‘Wanghaicha 1’ is a newly bred green tea cultivar origining from the local population in Ninghai county. To establish an efficient breeding system, a comparative cutting experiment of long and short branch cuttings in lightweight non-woven seedling bags, and a short branch field mulching cutting experiment were set up at the Shengzhou base. The results show that the rooting rate of short branch cuttings of this cultivar was higher than that of the control ‘Longjing 43’, with better growth and greater tolerance to high temperatures and drought. Moreover, the long branch cuttings can reach the nursery standard after 77 days. The method of short branch cuttings covered with black non-woven fabric film on the seedbed can effectively reduce the frequency of manual weeding. And through Illumina HiSeq platform, transcriptome sequencing of the root system of ‘Wanghaicha1’ was performed. Compared with the control ‘Longjing 43’, 107 differentially expressed genes related to plant hormones were screened. It is speculated that the synergistic regulation of these genes may be the molecular basis for the developed root system of this culitvar. This study preliminarily obtained 107 differentially expressed genes related to plant hormones in the adventitious roots of ‘Wanghaicha1’. The established cutting mode of ‘early emergence of long branch from the nursery application of black plastic film to improve quality and efficiency’ can shorten the seedling period by 15.4% and reduce weed control costs by 85.7%, providing theoretical basis and technical support for the industrial promotion of new cultivar.

This study utilized Camellia sinensis cv. ‘Zhuyeqi’ as the research material and employed a combined strategy of Illumina ( the second-generation sequencing) and Oxford Nanopore (the third-generation sequencing) to systematically analyze and achieve a high-quality assembly of its mitochondrial genome. Furthermore, through gene annotation, codon usage bias analysis and phylogenetic analysis, this study aimed to elucidate the genetic mechanisms and evolutionary characteristics of Camellia sinensis cv. ‘Zhuyeqi’. The results indicate that the mitochondrial genome consists of seven fragments, including “one circular and six linear” structures, with a total length of 911 255 bp and a guanine-cytosine (GC) content of 45.7%. Among these fragments, fragment 1 is circular (311 104 bp), while the remaining fragments are linear. A total of 77 functional genes were annotated, including 38 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 33 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 3 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and 3 pseudogenes. Additionally, 269 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified, with tetranucleotide repeats being the most abundant type (43.49%). Mononucleotide repeats were primarily composed of adenine (A)/thymine (T) (91.18%). A total of 780 long repeat sequences were identified, comprising 354 forward repeats and 426 palindromic repeats. The analysis of nonsynonymous substitutions (Ka) and synonymous substitutions (Ks) indicates that the ccmB、rps10 and mttB genes are under significant and positive selection (Ka/Ks>1), suggesting their crucial roles in adaptive evolution to environmental conditions. Codon usage bias analysis reveals that the GC content of the third codon position (GC₃, 37.36%) in 29 PCGs was significantly lower than that of the first (GC₁, 47.81%) and second (GC₂, 43.01%) codon positions. The mean effective number of codons (ENC) is 51.98, indicating weak codon usage bias. Regression analysis of GC₁₂ and GC₃ (R² = 0.004 5) reveals that natural selection contributed 88.45%, significantly outweighing mutational pressure. Base preference shows C₃>G₃ and T₃>A₃, with optimal codons predominantly ending in uracil (U)/adenine (A) (60.87%). Phylogenetic analysis indicates that C. sinensis cv. ‘Zhuyeqi’ forms a monophyletic group with core species of the genus Camellia, supporting its taxonomic status. This study provided critical insights into the evolutionary mechanisms of the mitochondrial genome and the adaptive functions of genes in tea plants.

In the past years, the growing area of etiolated tea cultivars has continued to expand, and at the same time, diseases and pests damage have gradually emerged on the cultivars. To explore the resistance mechanism of etiolated tea cultivars against the Empoasca onukii, an important pest, three etiolated local tea cultivars, ‘Huanglongjin’, ‘Huangjinya’ and ‘Dahuangpao’, widely planted in the southwestern Zhejiang Province were selected, with ‘Longjing 43’ as the control. The feeding behavior on these tea cultivars was monitored and compared using the electrical penetration graphy technique, and their resistance was evaluated. Additionally, the differences in volatiles and non-volatile substances among the three etiolated tea cultivars were analyzed and compared between healthy status and 24 hours after leafhopper injury. The feeding behavior analysis indicates that the resistance varied from strong to weak, with ‘Huanglongjin’, ‘Longjing 43’, ‘Huangjinya’ and ‘Dahuangpao’ identified as the most and least resistant cultivars, respectively. Volatiles from tea shoots injured by E. onukii revealed the presence of six components, including α-farnesene, β-ocimene, and 2-methyl-6-methylene-1, 7-octanediene-3-one, detected in all three etiolated tea cultivars pierced and sucked by the leafhopper. The contents of these compounds were found to be highest in ‘Huanglongjin’. Sixteen main differential compounds were screened out from the non-volatile substances of tea plants after leafhopper-injured by using the orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis model. Among them, the contents of threonine, epicatechin gallate (ECG), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) were significantly and negatively correlated with the duration of the E wave. In contrast, a significant positive correlation was observed between the contents of quercetin, serine, tyrosine, leucine, proline, and the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and the duration of the E wave. In addition, the contents of both ECG and EGCG in three etiolated tea cultivars following injury by the tea leafhopper were found to be significantly elevated (P<0.05), with the highest levels observed in ‘Huanglongjin’. In conclusion, injury by E. onukii can induce changes in both volatile and non-volatile substances in tea leaves, thereby conferring resistance against leafhoppers. And differences in resistance were observed among three etiolated tea cultivars with ‘Huanglongjin’ showing the strongest resistance.

Light and nitrogen are crucial factors regulating plant energy metabolism, carbon-nitrogen balance, and stress resistance. In this study, tea plant ‘Zhongming 7’ was subjected to dark treatment and normal light treatment under nitrogen-deficient conditions. The results indicate that dark treatment resulted in a decrease in SPAD values and a noticeable lightening of leaf color. Transcriptome analysis identifies 3 235 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 1 492 upregulated and 1 743 downregulated. KEGG enrichment analysis reveals significant enrichment of DEGs in pathways related to nitrogen metabolism, plant circadian rhythms and phytohormone signaling. Among the identified DEGs, an Elongated Hypocotyl 5 (CsHY5) gene was screened for further investigation. Protein-protein interaction network analysis reveals that CsHY5 primarily interacts with circadian rhythm-related genes. The expression level of the CsHY5 gene in new shoot tissues of three tea cultivars was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). The results reveals that the expression level of CsHY5 gene in the leaves of ‘Zhongming 7’ was higher than those observed in ‘Yunkang 10’ and ‘Hongya Foshou’. Transcriptome sequencing and RT-qPCR analysis indicate that the CsHY5 gene was downregulated under dark treatment. These findings suggest that CsHY5 may serve as a key node in the cross-regulation between light signaling and nitrogen metabolism, playing a crucial role in tea plants' response to combined dark treatment and nitrogen deficiency stress.

