Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality — Volume II

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 8798

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310008, China
Interests: organic fertilizer; soil health; compound ecological model of tea garden; tea quality and safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Tea Research Institute, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266000, China
Interests: tea plant; tea plant cultivation; nitrogen; tea yield and quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310008, China
Interests: soil carbon and nitrogen cycling; soil fertility evaluation; soil microbial community; soil acidification; plant–soil microbial interactions

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Guest Editor Assistant
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: physiology of tea cultivation; nutrient uptake and utilization; tea quality

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since the success of the first Special Issue "Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality" of Agronomy, the editorial office is willing to launch a second series of the issue. The subject, the editorial team, and the submission process are maintained through this series.

Tea is a healthy beverage that is popular worldwide. Tea trees are always planted in hilly areas with large spatial heterogeneity in topography, fertility, and microclimate; thus, establishing a well-grown, good-quality, and high-profit tea plantation is a challenge. Agronomical practices in tea plantation, such as water supply, nutrient management, canopy establishment, and tea garden ecology management not only directly affect the yield but also influence the metabolism of quality-related components in tea. Understanding the mechanism behind the agronomic practices regulating the growth of tea plants and the formation of tea quality is helpful to discover or improve efficient solutions to establish better tea plantation with less input of resources. The development of molecular biotechnology and multi-omics has granted us the opportunity to further our understanding of those questions. However, further studies are still required to explain the function and consequence of various agronomic practices in tea plantation.

The focus of this Special Issue is “Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality”. It aims to synthesize the recent advances in the scientific understanding of the mechanisms of the tea plant or soil change affected by agronomical practices during cultivation. It will entail novel research studies and reviews focusing on all related topics including plant growth, yield and quality, and soils in tea plantation, the environment, and the ecosystem.

Dr. Yuanzhi Shi
Dr. Kai Fan
Guest Editors

Dr. Xiangde Yang
Dr. Dandan Tang
Guest Editor Assistants

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • tea plant
  • soil fertility
  • nutrient management
  • nutrient utilization efficiency
  • growth and development of tea plant
  • agronomical practice
  • tea quality and safety

