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Research Progress on Health Effects of Tea Polyphenols CHEN Dan, WANG Shanshan, ZHANG Jieru, ZHENG Qinqin, ZHANG Xiangchun, CHEN Hongping Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (3): 379-392.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.03.008 Abstract （794）      PDF（pc） （3010KB）（283）       Knowledge map    Save Tea polyphenols are the most abundant active components in tea, with a variety of physiological functions. However, there is a lack of a systematic summary regarding the research history of tea polyphenols. This paper systematically reviewed the discovery, naming and functional application of tea polyphenols, while also briefly discussed their health benefits in immune regulation, anti-inflammation, and oxidative stress as well as the structural basis of the active hydroxyl groups in polyphenols. Consequently, it provided support for the application research of tea polyphenols in different fields. In addition, in view of the problems of poor stability and low bioavailability of tea polyphenols, we provided a brief overview of research on novel tea polyphenol nanobiomaterials. These nanobiomaterials exhibited the characteristics of high stability, safety and multi-functionality, which were anticipated to enhance the further application of tea polyphenols. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Leaching Behavior and Risk Assessment of Seven Different Polar Pesticides in Green Tea during Brewing XU Jinping, DU Xuemei, LÜ Wanyi, ZHU Lei, ZHANG Danyang, CHEN Hongping, CHEN Ling, CHAI Yunfeng Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (1): 157-168.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.01.005 Abstract （713）      PDF（pc） （281KB）（353）       Knowledge map    Save Seven pesticides, including dinotefuran, difenoconazole, tolfenpyrad, chlorfenapyr, bifenthrin, diafenthiuron and glyphosate are registered and widely used as chemical pesticides on tea plants in China. These pesticides are key monitoring objects for pesticide residue risk assessment in tea. In this study, gas chromatography and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry were used to monitor the leaching rates of seven pesticides during green tea brewing. The results show that the leaching rates of pesticides in tea infusion were related to water solubility and octanol/water partition coefficient. Dinotefuran and glyphosate were easily soluble in water, so their average leaching rates in tea infusion were higher than 70%. The water solubilities of the other five pesticides were lower, and their average leaching rates were less than 11.3%. There were significant differences in the leaching rates of different pesticides during the first and second infusions. With the exception of bifenthrin, the average leaching rates of other six pesticides of the first infusion were 0.89-2.55 times that of the second infusion. A risk assessment of green tea made from fresh leaves 10 days after pesticide spraying was performed. According to the toxicity and human exposure risk assessment of pesticides, the risk of human health impact from ingesting seven residual pesticides through drinking green tea soup was relatively low, and the cumulative hazard quotient of the seven pesticides was only 4.1%. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Research Progress on the Impact of Environmental Stresses on Tea Quality during the Withering Process YAN Duo, YU Penghui, GONG Yushun Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (1): 1-14.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.01.003 Abstract （640）      PDF（pc） （530KB）（1055）       Knowledge map    Save Withering is an important process for tea quality formation. Fresh tea leaves are subjected to a variety of environmental stresses such as water loss, temperature, light and mechanical damage during withering. Under these stresses, complex physiological and biochemical changes in leaves, which ultimately contribute to the formation of tea quality. This paper reviewed the effects of different environmental stresses on the formation of tea taste and aroma during the withering process. It mainly analyzed how different environmental stresses regulate the synthesis and metabolism of compounds in fresh tea leaves, and further explored their effects on the changes in cellular physical structure, enzymatic, and non-enzymatic chemical reactions in fresh tea leaves. This review provided theoretical supports for improving tea quality. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Research Progress on Foam Generation Mechanism and Control Technology of Tea Beverages HUANG Shanyoumei, LIN Dongyi, MA Chengying, RONG Jiefeng, SUN Weijiang, HUANG Yan Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (2): 181-190.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.20250311.001 Abstract （633）      PDF（pc） （420KB）（476）       Knowledge map    Save During the processing of tea beverages, a considerable amount of foam is generated, which adversely affects the quality, stability, and appearance of the products and is a major challenge for the industry. Proper understanding and management of the causes of foam generation and control technologies are critical to optimizing the production process. This article systematically examined the fundamental theory of foam generation and analyzed the impact of various factors such as tea components, temperature and pH levels on this process. Additionally, it outlined different methods for foam elimination, discussed defoaming principles, and categorized commonly used anti-foaming agents in the food industry, intending to provide valuable references for optimizing tea beverage processing technology. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Design and Testing of Tea Garden Crawler Plowing Machine SHEN Shuai, REN Ning, ZHENG Hang, YU Guohong, CHEN Zhidong Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (2): 273-283.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.02.003 Abstract （424）      PDF（pc） （1587KB）（381）       Knowledge map    Save In response to the problems of inadequate agricultural equipment and poor slope performance in tea gardens of hilly areas, a tracked ploughing machine suitable for hilly tea plantations was designed and developed, with a focus on slope performance. The main structural parameters of the chassis were designed, and the dynamic simulation was used to analyze the machine's ability to traverse across and along slopes. The simulation results show that the maximum slope for the machine to traverse across was 22°, and the maximum slope for the machine to traverse along was 31°. To explore the quality of excavator tillage, based on the theoretical analysis of the tillage movement trajectory, the tillage advance speed was optimized by dynamics, and the optimal tillage advance speed of 400-450 mm·s-1 was obtained for excavators. To further verify the rationality of the parameters and the reliability of the simulation results, field tests were conducted on uphill slopes. The results show that the maximum climbing ability of the machine on uphill slopes was 32°, with an error of 3.22% compared to the theoretical climbing angle. The results validate the accuracy and reliability of the theoretical calculations and simulations, demonstrating that the designed ploughing machine has good maneuverability and can fully meet the uphill climbing needs of hilly areas, providing an effective solution to the problem of tea plantation cultivation. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Comparative Metabolome Analysis of the Main Chemical Compositions in Qingzhuan Tea with Different Storage Years MA Mengjun, HU Xinlong, QIU Shouzhe, ZHANG Ruiming, TANG Huishan, LIU Chen, YU Ziming, LI Jing, WANG Mingle Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (1): 133-144.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.01.011 Abstract （423）      PDF（pc） （1968KB）（464）       Knowledge map    Save In order to investigate the effects of storage years on the quality of Qingzhuan tea, 5 samples produced in 2022, 2019, 2014, 2009 and 2002 were analyzed by tea sensory evaluation combined with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The sensory evaluation results show that with the extension of storage time, the appearance of Qingzhuan tea was gradually browning, the color of tea infusion was deepened, the aging flavor was progressively unveiled and the taste became more mellow, resulting in the quality improvement of Qingzhuan tea. Further metabolome analysis reveals that a total of 189 kinds of characteristic compounds were identified from Qingzhuan tea samples, which mainly included flavonoids, organic acids, amino acids, alkaloids and catechins. Moreover, 26 key differentially accumulated metabolites were identified using partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), including 5 alkaloids, 2 amino acids, 8 catechins, 9 flavonoids, 1 organic acid and 1 pigment substance. Among them, the contents of 8 catechin monomers decreased with the extension of storage years, while the contents of 7 flavonoids initially increased and subsequently decreased during the aging years. Hence, it was speculated that the two kinds of substances might result in the quality difference of Qingzhuan tea with different storage years. In addition, the contents of caffeic acid, lactobionic acid, linolenic acid, theophylline and betaine increased with the extension of aging years, which might also contribute to the nutrition and drinking value of Qingzhuan tea. In summary, this study analyzed the effect of aging time on the quality components of Qingzhuan tea, which shed light on the aging process of Qingzhuan tea. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Bioinformatic Analysis of DREB Genes and Regulation of CsPOD3 on Drought Tolerance Mechanisms in Camellia sinensis XU Rong, DENG Zhiying, SHAO Chenyu, LUO Yuqi, QIU Shuqi, WANG Cong, ZHOU Linghong, LIU Zhonghua, SHEN Chengwen Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (1): 29-42.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.01.002 Abstract （422）      PDF（pc） （1570KB）（179）       Knowledge map    Save Based on the previous transcriptome data of the research group, three genes, CsDREB11, CsDREB15, and CsDREB25, were screened. Verified by RT-qPCR, their expressions were induced by drought. The phylogenetic tree, physical and chemical properties, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, secondary and tertiary structures, and subcellular localization were predicted and analyzed. The results show that CsDREB11, CsDREB15, and CsDREB25 are most closely related to their homolog genes in Camellia lanceoleosa. They are all unstable hydrophilic proteins. Random coils and α-helices dominate the secondary/tertiary structures. Their subcellular localizations are located in the nucleus. The preliminary study of the subject found that both CsDREB25 and CsPOD3 were highly expressed and significantly correlated under drought conditions, suggesting that there was an interaction between them. Through Y1H, DLA, and LCI experiments, it was verified that CsDREB25 can positively regulate the expression of CsPOD3, increase the activity of POD, remove excessive reactive oxygen species, and improve the drought tolerance of tea plants. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Assessment of Cultural Ecosystem Services of Xihu Longjing Tea Gardens based on Social Media Data YANG Hao, TANG Jianuan, DU Shuqi, ZHANG Dou, HU Guang Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (1): 169-180.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.01.013 Abstract （413）      PDF（pc） （1339KB）（663）       Knowledge map    Save As a regional agricultural and cultural landscape, tea gardens can not only produce high economic value, but also provide people with a variety of ecosystem cultural services such as recreation, education and spiritual healing. However, the efficient and accurate identification and quantification of the ecosystem cultural services of tea garden landscapes remain a challenging research issue. This study took the Xihu Longjing tea gardens in Hangzhou as a case study. By selecting travel blogs and short articles from online social media platforms such as Ctrip and Sina Weibo, and utilizing keyword frequency and semantic network analysis, we quantitatively assessed the ecosystem cultural services of the Xihu Longjing tea gardens based on public cultural perception. Grounded theory was used to construct an evaluation index system for the tea garden's ecosystem cultural services, and the Importance-Performance model was employed to analyze the structure and quality of tourists' cultural experience elements. The results indicate that tourists pay high attention to specific scenic spots, cultural perceptions, and environmental perceptions within the Xihu Longjing tea gardens. Their perceptions reflected a cultural cognitive model centered on the tea garden's attractions, with cultural experiences extending outward. Overall, tourists had a positive satisfaction rating towards the cultural services of the tea garden ecosystem, with the highest satisfaction related to the pleasure and relaxation experienced. However, there are significant perceptual differences in tourists' attention and satisfaction with different categories of cultural services in tea gardens, especially in the cultural service of ‘enjoying the beautiful scenery’ that tourists are most concerned about, their satisfaction is lower than the overall average level. Therefore, future planning and management should prioritize the enhancement and improvement of the aesthetic quality of the tea gardens. This paper proposed a method for identifying and evaluating the ecosystem cultural services of tea gardens using social media data from the public perception perspective. This approach proposed technical support for the optimization and sustainable, diversified development of tea gardens and other cultural landscapes. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Nitrogen Metabolism Genes in Tea Plant: Research Progress on the Environmental Stress Adaptation Mechanism and Breeding Application ZHOU Yide, CHEN Jialin, WU Junmei, ZHAO Hongbo, SUN Binmei, LIU Shaoqun, ZHENG Peng Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (4): 545-558.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.04.010 Abstract （401）      PDF（pc） （1499KB）（189）       Knowledge map    Save Nitrogen metabolism genes play a key role in tea plants′ response to various environmental stresses. They do this mainly by regulating metabolites in different pathways. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the study of nitrogen metabolism genes in tea plants using techniques such as transcriptome and metabolome analysis, genome identification. However, there are still many scientific problems that need to be solved urgently, such as the low genetic transformation efficiency of tea plants, the limited research on gene epigenetics, and the limited application of gene breeding in production. This article systematically summarized the expression patterns of nitrogen metabolism genes in tea plants under different stress conditions, organs, and soil elements, as well as the research progress on the regulation mechanism of carbon and nitrogen balance in tea plants under different stresses, revealing the importance of these genes in tea plant stress adaptation and quality improvement. In addition, the research methods, transgenic technology, and breeding applications of nitrogen metabolism genes in tea plants were discussed in order to provide reference for the study of nitrogen metabolism gene regulation mechanisms and breeding research in tea plants. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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The Impacts and Regulatory Mechanisms of Forest Conversion to Tea Plantations and Their Management on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Pools HUANG Fuyin, ZHANG Shaobo, HU Qiang, LUO Ying, DONG Yajie, ZHANG Jie, LI Xin, FU Jianyu, WANG Huasen, YAN Peng Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (2): 234-252.