Tea plants, as a significant economic crops in China, are characterized by their preference for moisture and vulnerability to waterlogging. Currently, there is few research concerning the damage caused by waterlogging to tea plants and the post-waterlogging recovery measures, so the analysis of agronomic measures such as pruning is of great significance to the restoration of tea growth. Here, the effects of waterlogging stress on the growth of ‘JinXuan’ tea plants were analyzed, and disclosed that it can result in disruption of the rhizosphere micro-ecological equilibrium in roots of tea plants. Harmful microorganisms, such as anaerobic bacteria (including Azospira, Citrifermentans, etc.) and pathogenic fungi (Phaeomoniellales, Gibberella, etc.), accumulate in the roots. Meanwhile, it also decreases the expressions of related element transporter genes and element levels (Ca, K, Zn, P) in the roots of tea plants, while increases the content of Fe. The pruning approach can significantly increase the hundred-buds weight, length, widthand leaf area of the third leaves of waterlogged tea plants, thereby increasing the tea yield. It could promote the recovery of tea plants by enhancing the absorption and transport of nitrogen by the root system.

Phyllosphere microorganism play a critical role in plant disease resistance, yet their response mechanisms under pathogen infection require further exploration. This study investigated the structural and functional dynamics of phyllosphere microbial communities in healthy and infected leaves of Camellia sinensis cv. ‘Zhirenzao’ to elucidate their responses to pathogen invasion and potential roles in disease defense. In this study, we collected healthy and infected leaves, and analyzed them by high-throughput gene sequencing and microbiome analysis to identify primary pathogens, delineate bacterial and fungal community structures, and predict microbial functions. The results reveal that Fusarium and Pestalotia were the dominant pathogenic genera in the infected leaves A (IA) and B (IB), respectively. Both bacterial and fungal α-diversity were significantly higher in the infected leaves compared to those of healthy leaves (P<0.05), and the β-diversity analysis also reveals significant structural differences. In terms of species composition, the healthy leaves were dominated by Proteobacteria (79.9%), while the infected leaves were mainly composed of both Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Within the fungal communities, Dothideomycetes was a co-dominant class, while the infected leaves were dominated by Sordariomycetes, Agaricomycetes and Eurotiomycetes. LEfSe analysis further identified the significant differentiating species: the healthy leaves were dominated by potentially beneficial microbes like Trichococcus and Pseudomonas, whereas the infected leaves were primarily composed of pathogenic genera including Didymella, Plectosphaerella, Fusarium and Pestalotia. The results from functional prediction demonstrate that microbial functions in the healthy leaves were enriched for photosynthesis and carbon fixation pathways, while the infected leaves exhibited significant increase in pathways for bacterial chemotaxis, flagellar assembly and butyrate metabolism. FUNGuild annotation further reveals an increase in the proportion of plant pathogens, plant saprotrophs and wood saprotrophs in the diseased leaves, potentially reshaping the phyllosphere microbial community, where the proliferation of pathogens and decline of beneficial microbes may collectively impair host resistance. These findings provide a theoretical framework for understanding phyllosphere microbial functions in plant-pathogen interactions and establish a scientific basis for developing biocontrol strategies against tea plant diseases.

Tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] is an important economic crop in China. Its production process is highly susceptible to stresses such as pests and diseases, which subsequently lead to a reduction in yield and quality. Accurate monitoring of stress conditions in tea garden is therefore essential for precision and smart management. This study focused on three typical stresses: tea geometrid (Ectropis obliqua), heat stress and anthracnose (Colletotrichum camelliae), and proposed a stepwise multi-stress monitoring method based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing. The research first focused on the characteristics of tea garden ridge-and-furrow structures. By combining a decision tree and edge detection (DT-ED) algorithm, which utilizes the RedEdge band, high-precision extraction of tea rows was achieved. Subsequently, considering the spatial distribution differences of stress within tea garden plots, a plot type discrimination model was constructed based on the coefficient of variation (CV) of the plot's spectrum and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). This model successfully categorized plots into entirely healthy plot (EHTP), entirely stressed plot (ESTP), and partially stressed plot (PSTP), achieving an overall accuracy of 94.7%. Based on this classification, a differentiated strategy was applied: UAV five-point sampling was used for stress assessment and health validation in ESTP and EHTP plots, while a two-step approach of “abnormal zone detection-stress type identification” was applied to PSTP plots. The abnormal zones were delineated using two-stage clustering strategy. Stress type classification was then carried out using algorithms such as support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), and multilayer perceptron (MLP). The results show that the MLP achieved the best performance, with an overall accuracy of 92.3%. The findings demonstrate that the proposed multi-step monitoring method can effectively improve the accuracy and efficiency of multi-stress identification in tea garden, providing technical support for smart tea garden management and offering a methodological reference for other economic crops.

Tea grey blight is one of the most important diseases in tea producing areas in China, which is common in old leaves, mature leaves and young bud leaves. In this study, a strain L352 was isolated and purified from tea grey blight leaves in Duyun City, Guizhou. The strain L352 was identified based on morphological characteristics and a multi-gene phylogenetic tree was established using the ITS, β-tub and EF-1α genes. The results show that the conidia of strain L352 were mostly composed of 5 cells with 4 transverse-septa, featuring three pigmented cells in the middle. Occasionally, 6 cells with 5 transverse-septa were observed, containing four pigmented cells in the middle. The phylogenetic tree indicates that it was clustered into a relatively independent clade with Pestalotiopsis rosea, with a support rate of 100%. The pathogen was finally identified as Pestalotiopsis rosea, and it was the first discovery of this species causing tea grey blight disease in Camellia sinensis.

In June and July 2024, two Fusarium spp. strains were isolated from blighted leaves of tea plants (Camellia sinensis) in Motuo County, Linzhi City, Xizang, China. Species identification was conducted using morphological characteristics, multi-locus phylogenetic analysis, and Koch's postulates. The results identified the strains as Fusarium dracaenophilum and Fusarium asiaticum. Pathogenicity tests confirm that both species induce tea leaf blight. In varietal pathogenicity assays, ‘Zhonghuang 1’ exhibited significantly stronger resistance to both pathogens than ‘Fuding Dabaicha’. The results of the biological characterization reveal that F. asiaticum exhibits optimal growth conditions at temperatures ranging from 20 ℃ to 25 ℃ and at pH levels between 7 and 9. The presence of sucrose, maltose, lactose, and yeast extract has been demonstrated to stimulate F. asiaticum growth. F. dracaenophilum exhibits optimal growth at 25 ℃ and pH 7, with lactose and yeast extract being the most favorable nutrients. These findings enhanced understanding of Fusarium pathogen diversity and provided a theoretical basis for managing foliar diseases in tea plantations in Xizang.

To elucidate the aroma profile of Lushan Yunwu Tea, a Box-Behnken experimental design combined with response surface methodology was applied to optimize the headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) conditions, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Additionally, olfactory receptors corresponding to the odorants were inferred from molecular structural features. Ligand-binding sites were predicted using machine-learning methods, and semi-flexible molecular docking was finally conducted for the odorant-olfactory receptor complexes. The results indicate that the optimal extraction conditions obtained by response surface optimization were as follows: sample weight 1.03 g, extraction time 43 min, and extraction temperature 73 ℃, with a validation error of 4.13%. A total of 87 volatile compounds belonging to ten chemical classes, including alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, were identified in Lushan Yunwu Tea. The key odorants with odor activity values (OAVs)≥1 were linalool, β-cyclocitral, geraniol, α-copaene, α-ionone and trans-β-ionone. Molecular docking reveals that all odorant-receptor pairs exhibited binding energies ≤﹣4.0 kcal·mol^-1. This study not only optimized the analytical method for profiling tea aroma, but also innovatively employed molecular docking to validate the key aroma-active constituents. The findings provided a foundation for elucidating the formation mechanisms of Lushan Yunwu Tea aroma and offered references for its processing optimization and quality assessment.

