity, secondary metabolites, and free amino acid accumulation in tea plants. The results show that: (1) Both concentrations of PAL significantly increased the accumulation of secondary metabolites in young tea plants. Epicatechingallate (ECG) increased by 4.68% at the low concentration and 6.93% at the high concentration, while epigallocatechin (EGC) increased by 4.84% at the low concentration. (2) Plasma sodium lactate altered the accumulation of free amino acids in young tea plants, significantly increasing the contents of citrulline (Cit), asparagine (Asn), histidine (His), phenylalanine (Phe), arginine (Arg), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and theanine (Theanine) in young tea plants, promoting tea plant growth and participating in the synthesis of proteins related to toxicity alleviation and substance transports. (3) Plasma-treated sodium lactate significantly increased the biomass of young tea plants, enabling them to access more resources and energy to cope with external environmental stresses. Exogenous application of plasma-treated sodium lactate influences the stress resistance physiology of young tea plants and enhances their vitality, representing an important method for regulating the stress resistance of secondary metabolites in tea plants.

Key words： physiological resistance; plasma-activated sodium lactate; secondary metabolite; young tea plants

Cite this article

ZHANG Yunfan , ZHOU Fengjue , HU Junming , SONG Chuankui , ZHENG Fuhai , ZHANG Junhui , LI Tingting , LI Yuxiang . Plasma-Activated Sodium Lactate Enhances Secondary Metabolites and Physiological Resistance of Young Tea Plants[J]. Journal of Tea Science, 2026 , 46(1) : 61 -72 . DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2026.01.006