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.02.004 Abstract （384）      PDF（pc） （3259KB）（111）       Knowledge map    Save This study investigated how the conversion of forests to tea plantations and associated management practices affect the dynamics of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) fractions across soil profiles in tea agroecosystems, with a focus on fungal community-mediated regulatory mechanisms. We compared forest soils with tea plantation soils under low-, medium-, and high-intensity fertilization regimes. Soil cores were systematically collected from four depth intervals (0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, 20-40 cm, and 40-60 cm) to analyze vertical stratification of C/N fractions, nutrient stoichiometry, and fungal community composition. The results reveal that tea plantations management significantly enhanced soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents in the 0-10 cm soil layer compared to forest soil. Under high-input conditions, total carbon and nitrogen reached 46.57 g·kg-1 and 5.13 g·kg-1, respectively, increasing by 68.12% and 88.60% compared to low-input tea plantations. Land-use conversion and fertilization intensity gradients in tea plantations significantly modified fungal community structure and composition, with these changes being mainly driven by soil nutrient availability, including available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), and total nitrogen (TN). In addition, fungal richness demonstrates a progressive decline across soil depth gradients (0-60 cm). Further analyses reveals that Dothideomycetes and Umbelopsidiomycetes exhibited significant positive correlations with soil C and N fractions, whereas Mortierellomycetes, Geminibasidiomycetes and Mucoromycotina_cls_Incertae_sedis showed pronounced negative correlations. Variations in the relative abundance of these taxa may strongly influence carbon and nitrogen cycling in tea plantation soils. Therefore, the conversion of forests to tea plantations and different fertilization management practices regulate soil carbon and nitrogen accumulation by influencing the structure of soil fungal communities and the abundance of dominant taxa. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Identification of Tea ICE Gene Family and Cloning and Expression Analysis of CsICE43 under Low-temperature ZHU Qian, SHAO Chenyu, ZHOU Biao, LIU Shuoqian, LIU Zhonghua, TIAN Na Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (1): 43-60.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.01.007 Abstract （375）      PDF（pc） （2782KB）（170）       Knowledge map    Save In recent years, extreme low-temperature weather has frequently occurred worldwide, significantly affecting the yield and quality of tea plants. The ICE (Inducer of CBF expression) gene family plays a crucial role in the low-temperature stress response of plants. However, research specifically focused on tea plants is still limited. This study identified 51 ICE genes from the tea genome and performed a bioinformatics analysis to examine their physical and chemical properties, gene structure, and promoter cis-acting elements. The promoter regions of the CsICE genes are rich in cis-acting elements related to light response, plant hormones, growth and development, and abiotic stress, suggesting their involvement in various stress responses. Transcriptome analysis and RT-qPCR verification indicate that the expression of the CsICE43 increased 4.24 folds under low-temperature conditions, highlighting its potential role in the low-temperature response of tea plants. To further investigate this, the cDNA of tea cultivar‘Baojing Golden Tea No. 1’ was used as a template to clone the CsICE43 gene. Its expression varied across tissues, with exceptionally high levels observed in terminal buds and young leaves. Further amino acid sequence and phylogenetic tree analysis indicate that the CsICE43 gene contains conserved domains such as S-rich, bHLH, and ACT, which are consistent with other members of the ICE family. It is closely related to Actinidia eriantha. The STRING online database utilized Arabidopsis thaliana AtICEs to hypothesize potential interactions between CsICE proteins and HOS1, MYB15, and DREB1/2. Subcellular localization experiments demonstrate that CsICE43 is located in the nucleus, which is consistent with the findings from the transmembrane structure analysis. In summary, this study suggests that the CsICE43 gene may be associated with the low-temperature response in tea plants, providing a theoretical foundation for further exploration of its gene function and the molecular mechanisms underlying cold resistance. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Screening of Phosphate-solubilizing Bacteria in the Rhizosphere of Tea Gardens and Their Effects on Tea Yield, Quality and Soil Properties MA Xueqing, WU Huawei, CAO Chunxia, ZHENG Jiaoli Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (1): 110-120.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.01.001 Abstract （372）      PDF（pc） （550KB）（395）       Knowledge map    Save The purpose of this study was to screen phosphate-solubilizing bacteria with the ability to produce indoleacetic acid (IAA) from the rhizosphere of tea gardens. The rhizosphere soil was collected from Yingshan Couty and Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture tea gardens in Hubei Province, and the phosphate-solubilizing bacteria were screened by plate transparent circle method. The phosphate-solubilizing and IAA-producing abilities were used as indicators for re-screening. The strains were identified by morphological characteristics and 16 S rDNA sequence analysis, and their growth-promoting characteristics were studied. The effects of strains on tea yield, quality and soil properties were studied by field experiments. The results show that the phosphate-solubilizing bacterium DFP-24 