Plant exosome-like nanovesicles (ELNVs), as inherent components of plants, are nanoscale vesicles secreted by plant cells. They are inherently rich in bioactive compounds, and their vesicular structure makes them ideal “green” drug delivery vehicles. To overcome the limitations of single-source plant ELNVs, this study employed membrane fusion technology to combine tea ELNVs and Citrus reticulata ‘Chachiensis’ ELNVs for the first time, creating novel fusogenic nanovesicles. We subsequently characterized the physicochemical properties of novel fusogenic nanovesicles, elucidated their fundamental composition, assessed their stabilities in simulated digestive fluids, and evaluated their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities through cellular assays. The results indicate that the novel fusogenic nanovesicles are a reconstituted liposome integrating multiple functional components, including tea polyphenols (catechins), hesperetin, hesperidin, nobiletin, quercetin, active phospholipids and proteins. They exhibit a spherical morphology with a phospholipid bilayer structure, demonstrating good dispersibility with uniform particle size. Additionally, the novel fusogenic nanovesicles demonstrate excellent stability in both simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. Cell-based experimental results show that the novel fusogenic nanovesicles significantly alleviated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced oxidative stress damage and inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 cells, while exhibiting superior antitumor efficacy. The findings of this study not only provided novel insights into the application of natural plant ELNVs, but also established a scientific foundation for developing innovative multifunctional oral nutraceuticals.

To evaluate the potential of Weizmannia coagulans TMCC70717 isolated from the traditional Pu’er tea piling fermentation, the physiological characteristics of the strain were evaluated through morphological and physiological and biochemical experiments. The genome sequencing was conducted and the functional genes were annotated using COG, KEGG and GO databases. Pathogenicity was analyzed and safety was evaluated through drug resistance, hemolysis and acute oral toxicity tests in rats. The anti-hyperuricemia potential of the strain was evaluated through animal experiments. The mechanism of anti-hyperuricemia was revealed through in vitro xanthine oxidase activity inhibition experiments. The results indicate that TMCC70717 is gram-positive and rod-shaped, capable of fermenting substrates such as L-arabinose, D-ribose and D-xylose to produce acid. It exhibits no resistance to 11 common antibiotics, including amikacin, ampicillin and chloramphenicol. It has no hemolytic activity, and the genomic analysis confirmed its non-pathogenic nature with an LD₅₀>20 g·kg^-1 body weight in rats, classifying it as practically non-toxic. The anti-hyperuricemia evaluation demonstrates that oral administration at a dose of 1.0 g·kg^-1 for 28 days significantly reduced renal and hepatic damage compared to the control group, with a notable decrease in serum uric acid levels (P<0.05). The in vitro xanthine oxidase activity inhibition rate (OD₆₀₀=2) was (60.15±0.35)%. The research has revealed the edible safety of the tea-originating Weizmannia coagulans TMCC70717 and its protective effect on rats with hyperuricemia. Its uric acid-lowering effect is mediated by inhibiting the activity of xanthine oxidase, thereby reducing uric acid level. The final result is a decrease in serum uric acid levels. This study provided a theoretical foundation and scientific data for the exploration of microbial resources in traditional pile-fermented Pu’er tea and the development and utilization of functional Pu’er tea products.

This study adopted case analysis and comparative research methods, incorporating the eclectic theory of international production (OLI framework) to systematically explore the internationalization paths and realization mechanisms of Chinese novel tea beverage brands. Four representative brands including Heytea, Auntea Jenny, Wanglaoji, and Chagee were selected as typical cases to analyze four reprentative models: direct localized operation, brand licensing or franchising, product or raw material export, and bundled joint ventures. On this basis, by analyzing the differentiated combinations of ownership advantages, location choices, and degrees of internalization across different brands, this paper reveals the internal logic of how novel tea beverage enterprises build core competitiveness in foreign markets. The findings indicate that the dynamic trade-offs between these OLI dimensions determine the effectiveness of brand embedding under varied institutional distances. Currently, the industry faces common challenges such as cognitive gaps in consumption, standard certification barriers, and difficulties in localized team building. It is suggested that enterprises should establish global quality control systems and enhance brand value through cross-cultural narratives to achieve a strategic transition from overseas expansion to global symbiosis.

Low temperature stress significantly impairs the growth and development of tea plants (Camellia sinensis), as well as the yield and quality of tea. The WCOR413 gene family plays an important role in plant cold resistance. However, it has not yet been systematically identified in tea plants. This study employed pan-genome and cold acclimation transcriptome data of tea plants, combined with bioinformatics and RT-qPCR analysis, to identify members of the CsWCOR413 gene family. The results show that the CsWCOR413 family consists of six members (CsWCOR413-1 to CsWCOR413-6), which can be divided into two subclasses based on the conserved domains of the proteins: plasma membrane-localized and internal/thylakoid membrane-localized. Promoter cis-element analysis finds that the CsWCOR413 genes may be regulated by various transcription factors, enabling them to respond to cold, dehydration and ABA signals. RT-qPCR analysis reveals the expression patterns of the CsWCOR413 genes. CsWCOR413-1 was predominantly expressed in leaves, responded to JA and ABA signaling, and was significantly induced by low temperature stress. CsWCOR413-5 responded to short-term cold stress and calcium ion signaling. The transcriptome and Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) indicate that CsWCOR413-1 was significantly upregulated during natural cold acclimation and was strongly co-expressed with CsCBF3, a core transcription factor in cold signaling. Subcellular localization reveals that CsWCOR413-1 was localized in the cell membrane and cytoplasm. Dual-luciferase reporter assay confirms that CsCBF1 and CsCBF3 directly bound to the CsWCOR413-1 promoter and activated its expression. This study systematically elucidated the characteristics and expression profiles of the CsWCOR413 gene family and revealed that CsWCOR413-1 is transcriptionally regulated by CsCBF1 and CsCBF3, suggesting the crucial role of CsWCOR413-1 in tea plant under low temperature stress.

Anthocyanins, as vital plant secondary metabolites, contribute to pigmentation, pollinator attraction and stress resistance, significantly impacting plant development. This study elucidated the regulatory role of the R2R3-MYB transcription factor CsMYB75-like-2 in anthocyanin biosynthesis in tea plants (Camellia sinensis), utilizing the anthocyanin-rich cultivar ‘Zijuan’ as the material. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that CsMYB75-like-2 belongs to the SG6 subfamily of anthocyanin-related transcription factors. CsMYB75-like-2 is expressed at higher levels in purple tea cultivars than in green ones and is specifically enriched in young tissues. Its coding sequence remains highly conserved across cultivars. Subcellular localization confirmed its residence in the nuclear membrane, and yeast assays demonstrated its function as a transcriptional activator. Shade treatment experiments showed a positive correlation between CsMYB75-like-2 expression, its downstream genes (CsDFR and CsFLS) as well as anthocyanin accumulation. However, unlike CsMYB75-like-1, CsMYB75-like-2 does not directly bind to or activate the key anthocyanin biosynthesis gene CsANS. Instead, it forms an interactive regulatory network with other MYB family members, including CsMYB308 and CsMYB114. These findings provided crucial insights into the molecular mechanisms governing anthocyanin biosynthesis in tea plants and offer valuable targets for breeding enhanced purple tea cultivars.