References

[1] 张文驹, 戎俊, 韦朝领, 等. 栽培茶树的驯化起源与传播[J]. 生物多样性, 2018, 26(4): 357-372.
Zhang W J, Rong J, Wei C L, et al.Domestication origins and spread of cultivated tea plants[J]. Biodiversity Science, 2018, 26(4): 357-372.
[2] 林海燕, 曾超珍, 谭斌, 等. 转录组学技术在茶树抗逆性的研究进展[J]. 分子植物育种, 2019, 17(3): 803-810.
Lin H Y, Zeng C Z, Tan B, et al.Advances in transcriptomics technology for studying stress resistance in tea plants[J]. Molecular Plant Breeding, 2019, 17(3): 803-810.
[3] 韦朝领, 李叶云, 江昌俊. 茶树逆境生理及其分子生物学研究进展[J]. 安徽农业大学学报, 2009, 36(3): 335-339.
Wei C L, Li Y Y, Jiang C J.Advances in research on tea plant stress physiology and molecular biology[J]. Journal of Anhui Agricultural University, 2009, 36(3): 335-339.
[4] Winkel S B.Biosynthesis of flavonoids and effects of stress[J]. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 2002, 5(3): 218-223.
[5] Baier M, Bittner A, Prescher A, et al.Preparing plants for improved cold tolerance by priming[J]. Plant, Cell & Environment, 2019, 42(3): 782-800.
[6] Iqbal S, Akhtar J, Naz T, et al.Root morphological adjustments of crops to improve nutrient use efficiency in limited environments[J]. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 2020, 51(19): 2452-2465.
[7] Bonfante P, Anca I A.Plants, mycorrhizal fungi, and bacteria: a network of interactions[J]. Annual Review of Microbiology, 2009, 63(1): 363-383.
[8] Sun T R, Cang L, Wang Q Y, et al.Roles of abiotic losses, microbes, plant roots, and root exudates on phytoremediation of PAHs in a barren soil[J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2010, 176(1/2/3): 919-925.
[9] Bradu C, Kutasi K, Magureanu M, et al.Reactive nitrogen species in plasma-activated water: generation, chemistry and application in agriculture[J]. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 2020, 53(22): 223001. doi: 10.1088/1361-6463/
ab795a.
[10] Adhikari B, Adhikari M, Ghimire B, et al.Cold atmospheric plasma-activated water irrigation induces defense hormone and gene expression in tomato seedlings[J]. Scientific Reports, 2019, 9(1): 16080. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-52646-z.
[11] Nixon D J, Burgess P J, Sanga B N K, et al. A comparison of the responses of mature and young clonal tea to drought[J]. Experimental Agriculture, 2001, 37(3): 391-402.
[12] Durak I, Yurtarslanl Z, Canbolat O.A methodological approach to superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity assay based on inhibition of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction[J]. Clinica Chimica Acta, 1993, 214(1): 103-104.
[13] Bradford M M.A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding[J]. Analytical Biochemistry, 1976, 72(1/2): 248-254.
[14] Oakley B R, Kirsch D R, Morris N R.A simplified ultrasensitive silver stain for detecting proteins in polyacrylamide gels[J]. Analytical Biochemistry, 1980, 105(1): 361-363.
[15] Chen C, Wu Y, Li J, et al.TBtools-Ⅱ: a “one for all, all for one” bioinformatics platform for biological big-data mining[J]. Molecular Plant, 2023, 16(11): 1733-1742.
[16] 满佳旭, 高梓琪, 武思敏, 等. 中小叶种茶酯型儿茶素含量测定及亚细胞定位[J]. 湖北农业科学, 2024, 63(5): 98-100.
Man J X, Gao Z Q, Wu S M, et al.Determination of ester-type catechin content and subcellular localization in small-leaf tea varieties[J]. Hubei Agricultural Sciences, 2024, 63(5): 98-100.
[17] Zhao J, Li P, Xia T, et al.Exploring plant metabolic genomics: chemical diversity, metabolic complexity in the biosynthesis and transport of specialized metabolites with the tea plant as a model[J]. Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, 2020, 40(5): 667-688.
[18] Song J S, Kim S B, Ryu S, et al.Emerging plasma technology that alleviates crop stress during the early growth stages of plants: a review[J]. Frontiers in Plant Science, 2020, 11: 988. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00988.
[19] Singh H, Niharika, Lamichhane P, et al.Enhancing crop health and sustainability: exploring the potential of secondary metabolites and non-thermal plasma treatment as alternatives to pesticides[J]. Plant Biotechnology Reports, 2023, 17(6): 803-820.
[20] Bennett R N, Wallsgrove R M.Secondary metabolites in plant defence mechanisms[J]. New Phytologist, 1994, 127(4): 617-633.
[21] Rhodes D, Verslues P E, Sharp R E.Role or amino acids in abiotic stress resistance [M]. Florida: CRC Press, 1998: 333-370.
[22] Chatterjee A, Paul A, Unnati G M, et al.MAPK cascade gene family in Camellia sinensis: in-silico identification, expression profiles and regulatory network analysis[J]. BMC Genomics, 2020, 21(1): 613. doi: 10.1186/s12864-
020-07030-x.
[23] Stevens C, Wilson C L, Lu J Y, et al.Plant hormesis induced by ultraviolet light-C for controlling postharvest diseases of plant fruits[J]. Crop Protection, 1996, 15(2): 129-134.
[24] Perkowski M C, Warpeha K M.Phenylalanine roles in the seed-to-seedling stage: not just an amino acid[J]. Plant Science, 2019, 289: 110223. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci. 2019.110223.
[25] Mori I C, Schroeder J I.Reactive oxygen species activation of plant Ca²+ channels. A signaling mechanism in polar growth, hormone transduction, stress signaling, and hypothetically mechanotransduction[J]. Plant Physiology, 2004, 135(2): 702-708.
[26] Yang Q, Dong B, Wang L, et al.CDPK6 phosphorylates and stabilizes MYB30 to promote hyperoside biosynthesis that prolongs the duration of full-blooming in okra[J]. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2020, 71(14): 4042-4056.
[27] Zhang Q, Li Y, Cao K, et al.Transcriptome and proteome depth analysis indicate ABA, MAPK cascade and Ca²+ signaling co-regulate cold tolerance in Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall[J]. Frontiers in Plant Science, 2023, 14: 1146663. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1146663
[28] Akashi K, Miyake C, Yokota A.Citrulline, a novel compatible solute in drought-tolerant wild watermelon leaves, is an efficient hydroxyl radical scavenger[J]. FEBS Letters, 2001, 508(3): 438-442.
[29] Kusvuran S, Dasgan H Y, Abak K.Citrulline is an important biochemical indicator in tolerance to saline and drought stresses in melon[J]. The Scientific World Journal, 2013, 2013(1): 253414. doi: 10.1155/2013/253414.
[30] Yokota A, Kawasaki S, Iwano M, et al.Citrulline and DRIP-1 protein (ArgE homologue) in drought tolerance of wild watermelon[J]. Annals of Botany, 2002, 89(7): 825-832.
[31] Yan J, Aznar A, Chalvin C, et al.Increased drought tolerance in plants engineered for low lignin and low xylan content[J]. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 2018, 11(1): 195. doi: 10.1186/s13068-018-1196-7.
[32] Tachibana K, Nakamura T.Comparative study of discharge schemes for production rates and ratios of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in plasma activated water[J]. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 2019, 52(38): 385202. doi: 0.1088/1361-6463/ab2529.
[33] 蒋景龙. 外源H₂O₂对低温胁迫下柑橘叶片抗寒性的影响[J]. 西北植物学报, 2016, 36(3): 499-505.
Jiang J L.Effects of exogenous H₂O₂ on cold tolerance of citrus leaves under low-temperature stress[J]. Acta Botanica Sinica, 2016, 36(3): 499-505.
[34] 张琼, 陆銮眉, 戴清霞, 等. 镉胁迫对水仙根系抗氧化系统的影响[J]. 福建农业学报, 2016, 31(6): 591-595.
Zhang Q, Lu L M, Dai Q X, et al.Effects of cadmium stress on the antioxidant system of narcissus roots[J]. Journal of Fujian Agriculture, 2016, 31(6): 591-595.
[35] Nakano R T, Shimasaki T.Long-term consequences of PTI activation and its manipulation by root-associated microbiota[J]. Plant and Cell Physiology, 2024, 65(5): 681-693.

Options

Outlines

模态框（Modal）标题

Abstract

Cite this article

References