Journal of Tea Science

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.

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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.

Identification of CsPATL Gene Family and Analysis of Upstream Transcriptional Regulation of CsPATL1

WANG Jinbo, XIE Siyi, DOU Xiangya, SHEN Xiaohua, TIAN Na, LIU Shuoqian

Journal of Tea Science. 2025, 45(2): 191-200.

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The Patellin (PATL) gene family is essential for plant growth, development and environmental adaptation. This study systematically identified and analyzed the CsPATL gene family in tea plants (Camellia sinensis). Five members of the CsPATL family were identified using a variety of bioinformatics techniques, and the physicochemical characteristics of their protein sequences were analyzed. The results show that the five CsPATL genes encode 232~585 amino acids, their molecular weights are 26.31~64.69 kDa, and their theoretical isoelectric points are 4.65~9.35. The chromosomal localization of these genes and the cis-elements in their promoter sequences were also analyzed in detail, and it was found that these genes were unevenly distributed on four chromosomes, and were mainly involved in phytohormone response, abiotic stress response, and light response, with light-responsive elements occupying a significant proportion in particular. Y1H, EMSA, and dual-luciferase assays confirm that Cshdz7 can directly bind to the CsPATL1 promoter and promote CsPATL1 gene expression. These findings provided a new perspective on the role of the CsPATL family genes in plant developmental regulation of tea plant development.

Analysis of Codon Usage Bias in Chloroplast and Mitochondrial Genomes of Camellia sinensis cv.‘Zhuyeqi’

ZENG Wenjuan, ZHU Youpeng, CHEN Jiaxin, LI Hongyu, WANG Shuanghui, GONG Yihui, CHEN Zhiyin

Journal of Tea Science. 2025, 45(2): 201-218.

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Codon usage bias serves as an important driving force for gene expression regulation and molecular evolution, and is of particular importance in the study of plant organellar genomes. Camellia sinensis cv. ‘Zhuyeqi’, an important tea cultivar in China, has not yet received a systematic report on the codon usage patterns of its organellar genomes. This study was systematic bioinformatic analysis of the 52 chloroplast-encoded genes and 29 mitochondrial-encoded genes of ‘Zhuyeqi’. The results reveal that: (1) both the chloroplast genome (ENC=44.64±3.25) and the mitochondrial genome (ENC=51.98±3.47) exhibit weak codon usage bias, with the chloroplast bias primarily driven by natural selection (GC3s and ENC correlation R²=0.482). While the mitochondrial bias is jointly influenced by natural selection and mutational pressure (R²=0.312). (2) Relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis demonstrates that both organellar genomes significantly prefer synonymous codons ending in A/U, and the highly expressed chloroplast genes (rpoC2, psbA) exhibit stronger codon preferences. (3) a multi-parameter screening approach identified 20 optimal chloroplast codons (GCA, GCU) and 23 optimal mitochondrial codons (GCC, AGG). This study provided elucidation of the codon usage characteristics and evolutionary driving forces in the organellar genomes of Camellia sinensis cv. ‘Zhuyeqi’, offering crucial theoretical guidance for the optimization of the tea molecular breeding system and the efficient expression of exogenous genes.

Study on the Genetic Diversity of 78 Tea Germplasm Resources in Hunan Based on Agronomic Traits and SNP Molecular Markers

GUO Jialu, QU Furong, CAI Tianchen, ZHAO Yang, YANG Peidi, LIU Yong, ZHOU Yuebin, LIU Zhen

Journal of Tea Science. 2025, 45(2): 219-233.

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To clarify the genetic diversity of tea germplasm resources in Hunan Province, explore the genetic structure of germplasm resources for accurate identification and evaluation, genotyping by targeted sequencing (GBTS) was used to genotype and analyze the genetic diversity of 76 252 SNP loci in 78 tea germplasm resources in Hunan Province. A total of 30 agronomic traits and 15 biochemical components of this batch of resources were accurately identified. The results show that there was abundant genetic variation among 78 tea germplasm resources in Hunan Province, with a genetic diversity index of 0.07-2.08 for phenotypic traits and a coefficient of variation of 2.26%-47.50%. The smallest was the number of calyxs and the largest was the depth of leaf serration. The genetic diversity index of the biochemical components was 1.36-2.09, and the coefficient of variation was 5.90%-118.49%, with the smallest being water extract and the largest being gallic acid. When the Euclidean distance was 20, the 78 tea germplasm resources could be divided into five groups, and there were significant differences in leaf length, leaf size, leaf base shape, ratio of polyphenols/amino acids, GA, THEO, GC, EGC, EC, EGCG, GCG and ECG in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ. Based on the genotype detection results of 78 resources, a phylogenetic tree was constructed, and 78 resources could be divided into three groups. At the same time, this study identified 23 tea resources with specific phenotypic traits, high levels of functional components such as amino acids, theobromine and caffeine. The results of this study could provide a basis for the protection and utilization of tea germplasm resources in Hunan.

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.

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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.

Identification of the L-type Lectin Receptor Kinase Gene Family in Camellia sinensis and Its Response to Tea Brown Blight and Tea Anthracnose

LI Yuexin, YAN Donghai, ZHANG Jinfeng, PU Yundan, LI Shuai, MENG Zehong

Journal of Tea Science. 2025, 45(2): 253-265.