To elucidate the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of tea germplasm resources in the Huaihua region and enhance the efficiency of local tea resource development and utilization, this study focused on 72 tea germplasm resources collected and preliminarily screened from the Huaihua area. Through systematic agronomic trait observation and screening, combined with whole-genome sequencing for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection, an in-depth analysis was conducted on their population genetic structure, identity-by-descent (IBD), and genetic relationships. The results show that the 72 tea resources primarily consisted of large-leaf varieties (39 accessions) and medium-leaf varieties (31 accessions). Among them, 41 accessions had an amino acid content exceeding 5%, three exhibited a phenol-ammonia ratio above 10, and 61 had a ratio below 8. Correlation analysis reveals that bud length was significantly correlated with caffeine content (γ=0.862 8) and water extract (γ=0.871 8). Genomic analysis indicates that the 72 resources could be classified into two pure lineages and one admixed group. Specifically, the Zhongfang and Hongjiang groups clustered together, while the Jingzhou and Yuanling groups formed separate clusters. Using CoreHunter, 56 core germplasm resources were selected. This study provided an important theoretical foundation and material basis for the breeding of specialty Jietan tea cultivars and the innovative utilization of unique tea resources.

Camellia sinensis is a cross-pollinated plant. To explore the effect of xenia on tea seeds, this study conducted artificial pollination experiments using ‘Jincha 18’ as the maternal parent and cultivars including ‘Taicha’, ‘Lizaoxiang’‘Qianmei 1’‘Jiukengdaye’ and ‘Qianmei 809’ as the paternal parents. The differences in fruit set rate, economic traits and quality traits of tea seeds among different pollination combinations were compared, and principal component analysis (PCA) was employed for comprehensive evaluation. The results demonstrate xenia effects on multiple tea seed indicators under different paternal pollination treatments, including dry seed weight, dry kernel weight, oil content and fatty acid composition. Among the five pollination combinations, those with the paternal parents ‘Taicha’‘Qianmei 1’ and ‘Jiukengdaye’ exhibited significantly higher fruit set rates compared to the naturally pollinated control group. Seeds with ‘Qianmei 1’ as the paternal parent had comparable seed diameter, dry seed weight, and dry kernel weight to those of the naturally pollinated group, but significantly higher values than other pollination combinations. Seeds with ‘Taicha’ or ‘Lizaoxiang’ as the paternal parent had significantly higher oil content, total fatty acid content, and unsaturated fatty acid content than other pollination combinations. A comprehensive evaluation of six pollination combinations via principal component analysis reveals that combinations with ‘Taicha’ and ‘Lizaoxiang’ as the paternal parents, together with the naturally pollinated group, ranked among the top three in overall performance scores. Further analysis demonstrates that when used as a pollinizer for ‘Jincha 18’‘Taicha’ significantly increased both tea seed yield and quality parameters, concurrently enhancing fruit set rate , oil content and unsaturated fatty acid proportion.

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.

To investigate the effects of Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) on tea quality, ‘Fuding Dahaocha’ (Camellia sinensis cv. ‘Fuding Dahaocha’) were used as the research subject. Through the detection of biochemical components, sensory evaluation, and quantitative description combined with headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), the differences physicochemical indicators of tea garden soil and in the basic physicochemical components, volatile compounds of fresh leaves processed tea between AMF-inoculated and non-inoculated tea plants were comparatively analyzed. The results show that AMF significantly increased the contents of soil organic matter, alkaline-hydrolysable nitrogen, and available potassium. Inoculation with AMF promoted the synthesis and accumulation of characteristic components in fresh tea leaves. Compared with CK, the contents of free amino acids, soluble sugars and flavonoids in AMF tea fresh leaves increased by 7.62%, 16.13% and 20.86%, respectively. Whereas the contents of tea polyphenols, caffeine, EGCG, ECG, and the phenol-to-amino ratio decreased by 6.61%, 2.13%, 13.01%, 15.71% and 13.11%, respectively. The trend of changes in the contents of compounds in tea end products and fresh leaves was basically consistent. At the same time, AMF significantly increased the contents of aroma precursors such as nerolidol, linalool, (E)-3-hexen-1-ol, and geranyl acetate in fresh leaves, providing a solid material basis for the formation and accumulation of characteristic aroma compounds in tea, such as phenylacetaldehyde, linalool, hexanal and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol. Overall, AMF inoculation improved the soil environment of the tea garden and promoted the synthesis and accumulation of key components in tea leaves, contributing to a fresh and mellow taste and a rich, refreshing aroma, thereby enhancing the overall quality of the tea.

Tea anthracnose is a major disease that affects large-leaf tea plants. Severe infections can significantly reduce yield and compromise quality. Leaves showing symptoms of anthracnose were collected from tea plantations in Shahe Township, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. The pathogen was isolated and purified using conventional tissue separation methods. It was identified as the causal agent by fulfilling Koch's postulates, and further confirmed through morphological characterization and multi-gene phylogenetic analysis. The results show that the isolated strain MTTJ-Ⅴ could infect tea plants and cause identical anthracnose symptoms. Based on morphological characteristics and a multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of the ITS, TUB2, ACT and GAPDH gene sequences, the pathogen was identified as Colletotrichum karstii. This is the first report of C. karstii as a pathogen of tea anthracnose on Yunnan large-leaf tea plants. A total of 161 endophytic bacterial strains were isolated from the stems and leaves of 11 tea cultivars. Among these, 59 strains exhibited significant antagonistic activity against C. karstii. Strain CGJ-02 showed the highest inhibition rate (73.73%±6.25%). Based on morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular biological characteristics, strain CGJ-02 was identified as Bacillus velezensis. Strain CGJ-02 exhibited a broad antifungal spectrum, showing antagonistic effects against 11 pathogenic fungi, including Colletotrichum camelliae and Pestalotiopsis camelliae, in addition to C. karstii. In conclusion, the screened strain B. velezensis CGJ-02 demonstrated significant biocontrol activity against the tea anthracnose pathogen MTTJ-Ⅴ. This strain represents a high-quality microbial resource for the biological control of tea anthracnose.

The goal of this study is to clarify the identities of the cicadellid and fulgoroid pests damaging tea shrub in Shaanxi tea area, and to provide scientific data for the integrated pest management (IPM) of sucking mouthpart pests in Shaanxi tea area and other related studies. Meanwhile, the scientific name of tea green leafhopper that harms Chinese tea bushes was corrected. Net was used for capturing cicadellid and fulgoroid adults in Shaanxi tea area, photos of adults and male genitalia of these species were taken by a CCD (Charge-coupled device) stereozoom microscope. This investigation indicates that there were 7 species of cicadellid and fulgoroid pests in Shaanxi tea area. The scientific names of the dominant pest, Empoasca (Matsumurasca) onukii Matsuda, 1952 should be changed to Matsumurasca (Matsumurasca) onukii (Matsuda, 1952), the scientific names of the remaining six species are Bothrogonia ferruginea (Fabricius, 1787), Pochazia shantungensis (Chou & Lu, 1977), Ricania speculum (Walker, 1851), Ricanula fujianensis Ren, Stroiński & Qin, 2016, Salurnis marginella (Guérin-Méneville, 1829) and Raivuna sinica (Walker, 1851), respectively. The scientific name of the dominant pest, the tea green leafhopper which is distributed throughout all major tea plantations in China, should be corrected to Matsumurasca (Matsumurasca) onukii (Matsuda, 1952).