screened from the rhizosphere soil of tea plants had good IAA-producing ability and was identified as Burkholderia arboris. At the same time, the strain had the growth-promoting characteristics such as siderophore production, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase production and nitrogen fixation ability. Field experiments show that the application of DFP-24 strain could increase the density of tea buds, significantly increase the total phosphorus content of tea, increase the free amino acid content of tea, reduce the ratio of phenol to ammonia, affect the quality of tea, and improve the soil properties. In summary, the strain DFP-24 has the application potential to develop microbial fertilizers. The research results could provide strain resources and theoretical basis for the development and application of rhizosphere growth-promoting bacterial fertilizer for tea plants. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Research Progress on Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities of Alkaloids in Tea TANG Haikun, ZHANG Lanjun, ZHANG Panpan, LIU Benying Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (5): 727-741.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.05.002 Abstract （353）      PDF（pc） （1162KB）（201）       Knowledge map    Save Alkaloids, as a class of nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites characterized by remarkable chemical diversity, are widely distributed in higher plants, fungi, and bacteria. Most natural alkaloids possess biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor effects. This review comprehensively summarized the identified alkaloid groups in tea and briefly analyzed their biological activities, including: (1) purine alkaloids, which regulate neural excitability by antagonizing adenosine receptors and inhibiting phosphodiesterase to regulate metabolic functions, exhibit anti-inflammatory, and other biological activities. (2) flavor alkaloids have effects in preventing diabetes and inhibiting cancer cell angiogenesis. (3) the mechanisms by which prenylated indole alkaloids exert anti-inflammatory effects, inhibit cancer cell growth and exert neuro-protective effects. Finally, the future research directions focusing on the identification, appraisal, synthesis and functional evaluation systems of tea alkaloids were proposed. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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An Evaluation of the Impact of Cross-Boundary Innovation on Enhancing Brand Loyalty: An Example of Premium Payment Willingness in Novel-Tea Beverages PENG Kang, YAN Pengxiang, LIN Mengxing, CHEN Fuqiao Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (4): 712-726.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.04.002 Abstract （343）      PDF（pc） （991KB）（100）       Knowledge map    Save With the rapid development of the novel-tea beverage industry, market competition has significantly intensified. To enhance competitiveness, novel-tea beverage enterprises have increasingly adopted cross-border innovation strategies aimed at upgrading product quality, optimizing the consumer experience, and strengthening brand loyalty. However, the theoretical and empirical understanding of how cross-border innovation enhances brand loyalty is still limited. Utilizing quantitative empirical methods, this study investigated the impact of horizontal and vertical cross-border innovation on consumer brand loyalty based on survey data of 1 900 young novel-tea beverage consumers. The findings reveal that both forms of cross-border innovation contribute to strengthening brand loyalty, with upstream cultural integration within vertical cross-border innovation demonstrating the strongest effect. Furthermore, cross-border innovation primarily influences brand loyalty indirectly by satisfying consumers’ quality demands and enriching consumption experiences, with quality appeal serving as the core mediating mechanism. Additionally, the selection of cross-border innovation strategies is contingent upon enterprise positioning: high-end brands benefit more from horizontal and upstream cultural cross-border innovation, while mid-to-low-end brands achieve brand loyalty enhancement through scenario-based downward cross-border innovation. Based on the above conclusions, this paper proposed some countermeasures and suggestions on how to carry out cross-border innovation marketing. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Isolation and Identification of the Pathogen Causing Leaf Spot in Tea Plants YANG Fang, JIANG Bingbing, LEI Jinmei, GUO Cunwu, LI Limei, XU Jiayi, WANG Xinghua, YUAN Wenxia, WANG Baijuan Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (2): 266-272.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.02.006 Abstract （342）      PDF（pc） （909KB）（101）       Knowledge map    Save Tea plant [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] is an important agricultural economic crop in China. Tea leaf spot disease is one of the most important leaf diseases of tea plants. It seriously affects the yield and quality of tea. In 2023, a tea leaf spot disease was found in a tea garden in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture Yunnan Province. In order to clarify the pathogen, the tissue isolation method and wound inoculation method were used to isolate and determine the pathogenicity of the pathogen. The morphological characteristics were observed and combined with molecular biology techniques to determine the type of pathogen. The results show that the three strains could infect tea leaves and were the causal agents of tea leaf spot. The pathogen causing tea leaf spot was identified as Nigrospora musae by observing its morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of multiple genes (ITS, TUB2 and TEF-1α). The results of this study provided a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of tea leaf spot caused by the pathogen. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Spatiotemporal Changes of Amino Acids and Polyphenols in Leaves and Stems during Tea Withering CHENG Haiyan, TU Linyue, CHEN Lin, XU An'an, XIE Hengtong, XU Ping Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (2): 303-317.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.02.009 Abstract （340）      PDF（pc） （3576KB）（230）       Knowledge map    Save Changes in amino acids and polyphenols in leaves and stems during withering are critical for the formation of the material basis of tea flavor. This study systematically analyzed the differential accumulation patterns of amino acids and polyphenols in tea leaves and stems , as well as their changes during withering. The results show that the phenol-ammonia ratio in the leaves (4.66-6.36) was higher than that in the stems (1.97-2.59) during withering. The free amino acid content in tender stems (7.44%) was significantly higher than that in fresh leaves (2.22%). A total of 44 amino acids and their derivatives show differential accumulation between the two tissues, of which three (theanine, aminobutyric acid, and pipecolic acid) were found to be highly accumulated in the stems. No significant difference in total tea polyphenol content was observed between fresh leaves and tender stems. However, 97 polyphenolic compounds show differential accumulation between the two tissues. Gallate-type catechins and most flavonols and flavonol glycosides were more highly accumulated in the leaves, whereas non-gallate-type catechins were more abundant in the stems. During the withering process, the total content of free amino acids increased in the leaves but it continued to decrease in the stems. A total of 21 and 15 amino acids and derivatives underwent significant changes during the withering process in leaves and stems, respectively. The changing trends of tea polyphenol content in leaves and stems were relatively consistent, with 49 and 35 polyphenolic compounds showing significant changes during withering, respectively. The results of this study indicate that the leaf-stem ratio in tea raw materials plays a critical role in the formation of tea quality during subsequent processing, providing a theoretical basis for the development of withering regulation technologies based on leaf-to-stem ratio considerations. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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The Study of Volatile Components in Three Scented Types of Black Tea Based on HS-SPME-GC-MS and Molecular Docking Technology ZHANG Peng, HUANG Yan, WEI Chengjiang, ZHENG Zhiqiang, WU Weiwei, ZHENG Changkun, SHEN Weiwei, YU Yingjie, LIN Fuming, SUN Weijiang Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (2): 318-332.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.02.007 Abstract （336）      PDF（pc） （3521KB）（239）       Knowledge map    Save In recent years, honey-like, fruity, and herbal mint-scented black teas have attracted considerable consumer attention and preference. However, the underlying mechanisms of their aroma characteristics require further in-depth investigation and analysis. This study employed headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), combined with variable importance in projection (VIP) and relative odor activity value (ROAV) of orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) to identify key volatile compounds in three scented types of black tea. Molecular docking was then used to explore the binding sites and interactions between the key volatile compounds and olfactory receptors. The results show significant differences in the volatile component contents among the three scented types of black tea, with 13 volatile compounds identified as the critical contributors to these differences. In honey-like black tea, damascenone, benzaldehyde, and linalool oxide I were identified as the major volatile contributors. In fruity-scented black tea, heptanal, 3,6-nonadien-1-ol, 2-heptanone, (E)-citral, and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one played pivotal roles. While the cooling sensation in herbal mint-scented black tea was closely associated with methyl salicylate. Molecular docking analysis demonstrates that the key volatile compounds spontaneously bind to olfactory receptors OR1A1, OR1G1, OR2W1, OR5M3, OR7D4, and OR8D1, with OR1A1 identified as the primary receptor for perceiving these aroma characteristics. The binding was facilitated by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions with three amino acid residues (TYR258, PHE206, and VAL254) of OR1A1, promoting the presentation of the aroma profiles. This study elucidates the mechanisms for the characteristic aroma formations of these three scented types of black tea, providing a theoretical foundation for enhancing black tea flavor quality and achieving targeted processing. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Cloning of BZR1 Gene Family in Tea Plants and Molecular Mechanism Study of CsBZR1-5 Response to Drought Stress DONG Yuan, ZHANG Yongheng, XIAO Yezi, YU Youben Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (1): 15-28.