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L-type lectin receptor-like kinases (LecRKs) constitute a significant subfamily of plant receptor-like kinases, playing pivotal roles in plant development and immune responses. In this study, the CsLecRK gene family was systematically identified and analyzed in Camellia sinensis to explore their functions in growth, development and disease resistance. A total of 59 L-type CsLecRKs containing PF00069 and PF00139 domains were identified through HMMsearch analysis. Phylogenetic analysis shows these genes could be classified into 5 subgroups, revealing notable differences in exon-intron structures among the subgroups. Promoter region analysis shows enrichment of cis-acting elements associated with hormone responses and stress signaling pathways. Transcriptome data reveals that L-type CsLecRKs exhibited differential expressions in different tea plant tissues. qRT-PCR validation demonstrates that CsLecRK IV.1.2 and CsLecRK S.5 were significantly upregulated during the early stage of Colletotrichum camelliae infection and the later stages of Pestalotiopsis spp. infection. Notably, their expression levels were substantially higher in the resistant cultivar ‘Qianmei 419’ compared to the susceptible cultivar ‘Qianmei 818’, indicating their critical involvement in the immune response to pathogen infection. This study highlighted the critical mechanisms of L-type CsLecRKs in tea plant defenses against brown blight and anthracnose, elucidated the expression profiles of CsLecRK IV.1.2 and CsLecRK S.5 during pathogen infection, and demonstrated their potential to enhance disease resistance by activating the tea plant immune system. These findings provided valuable genetic resources and theoretical support for molecular breeding as well as green disease control strategies in tea plants.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

Optimization and Testing of Tea Garden Biomimetic Tillage Machine Based on DEM-MBD Coupling Algorithm

JIA Zhijun, JIANG Jiayin, XU Jiajun, LI Yang, DONG Chunwang, SONG Wentao, LI Kai, WEI Chizhang, YAO Yuchen, YAO Lijian, YANG Zidong, LIU Haoyang, MA Rong

Journal of Tea Science. 2025, 45(2): 284-302.

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To solve the problems of high resistance and poor operation efficiency caused by soil compaction and stickiness in tea plantation cultivation, this study designed a tea plantation composite biomimetic tillage shovel based on the mole claw toe as a biomimetic prototype, and integrated it with a four-bar mechanism to develop a tea garden tillage machine. Firstly, a simulation analysis of the tillage process of a tea garden bionic tillage shovel was carried out based on the coupling algorithm of Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Multi Body Dynamics (MBD). At the same time, Design Expert 13 experimental design software was used to design and carry out a three-factor three-level simulation orthogonal combination experiment. It was found that when the tillage depth was 100 mm, the optimal working parameters of the tea garden biomimetic tillage machine with a composite biomimetic tillage shovel were the plowing shovel insertion angle of 33.506°, the driving arm speed of 289.923 r·min^-1, and the tillage machine forward speed of 0.2 m·s^-1. Subsequently, a comparative analysis of soil disturbance simulation based on soil particle velocity distribution was conducted under these working parameters. Finally, a comparative experiment was conducted in tea gardens using a composite biomimetic tillage shovel and a prototype shovel under the same working parameters. The results show that compared with the prototype shovel, the average resistance of the tea garden biomimetic tillage machine equipped with a composite biomimetic shovel was reduced by 5.70%, and the performance evaluation indicators such as soil fragmentation rate were improved. Its working performance can meet the requirements of tea garden cultivation.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

Effects of Storage Time on Chemical Components and Taste Characteristics of ‘Rucheng Baimaocha’ White Tea

XIE Mingwei, DING Shuqia, NIE Qing, ZHOU Linghong, WEN Haitao, CAI Shuxian

Journal of Tea Science. 2025, 45(2): 333-345.

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‘Rucheng Baimaocha’ (Camellia pubescens) exhibits excellent suitability for white tea processing, yet research on its change during storage remains unexplored. The chemical composition and taste characteristics of Baihaoyinzhen and Shoumei produced from ‘Rucheng Baimaocha’ were analyzed by metabolomics, sensory evaluation and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) for different storage durations. The results demonstrate that storage duration exerted a more pronounced impact on the chemical composition of Shoumei compared to Baihaoyinzhen. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) identified 349 and 805 differential metabolites in Baihaoyinzhen and Shoumei samples, respectively. Compared to tea samples stored for 1 year, Baihaoyinzhen stored for 7 years exhibited increased levels of alkaloids, amino acids and their derivatives, lipids, nucleotides and their derivatives, organic acids and terpenes. While its flavonoids and other compounds showed decreased levels. In contrast, Shoumei stored for 7 years displayed significant reductions in alkaloids, amino acids and their derivatives, flavonoids, lignans and coumarins, lipids, phenolic acids, tannins and quinones, and other compounds. The contents of eight compounds, including 4-methylphenol and 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, showed a positive correlation with storage duration. Changes in the levels of taste -related compounds such as theanine and arginine led to alterations in the tea's taste characteristics. Additionally, bioactive components like kaempferol, cyclo(proline-leucine), and agmatine increased after storage, enhancing the health-promoting effects of ‘Rucheng Baimaocha’ white tea. The research findings provided references and a theoretical basis for the scientific storage and quality improvement of ‘Rucheng Baimaocha’ white tea.

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.

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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.

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