To address issues of high labor intensity, few applicable machines and poor working conditionsin tea plant management in hilly and mountainous areas, a self-propelled lightweight cantilever tea pruning machine was designed. Based on the agronomic requirements for tea garden management, the overall structure and working principle of the machine were analyzed. An innovative “folding + rotation” arm structure was designed and dynamic simulation analysis was carried out. The key components of the walking device were theoretically analyzed and selected. After creating the prototype, field slope climbing performance test and tea plant pruning test were carried out. The results show that the maximum climbing ability of the pruning machine was 25°, the working performance of the pruning machine was stable, the missed detection rate was 0.55%, the tear rate of tea plants after pruning was 1.36%, and all performance indicators met the requirements of DG/T 110—2024. This study provided a new solution for tea plant pruning in hilly and mountainous areas.

This study aimed to analyze variations in the major functional components and characteristic aroma profiles of black tea powders prepared through two distinct processing techniques, and further investigate their protective effects against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Fifty 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to five groups: normal control (NC), DSS-induced colitis model (DSS), EGCG positive intervention (EGCG, 20 mg·kg^-1), instant black tea powder intervention (SU, 300 mg·kg^-1) and trans-solubilized black tea powder intervention (ZHUAN, 300 mg·kg^-1). The results demonstrate that: (1) The contents of free amino acids, soluble proteins, tea polyphenols and caffeine underwent significant alterations during processing due to methodological differences. (2) Characteristic volatile compounds (including linalool, leaf alcohol, α-terpineol, methyl salicylate, and geraniol) were commonly detected in both tea powders. (3) Both tea powders significantly alleviated DSS-induced colitis symptoms, as evidenced by reduced body weight loss and colon shortening, decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) levels in serum and colon tissue, mitigated oxidative stress injury (decreased MDA content and elevated SOD activity), and improved intestinal barrier permeability (up regulated expressions of tight junction proteins ZO-1 and Occludin, and decreased serum LPS levels). These findings indicate that instant and trans-solubilized black tea powders exhibit protective effects against DSS-induced murine colitis.

Currently, few studies have reported on the direct use of tea extracts as raw materials for creating novel functional composites. This study successfully synthesized Guangyuan Yellow Tea-Zinc Nanocomposites (Y-Zn) using Guangyuan Yellow Tea infusion and zinc sulfate as raw materials through a green, simple one-step self-assembly method. Characterization via UV-vis spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals that the synthesized nanocomposite exhibits uniform particle size and excellent dispersion. Antibacterial experiments demonstrated that Y-Zn exhibits dose-dependent antibacterial effects against multiple Gram-positive bacteria, including drug-resistant strains, and effectively inhibits bacterial biofilm formation. Antioxidant experiments revealed its excellent free radical scavenging ability, achieving over 80% scavenging efficiency at a concentration of 20 μg·mL^-1. Cellular experiments confirmed that Y-Zn suppresses lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage inflammatory responses by downregulating inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Furthermore, zebrafish models demonstrated its favorable biosafety profile. In summary, this study directly utilized tea infusion as the subject to develop a self-assembled composite that possesses multiple biological activities and safety, providing insights into the application of China's abundant tea resources in the field of life sciences and health.

As three representative Congou black teas in China, Keemun Congou, Chuanhong Congou, and Dianhong Congou black tea still rely on personal experience in their brewing process, and there is no scientific guidance for brewing. This study focused on Keemun Congou black tea as the experimental subject, with extraction yield (EY) and total dissolved solids (TDS) as indicators of tea infusion quality, survival analysis was used to determine consumers’ acceptance of the optimal flavor balance and concentration of tea infusion. A brewing control chart of Keemun Congou black tea was established and the ideal profile method (IPM) was selected to test its application on Chuanhong Congou and Dianhong Congou black teas. The survival analysis identifies the optimal EY as 3.46% to 5.68%, the optimal TDS as 0.14% to 0.29%, and the optimal tea-to-water ratio (g∶mL) as 1∶20 to 1∶30, based on which a nine-grid Keemun Congou brewing control chart was established. Through evaluator validation via the IPM, it was found that for Chuanhong Congou, most of three infusions fell within the 50% core ideal zone, indicating good overall applicability. In contrast, first brew of Dianhong Congou black tea infusion was outside the 20% acceptability threshold, reflecting lower evaluator acceptance and poorer applicability. This study indicated that the brewing control chart established based on small-leaf Congou black tea can effectively guide the brewing of ideal tea soup for medium and small-leaf Congou black tea, but its applicability to large-leaf Congou black tea still needs to be improved.

As a representative manifestation of agricultural civilization, tea agricultural cultural heritage integrates ecological wisdom, production techniques and cultural symbolism, serving as a model for harmonious human-environment interaction. This study, grounded in the theory of cultural landscape genes, developed an index system to identify the landscape features of tea agricultural heritage sites within the “ecology-production-living” (EPL) landscape framework. It identified the core cultural expression elements and explored the intrinsic connections between landscape structure and cultural genes. Anhua dark tea culture, significant as a key node of the Wanli Tea Road and in frontier tea trade, exemplifies ecological and cultural complexity within China’s tea agricultural heritage. Through field surveys and historical analysis, the primary landscape features of Anhua dark tea culture were systematically identified and four core cultural genes were decoded. The findings are as follows: (1) The EPL landscape framework was effective for the systematic identification of tea agricultural cultural heritage, with the deep integration of ecological foundations, production technologies and life rituals, which provides the structural basis for maintaining the stability of cultural genes. The four-dimensional criteria (historical rootedness, functional necessity, spatial identity and dynamic evolution) offer a methodological tool for extracting genes from similar tea culture heritage. (2)The Meishan cultural gene of “Tea-Forest Symbiosis and Faith Transmission”, the fishing-hunting cultural gene of “Fire Roasting Customs and Bamboo Basket Craftsmanship”, the Jin merchant cultural gene of “Wanli Tea Road and Integrity as the Highest Virtue”, and the border-sale cultural gene of “Frontier Integration and the Bond of Unity” reveal the transition of tea from a mountain crop to a frontier link and, ultimately, a medium for civilization, offering a dynamic model for the study of “human-environment relations”. (3) The study highlighted the role of cultural genes in preserving landscape features and continuity, facilitating the transformation of tea culture from “heritage preservation” to “civilizational exchange resources”, thus contributing the Chinese paradigm to the sustainable development of global agricultural cultural heritage.