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.01.004 Abstract （335）      PDF（pc） （1374KB）（128）       Knowledge map    Save The BZR1 transcription factor is a key transcription factor in the brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathway, playing an important regulatory role in plant growth, development, and stress response. This study identified and cloned six members of the BZR1 family in tea plants based on genomic data. Their gene structures, subcellular localization of encoded proteins, and transcriptional activation activities were analyzed, and their expression patterns under different tissues and drought stress were explored. The results show that the number of introns in the 6 BZR1 members of tea plants was 2 or 3, and their encoded proteins all contained typical bHLH characteristic structural domains. Subcellular localization analysis shows that except for CsBZR1-1, which was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus, all other CsBZR1s were localized in the nucleus. Transcriptional activation activity analysis shows that CsBZR1s exhibited transcriptional activation activity in yeast. The analysis of expression patterns in different tissues shows that CsBZR1s had specificity in expression in different tissues of tea plants, among which the expression patterns of CsBZR1-1 and CsBZR1-6 were relatively similar. The expression pattern analysis under drought stress shows that all six CsBZR1 genes were responsive to drought stress. The expression of CsBZR1-5 was continuously induced by drought stress simulated by PEG. In addition, the expression pattern of the key enzyme gene CsNCED1 in ABA synthesis pathway was highly similar to that of CsBZR1-5 under drought stress. The analysis of Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) found that CsBZR1-5 can bind to the E-box element on the CsNCED1 promoter, indicating that CsBZR1-5 may be involved in regulating the response of CsNCED1 to drought stress. This study systematically analyzed the basic characteristics and functions of six CsBZR1 members, laying the foundation for further elucidating the regulatory roles of CsBZR1 members in tea plant growth and development and drought stress response. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Visualisation Research of Anhua Dark Tea Cultural Gene Map ZHANG Lichun, XIAO Lizheng, NIU Li, WU Bo, ZHU Haiyan, LIU Zhonghua Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (2): 346-360.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.02.011 Abstract （326）      PDF（pc） （1409KB）（433）       Knowledge map    Save Anhua dark tea embodies a profound culture that holds immense historical and practical value. This study applies the “cultural gene theory” and adheres to four identification principles: intrinsic uniqueness, extrinsic uniqueness, local distinctiveness, and overall superiority. It explores ecology, production, product, as well as storage and transport “genes” at the material cultural levels. In addition, it explores life-related, art, history humanities and spiritual core “genes” at the spiritual cultural level. This study extracted cultural elements, collected instances of these elements, and constructed an ontology model with the Protégé software. It presented the relational and hierarchical relationships of Anhua dark tea culture through visualization techniques, achieving the visualization of the cultural gene map of Anhua dark tea, and analyzed its application value in cultural inheritance, artistic aesthetics and brand building. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）

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Analysis of Volatile Flavor Compounds and Microbial Diversity in Anhua Black Tea Processed by Different Fermentation Techniques HOU Aixiang, YANG Xiaolu, WU Wenliang, XIAO Yu, LI Shi, HUANG Yiwen, JU Rongfang Journal of Tea Science    2025, 45 (4): 637-654.   DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2025.04.009 Abstract （316）      PDF（pc） （2417KB）（102）       Knowledge map    Save This study investigated the characteristic aroma components and microbial diversity during long term and short term fermentation processes of Anhua black tea. The research employed headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), as well as 16 S rRNA and ITS high-throughput sequencing technologies. The results show that 82 volatile components were detected in Anhua black tea with distinct fermentation processes, mainly include alcohols, esters, and aldehydes, collectively accounting for approximately 85% of the total volatile content. The overall volatile components initially increased and subsequently decreased during processing. Based on thresholds of odor activity value (OAV)>1 and variable importance in projection (VIP)>1, 14 key differential volatile components were identified in the black tea of short and long term fermentation processes, including citral, linalool, phenethyl alcohol, phenylacetaldehyde, methyl salicylate, β-myrcene, β-ionone, et al. The dominant bacteria of Anhua black tea include Sphingomonas, Methylobacterium, Aureimonas, and the dominant fungi include Cladosporium, Alternaria and Setophoma. The genera Aureimonas, Enterobacter, Aspergillus, and Pseudopithomyces were significantly correlated with distinct fermentation processes. This study provided a theoretical reference and basis for the scientific processing and flavor analysis of Anhua black tea. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics | Comments（0）