Digital literacy serves as both a foundational capacity enabling tea farmers to adapt to the digital transformation of the tea industry and a new driver of household income growth. The realization of such income gains is closely tied to farmers’ choices of market linkage methods. Using on micro-survey data from 1107 tea farmers collected by the National Tea Industry Technical System, this study constructed a digital literacy index and employed Poisson regression, ordinary least squares, instrumental variable regression and interaction term regressions to examine the impact of digital literacy on farmers’ choices of market linkage methods. Then it analyzed the income effect associated with tea farmers’ choices of these different methods. The study further explored the heterogeneity of these effects and the moderating role of participation depth in the processing stage. The findings reveal that: (1) digital literacy significantly influenced tea farmers’ market linkage method strategies. (2) The income effects of digital literacy varied across different types of market linkage methods, indicating heterogeneous returns to channel selection. (3) The effects of digital literacy on tea farmers’ market linkage strategies and income generation exhibit heterogeneity across dimensions such as vocational training, degree of marketization, and level of digital economy development. (4) Deeper engagement in the processing stage positively moderated the income-enhancing impact of digital literacy, particularly when farmers connect to markets through cooperatives or self-operated retail. The findings suggest that, in the context of the digital economy driving the development of new productive forces in agriculture, regionally differentiated and tiered digital literacy cultivation initiatives should be implemented. Efforts should also be made to guide tea farmers in optimizing their market linkage strategies, and foster a diversified and collaborative market ecosystem, thereby unlocking the multiplier potential of digital literacy in enhancing farmers’ incomes.

Methylated catechins exhibit significant physiological activities, such as anti-allergy effects, and demonstrate stronger stability and higher oral absorption rate than unmethylated catechins. However, tea germplasms rich in methylated catechins are relatively rare. This study measured the EGCG3′′Me content in 447 tea germplasms from different regions with extensive genetic backgrounds, and two unique tea germplasms with high EGCG3′′Me content, namely ‘Jinxiu 2-2’ (JX) and ‘Pinming Tea’ (PM), were found. The tea germplasms JX, PM, and ‘Hongfugui’ (BFK) with high EGCG3′′Me content, as well as ‘Shuchazao’ (SCZ) with EGCG3′′Me content below the detection limit, were used as research materials. Relative expression levels of flavonol and anthocyanin O-methyltransferase (CsFAOMT1) in JX, PM, and BFK were significantly higher than that in SCZ. Further analysis reveals that four types of CsFAOMT1 alleles were cloned from the four tea germplasms, and all of them contain CsFAOMT1.3. Enzyme activity analysis at the protein level reveals that the CsFAOMT1 protein activities in the three tea germplasms with high EGCG3′′Me content all exhibit high activity with minimal differences between them. These results indicate that JX and PM can enrich EGCG3′′Me due to their high expression levels of CsFAOMT1. This study identified tea germplasm with high EGCG3′′Me content and elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying its unique traits, providing important materials and theoretical basis for breeding new tea cultivars with high methylated catechin content.

During the growth and development of tea plants (Camellia sinensis), abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity frequently occur, causing significant adverse effects on tea yield and quality. This study focused on the tea phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (PDAT1) gene and systematically investigated its function in response to abiotic stresses through bioinformatics analysis, gene expression pattern detection, and transgenic functional verification. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that the protein encoded by the CsPDAT1 gene possesses a typical lysophospholipid acyltransferase (lysoPLA) domain. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) results demonstrats that the expression of the CsPDAT1 gene was significantly upregulated under drought and high-salt treatments, particularly during the early stages of drought stress. To further elucidate its function, researchers constructed an overexpression vector for the CsPDAT1 gene and transformed it into Arabidopsis thaliana. Finally three homozygous T3-generation transgenic lines were obtained. Phenotypic analysis reveals that under drought stress, Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the CsPDAT1 gene exhibited a significantly higher seed germination rate compared to that of wild-type plants, along with reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content, increased proline content, and significantly enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity. This study confirmed that the CsPDAT1 gene in tea plants enhances plant tolerance to abiotic stress by regulating cell membrane lipid metabolism and the accumulation of osmoprotectants, providing a theoretical foundation and genetic resources for stress-resistant molecular breeding in tea plants.

‘Huangjincha’ is a tradtional and local tea germplasm resource in Xiangxi, with an excellent flavor quality, especially its obvious aroma characteristics, which is highly favored by consumers. This study selected four tea cultivars, namely ‘Baojing Huangjincha 1’, ‘Huangjincha 2’, ‘Huangjincha 8’, ‘Huangjincha 18’, to produce ‘Huangjincha’ green and black tea samples. Sensory evaluation, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and relative odor activity value (ROAV) were used to analyze their aroma components. The results show that ‘Huangjincha’ green tea is characterized by its fresh and elegant aroma and a refreshing, sweet aftertaste, while ‘Huangjincha’ black tea exhibits distinct sweet and floral notes. A total of 101 volatile aroma compounds were detected in ‘Huangjincha’ green tea. Among these, esters and alcohols accounted for 34.4% to 53.5% and 21.9% to 36.3%, respectively. A total of 140 volatile aroma compounds were detected in ‘Huangjincha’ black tea, with alcohols, esters, and aldehydes being the main volatile components, accounting for 38.6% to 60.0%, 11.0% to 26.9%, and 9.7% to 17.8%, respectively. The primary aroma-contributing compounds of both ‘Huangjincha’ green and black tea were further screened. A total of 20 compounds were identified as key contributors to the aroma of ‘Huangjincha’ green tea, including linalool, 3,5-octadien-2-one, cis-jasmone, β-ionone, lauric acid, β-cyclocitral, and 2-pentylfuran. For ‘Huangjincha’ black tea, 33 shared key aroma components compounds were identified, including linalool, benzaldehyde, 3,5-octadien-2-one, trans-β-ionone, (Z)-linalool oxide (furanoid) and 4-heptenal. This study had preliminarily revealed the similarities and differences in aroma quality characteristics and chemical composition in ‘Huangjincha’ green and black tea made by different cultivars, which could be used to improve the processing technology system of ‘Huangjincha’.

The seeds of ancient tea plants represent valuable natural genetic resources and gene pools, playing a crucial role in enriching tea plant genetic resources and maintaining genetic diversity. To investigate their characteristics, this study utilized seeds from 8 ancient tea plants (designated TZ-1 to TZ-8) and a locally cultivated tea plant (TZ-9) in Tongzi County, Guizhou Province, China. We systematically compared their biological properties, including morphology, 100-grain weight, water absorption rate, bulk density, germination rate, and tea saponin content. Additionally, we analyzed the endophytic bacterial diversity using high-throughput sequencing. The results reveal significant variations in the biological properties among the ancient tea seeds. Specifically, TZ-3 exhibited the highest 100-grain weight (269.52 g), while TZ-1 had the smallest values in these traits. The cultivated variety TZ-9 has the highest relative water absorption rate (32%) and germination rate (85%). Among the ancient tea plants, TZ-6 had the highest germination rate (76%), and TZ-2 had the lowest (11.67%). The tea saponin content varied from 21.00% to 49.91% among the ancient tea plants, with TZ-3 and TZ-4 exceeding 40%. The analysis of endophytic bacteria detects a total of 1 141 OTUs, covering 26 bacterial phyla. Among them, the richness of the TZ-3 community was the highest (OTU=185), and TZ-2 was the lowest (OTU=46). PCoA/NMDS analysis shows that the community structures of TZ-2, TZ-3, and TZ-8 were significantly separated, and this separation was independent of the ecological type (ancient/cultivated plants). Correlation analysis revealed that the abundance of genera such as Planctomycetota and Firmicutes was positively correlated with seed diameter, 100-grain weight, and tea saponin content (P<0.05), while Desulfobacterota and Bacteroidota were negatively correlated with water absorption rate. This study initially elucidated the association between the biological characteristics of ancient tea seeds and their endophytic bacterial communities, offering a theoretical foundation for the conservation and innovative utilization of tea germplasm resources.

The growing environment significantly influences the accumulation of chemical compounds in tea plants. However, systematic studies on the changes in chemical composition after translocating the tea cultivar ‘Huangshanzhong’ to the high-latitude Shandong region remain scarce. This study investigated the green tea samples of Camellia sinensis cv. Huangshanzhong from two regions: the native origin (YCD, Huangshan, Anhui) and a transplanted region (SD, Rizhao, Shandong). Differences in the content levels of the chemical components were analyzed. Additionally, widely-targeted metabolomics techniques were employed to identify differential metabolites and elucidate core metabolic pathways. The results demonstrate that SD samples exhibited significantly higher levels of water-soluble carbohydrates, total ash, water-soluble ash, water extract content and total galloylated catechins than YCD. While the total polyphenols and caffeine showed no inter-regional difference. SD accumulated more asparagine, glutamate, and arginine, whereas YCD was richer in flavor-related amino acids, such as theanine, GABA, lysine. Metabolomics analysis identified 116 differential metabolites (73 upregulated, 43 downregulated), with flavonoids exhibiting the highest abundance and diversity among them. KEGG enrichment analysis further revealed that the purine metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, and pyrimidine metabolism pathways were the most significantly enriched pathways, contributing most to the differences between the SD and YCD samples. This study provided a systematic comparison of chemical components in green tea from cv. ‘Huangshanzhong’ after high-latitude transplantation versus the original cultivation, offering scientific insights into tea cultivar adaptation and flavor quality optimization.

Processing techniques significantly alter the accumulation and composition of internal components in tea, forming different categories of tea products. Currently, there is limited research on the accumulation of compounds in different categories of Jingshan tea and their impact on taste quality characteristics. In this study, Jingshan green tea, matcha, and black tea were selected as the research object. The contents of physicochemical components such as water extracts, tea polyphenols, amino acids, and caffeine were detected, and the main compounds that constitute the taste and aroma skeleton of Jingshan tea were analyzed. The results show that the contents of compounds related to taste, such as water extracts, tea polyphenols, theanine, and glutamic acid, were significantly higher in green tea than in black tea. Meanwhile, black tea exhibited the highest accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid. Jingshan green tea, matcha, and black tea were characterized by their “rich floral aroma and refreshing sweetness”, “fresh and thick”, and “sweet fruit aroma and lingering sweetness”, respectively. A total of 101 volatile compounds were identified in different categories of tea samples (31 in green tea, 30 in matcha, and 40 in black tea), among which cis-jasmone and 4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene are the key components contributing to the “elegant and floral” aroma quality of green tea. β-ionone, α-ionone, and β-cyclocitral are the essential components for the “fragrance” aroma of matcha. Geraniol and methyl salicylate are the crucial components for the “sweet aroma” of black tea. The research findings would be beneficial for expanding the study of Jingshan tea's flavor chemistry and provided a valuable reference for enhancing the high-quality processing of Jingshan tea.

This study aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which roasting temperatures influence the flavor quality of Wuyi Rougui tea. Specifically, it sought to characterize the dynamic responses of biochemical components, antioxidant activity, and spectral features under varying thermal processing conditions. Wuyi Rougui tea leaves were processed at three roasting temperatures: (light roast 110 ℃, medium roast 125 ℃, high roast 140 ℃). A comprehensive analytical framework was implemented, integrating sensory evaluation, chromaticity analysis, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-based quantification, and in vitro antioxidant capacity assessment. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) coupled with chemometric modeling was employed. Raw spectral data were preprocessed to establish an orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model for identifying characteristic wave numbers. Subsequent correlation analysis and partial least squares regression (PLSR) modeling reveal the relationships between spectral signatures and quality attributes (sensory parameters, chromaticity indices, biochemical constituents, and antioxidant activity). This ultimately identified the key compounds governing roasting-derived flavor profiles. The roasting temperature significantly modulated non-volatile metabolites and antioxidant capacity. Medium-fire-treated samples exhibited optimal sensory quality with a mellow taste profile. Elevated roasting temperatures progressively reduced tea polyphenols (TP), free amino acids (FAA), total flavonoids (TF), soluble total sugars (STS), catechin content, and DPPH radical scavenging capacity. The FTIR-OPLS-DA modeling (R²X=0.964, R²Y=0.991, Q²=0.981) identified two discriminative wave numbers: 1 018 cm^-1 (C-O-C vibration in carbohydrates) and 1 739 cm^-1 (The C=O bond of the ester is broken), which strongly correlated with taste attributes (|r|>0.69). The PLSR analysis further identified soluble sugars, FAA, ferulic acid, and chlorogenic acid as critical determinants of roasting flavor (R2 p>0.85). This study is the first to elucidate the synergistic interplay of soluble sugars, FAA, epicatechin derivatives (EGCG/EGC/EC), and phenolic acids (ferulic acid/CGA) in shaping the characteristic roasting quality of Wuyi Rougui tea. The findings established a theoretical foundation for precise roasting in Wuyi rock tea production and proposed a novel spectroscopy-guided quality control strategy.

In recent years, tea production in China has faced challenges of labor shortages, driving urgent industrial demands for mechanized harvesting technologies. The prevalent issues of high leaf fragmentation and low harvest quality in current mechanical systems are closely related to tea plant phenotypic traits. This study investigated seven widely cultivated tea cultivars mainly being suitable for black/oolong tea production in Guangdong Province. Phenotypic data from 100 quadrat sample plots of seven tea cultivars was systematically collected. Multiple analytical approaches, combined with mechanical harvesting quality predictive models, were employed to identify critical determining traits. The correlation analysis demonstrates that leaf length, leaf length-to-width ratio, length of one bud with two leaves, and length of one bud with three leaves were positively correlated with mechanical harvesting quality, whereas the total bud density showed a negative correlation. Grey relational analysis reveals significant associations between the mechanical harvesting quality and the leaf length-to-width ratio, leaf width, length of one bud with one leaf, and length of one bud with two leaves. Random forest analysis identifies the leaf length-to-width ratio, third internode length, and fourth internode length as critical traits influencing the superior harvest rate, intact rate, and fragmentation rate in mechanical harvesting, respectively. Further validation combined four phenotypic trait groups (full trait set, correlation-significant traits, grey relational>0.9, random forest top 6) with four machine learning algorithms to predict three core mechanical harvesting traits. The results demonstrate the grey relational traits achieved the optimal prediction for superior harvest rate (R²=0.65, RMSE=0.04), and random forest-selected traits were suitable for intact rate prediction (R²=0.86, RMSE=0.02), and complete trait group shows the highest fragmentation rate accuracy (R²=0.92, RMSE=0.01). Integrated modeling analysis identifies the length of one bud with two leaves and third internode length as key mechanical harvestable traits influencing black and oolong tea production. These findings established theoretical foundations and provided critical parameters for breeding tea cultivars optimized for mechanical harvesting.

Eotetranychus kankitus is an agricultural pest mite that damages many crops. Conducting mitochondrial genome analysis can clarify its structural characteristics and the phylogenetic relationships among species in the family of Tetranychidae species. The mitochondrial genome sequences of E. kankitus on pomelo and tea plants were obtained by PCR amplification, sequencing, assembly and annotation. The phylogenetic tree of Tetranychidae was constructed based on 13 protein-coding genes and 2 rRNA gene sequences by maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. The mitochondrial genomes of E. kankitus on pomelo and tea plants were both in size of 13 032 bp, with GenBank accession numbers OQ955767 and OQ955768, respectively. Both the two mitochondrial genomes included 13 protein coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and a 40 bp control region, with a consistent gene arrangement. The sequence similarity rate of the two mitochondrial genomes was high, and base composition values of the whole genome and each region were close. E. kankitus on both hosts clustered into one branch in the phylogenetic tree, and the genetic distance between them was 0.068 0, which was much smaller than that between E. kankitus and other mites in Tetranychidae. A close relationship was showed between E. kankitus and Panonychus species in both genetic distance and phylogenetic analysis. According to analyses of mitochondrial genomes, the differentiation degree of E. kankitus on pomelo and tea plants was low, and the risk of transference between the two hosts was high. It is recommended that tea gardens with E. kankitus and surrounding citrus crops should strengthen field monitoring work.

The indoor efficacy of eight chemical pesticides and six biological pesticides against Basilepta melanopus adult was evaluated using the leaf-dipping method. Field control efficacy trials were conducted to screen the pesticides for controlling B. melanopus adult, and the residues of these pesticides in dry tea were measured seven days after application. The results show that in the indoor efficacy test, 72 h after I-cyhalothrin (effective component 16.5 mg·L^-1), bifenthrin (effective component 55.6 mg·L^-1), chlorfenapyr (effective component 143 mg·L^-1), thiacloprid (effective component 124 mg·L^-1), tolfenpyrad (effective component 165 mg·L^-1), pyriproxyfen-chlorfenapyr (effective component 165 mg·L^-1) and natural pyrethrum (effective component 52.8 mg·L^-1) had higher lethality to the adult of B. melanopus, with lethality rates of 100%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 95% and 80%, respectively. Next were pyriproxyfen (effective component 1 480 mg·L^-1) and azadirachtin (effective component 16.5 mg·L^-1), with the lethality rates of 50% and 28%. The lethality rates of buprofezin, Empedobacter brevis, tea saponin, cineole, Metarhizium anisopliae CQMa421 were not significantly different from the clear water control. The maximum control efficacies of I-cyhalothrin (effective component 16.88 g·hm^-2), bifenthrin (effective component 56.25 g·hm^-2), chlorfenapyr (effective component 201 g·hm^-2), and natural pyrethrum (effective component 36 g·hm^-2) against B. melanopus adult after field application for 1~7 d were up to 100%, 100%, 93.99% and 40.82%, respectively. After 7 days of pesticide application, the residues of bifenthrin and chlorfenapyr were both lower than the maximum residue limits (MRL) in national standard (GB 2763—2021) and EU standard for pesticides in tea. Whereas the residue of I-cyhalothrin was only lower than the MRL in GB 2763—2021. Although the field control efficacy of thiacloprid (effective component 126 g·hm^-2) could be 98.31%, the residue in dry tea produced 7 days after application exceeded the MRLs in both GB 2763—2021 and EU standards. In conclusion, bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, I-cyhalothrin and natural pyrethrum can be selected as needed for the control of B. melanopus adult in tea plantations.

Tea gray blight is one of the major foliar diseases in tea plantations, significantly affecting both yield and quality. In July 2023, tea leaves exhibiting resembling gray blight symptoms were observed during a filed surver in tea plantations in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. As the causal pathogen of these symptoms had not been previously reported in this region, this study aimed to identify the causal agent and its taxonomic classification. The pathogen was successfully isolated and identified using a combination of tissue isolation, pathogenicity testing via wound inoculation, morphological characterization, and molecular phylogenetic analysis based on ITS and TUB genes squences. The results confirmed that the strain FN3-2, isolated from symptomatic leaves, was pathogenic. Based on morphological traits and molecular evidence, the pathogen was finally identified as Neopestalotiopsis protearum. The finding provided a scientific basis for the accurate disease diagnosis and biocontrol agent screening, contributing to the sustainable development of tea production in the region.

The tea geometrid (Ectropis grisescens Warren) is the most destructive defoliator in tea gardens in China. In recent years, E. grisescens has developed medium to high level resistance against common pesticides. To address this challenge, six chemical pesticides and three biological pesticides were selected and comprehensively evaluated from four aspects: laboratory toxicity assays, field evaluation, safety assessment for natural enemies, and pesticide residue analysis in tea leaves. The results of laboratory toxicity assays indicate that matrine (LC₅₀: 3.54 mg·L^-1), spinetoram (LC₅₀: 4.12 mg·L^-1), and spinosad (LC₅₀: 9.68 mg·L^-1) exhibited potent contact toxicity against the 2^nd instar larvae. In the stomach toxicity tests, spinosad (LC₅₀: 0.01 mg·L^-1), matrin (LC₅₀: 0.10 mg·L^-1), spinetoram (LC₅₀: 0.31 mg·L^-1), methoxyfenozide (LC₅₀: 11.06 mg·L^-1), chlorfenapyr (LC₅₀: 38.80 mg·L^-1), and indoxacarb (LC₅₀: 49.87 mg·L^-1) exerted relatively optimal stomach toxic effects on the 2^nd instar larvae. The subsequent field efficacy trials reveal that spinetoram, chlorfenapyr, spinosad, and indoxacarb all showed remarkable control effects on E. grisescens larvae. Spinetoram achieved a control efficacy over 90% after 1 and 3 days of application, highlighting its rapid and remarkable properties. For the other three pesticides, their control efficacy surpassed 80% on the 7^th day, indicating ideal long-term effectiveness. The toxicity assessment of natural enemies indicates that the LC₅₀ values of spinetoram (LC₅₀: 5.39 mg·L^-1), and spinosad (LC₅₀: 39.75 mg·L^-1) for Arma chinensis were higher than those for the 2^nd instar larvae. This finding suggests that using spinetoram and spinosad to control E. grisescens in the field poses relatively low risks to natural enemies. Finally, the results of pesticide residue analysis shows that only indoxacarb remained at 0.30 mg·kg^-1 after 7 days of application, and no other pesticide treatments were detected, all of which met the maximum residue limit standards in China (GB 2763—2021). In conclusion, spinetoram and spinosad, characterized by their high efficiency and safety, were appropriate for rotational use to control the Ectropis grisescens.

Sorting fresh tea leaves can achieve high value tea production, but fresh tea leaves are prone to agglomeration and difficult to disperse, which affects the sorting results and efficiency. In this paper, disperse aggregates in fresh tea leaves by cross airflow. The fresh tea leaf agglomeration dispersing device based on cross airflow consists of a frame, opposite-facing photoelectric sensor, conveyer belt, slide rail, observation plate, movable hinge, air nozzle and other components. Based on CFD-DEM joint simulation, the influence of the air nozzle offset, air nozzle line spacing, and tilt angle of air nozzle on the dispersion degree was analyzed. Design-Expert 13 software was used to design a three-factor, three-level orthogonal test protocol, and the optimal parameter combination was obtained using response surface optimization. The experimental results show that when the air nozzle was arranged with the optimal combination of parameters, the rectangular area of dispersed fresh tea leaves obtained after dispersion was 0.343 m², and the percentage of fresh tea leaves area was 0.241, which were 90.6% and 50.6% higher than the tea fresh leaf material without dispersion, respectively. The relative errors between the experimental and predicted values was less than 5%. This device achieved effective dispersion of fresh tea leaf agglomerates, providing ideal material pretreatment conditions for subsequent accurate sorting.