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 889 KiB  
Article
Quality Characteristics of White Leaf Tea of ‘Baiye 1’ (Camellia sinensis) in Different Producing Areas
by Manni Tong, Xun Chen, Yan Bai, Peng Zhou, Zesheng Feng, Jianhong Lai, Kang Ni and Yuanzhi Shi
Agronomy 2023, 13(10), 2526; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13102526 - 29 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1377
Abstract
In order to find out the differences in tea quality characteristics from different regions and the reasons for their formation, 32 biochemical components, 22 mineral elements, and 3 stable isotope ratios were determined in 93 white leaf tea (WLT) samples. The findings revealed [...] Read more.
In order to find out the differences in tea quality characteristics from different regions and the reasons for their formation, 32 biochemical components, 22 mineral elements, and 3 stable isotope ratios were determined in 93 white leaf tea (WLT) samples. The findings revealed that significant differences in the content of free amino acids, catechins, caffeine, several mineral elements, and stable isotope ratios were observed among the WLT samples of different origins. Furthermore, a Pearson correlation analysis showed significant correlations of 15 chemical composition qualities and 14 mineral elements with soil factors. The δ13C and δ18O values were significantly correlated with meteorological factors. Classification models based on multiple chemical signatures facilitated successful differentiation of WLT of different origins, achieving a high prediction accuracy of over 90%. This study comprehensively identified distinct quality characteristics of WLT from different regions in China and proved an effective method in classifying WLT samples from the main production areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality — Volume II)
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15 pages, 6064 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Revealed the Effect of Shading on the Photosynthetic Pigment and Photosynthesis of Overwintering Tea Leaves
by Xiao Han, Yaozong Shen, Yu Wang, Jiazhi Shen, Hui Wang, Shibo Ding, Yang Xu, Yilin Mao, Hao Chen, Yujie Song, Zhaotang Ding and Kai Fan
Agronomy 2023, 13(7), 1701; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13071701 - 25 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1564
Abstract
The physiological state of overwintering tea leaves is crucial for the growth and quality formation of spring tea shoots. Low temperatures in winter can easily cause damage to overwintering tea plants, leading to leaf chlorosis and abnormal physiological functions. Many pieces of research [...] Read more.
The physiological state of overwintering tea leaves is crucial for the growth and quality formation of spring tea shoots. Low temperatures in winter can easily cause damage to overwintering tea plants, leading to leaf chlorosis and abnormal physiological functions. Many pieces of research have shown that shading could promote chlorophyll (Chl) accumulation in tea leaves, but the impact on overwintering tea plants is not yet known. In this study, different shading rates (no-shading, S0%; 30% shading, S30%; 75% shading, S75%) were used to treat overwintering tea plants, which explored the effect of shading on the color and physiological functions of tea leaves. The results showed that Chl, carotenoid, and soluble sugar (SS) contents were S75% > S30% > S0%, and the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was S75% > S30% > S0%. Transcriptome analysis showed that the genes involved in chlorophyll and carotenoid metabolism (such as protochlorophyllide reductase POR and zeaxanthin epoxidase ZEP) and photosynthesis (such as photosystem II P680 reaction center D2 protein PsbA and photosystem II CP47 chlorophyll apoprotein PsbB) were significantly up-regulated under shading. In addition, many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in “starch and sucrose metabolism (ko00500)” and “anthocyanin biosynthesis (ko00942)” pathways. In summary, this study provided a theoretical basis and technical support for maintaining green leaves and normal physiological functions of overwintering tea plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality — Volume II)
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18 pages, 4565 KiB  
Article
Time-Course Transcriptome and Phytohormonal Analysis of Blue-Light-Induced Adventitious Root Development of Tea Cuttings (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze)
by Yaozong Shen, Hui Wang, Xiao Han, Kai Fan, Jiazhi Shen, He Li, Shibo Ding, Dapeng Song, Yu Wang and Zhaotang Ding
Agronomy 2023, 13(6), 1561; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13061561 - 6 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1864
Abstract
C. sinensis is an economically important crop for tea production that experiences increasing demand and good export potential. Therefore, crops need to be expanded, and high-quality planting material is required. Vegetative propagation by cuttings is the prevalent method; therefore, this paper explored its [...] Read more.
C. sinensis is an economically important crop for tea production that experiences increasing demand and good export potential. Therefore, crops need to be expanded, and high-quality planting material is required. Vegetative propagation by cuttings is the prevalent method; therefore, this paper explored its optimization potential modeled on cultivar ‘Jiukengzao’. This study wanted to deeply explore blue-light-induced adventitious root formation and development of tea cuttings, so we conducted short-term (0 h, 8 h, and 16 h) and long-term (30 d, 60 d, and 90 d) time-course analyses on tea cutting seedlings. Short-term, full-length transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of genes related to plant hormone signal transduction and auxin transport was highest at 16 h. Sixteen hours of light was considered as suitable for adventitious root growth and development of tea cuttings. Long-term phytohormone analysis showed that the trend of indole-3-carboxylic acid (ICA) change was: 60 d > 90 d > 30 d. Long-term, full-length transcriptome analysis showed that the gene expression trends in K2, K5, K6, and K8 clusters were: 90 d > 60 d > 30 d, and the opposite was observed in K1, K4, and K11 clusters. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that most of the genes in these seven clusters are involved in “plant hormone signal transduction (ko04075)”. This includes auxin early responsive protein AUX/IAA, auxin response factor ARF, auxin-responsive protein SAUR, etc. In addition, genes related to auxin transport and synthesis were identified as PIN1, 3, 4, PILS2, 6, 7, flavin-containing monooxygenase YUC9, and YUC10, and the expression trend of these genes was mostly consistent with the change trend of ICA content. This study further explained the molecular mechanism of blue-light-induced adventitious root formation and development of tea cuttings. It is recommended that blue light can be used to promote the adventitious root growth and development of tea cuttings in practical production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality — Volume II)
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12 pages, 2186 KiB  
Article
Effects of Water Supply Mode on Nitrogen Transformation and Ammonia Oxidation Microorganisms in a Tea Garden
by Heng Wang, Jian Hou, Bo Zhou and Xiaoyang Han
Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051279 - 29 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1275
Abstract
Drought limits tea yield and can also negatively impact its quality. In this study, constant humidity and dry–wet alternating modes were compared to determine their impacts on soil nitrogen transformation and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. Drought was found to reduce the soil NH4+ [...] Read more.
Drought limits tea yield and can also negatively impact its quality. In this study, constant humidity and dry–wet alternating modes were compared to determine their impacts on soil nitrogen transformation and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. Drought was found to reduce the soil NH4+-N concentration under the constant humidity mode, and the NO3-N concentration was highest in 60% water-holding capacity (WHC) soil. Soil NO3-N content increased rapidly after rewatering, and increasing the frequency of dry–wet watering resulted in a higher accumulation of NO3-N. In the constant humidity mode, drought reduced the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), whereas that of ammonite-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) increased. Increases in drought duration and the frequency of dry–wet watering inhibited the activity of AOA under the dry–wet alternating mode, whereas the relative activity of AOB increased after rehydration. The water supply mode did not change the community structure of AOA or AOB at the genus level but affected their relative abundance. In the constant humidity mode, the contribution rate of AOA to nitrification potential (PNR) was 42.75–49.72%, whereas that of AOB was 50.28–57.25%. In the dry–wet alternating mode, the contribution rate of AOA to PNR increased, and the contribution rate of AOB decreased. Taken together, these findings indicate that ammonia oxidation might be primarily driven by AOA and AOB in weakly acidic and neutral soil. This study reveals the effects of different water supply modes on soil nitrogen transformation and ammonia-oxidizing micro-organisms and provides a scientific basis for improving nitrogen use efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality — Volume II)
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15 pages, 2487 KiB  
Article
Revealing the Inhibition of Tea Cultivar ‘Ziyan’ Root Growth Caused by High Nitrogen Based on Physiological, Metabolite, and Transcriptome Analyses
by Wengang Xie, Wei Chen, Dandan Tang, Xiaoqin Tan, Yang Yang, Liqiang Tan and Qian Tang
Agronomy 2023, 13(4), 968; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13040968 - 24 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1902
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) is a key regulator in the growth of tea plants and the synthesis of amino acids (AAs) and related secondary metabolites, thus affecting the yield and quality of tea leaves. Increased N fertilization significantly improves the yield and quality of tea [...] Read more.
Nitrogen (N) is a key regulator in the growth of tea plants and the synthesis of amino acids (AAs) and related secondary metabolites, thus affecting the yield and quality of tea leaves. Increased N fertilization significantly improves the yield and quality of tea plants, but applying excess nitrogen wastes resources and causes pollution problems. Herein, we employed morphological, physiological, metabolomic, and RNA-seq methods to study the response of ‘Ziyan’ roots to high N. High N supply induced an increase in arginine (Arg), asparagine (Asn), and glutamine (Gln) in roots and simultaneously decreased sucrose, polyphenols, and caffeine contents. High N reduced the length, volume, number, and activity of the roots by 10.63%, 25.00%, 26.95%, and 14.50%, respectively, which inhibited ‘Ziyan’ root growth, probably by disturbing the regulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolism in the tea plant. According to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) enrichment analysis, AAs, flavonoids, and flavonol-related pathways were relatively active after supplying high N. In addition, the transcriptome analysis identified NRT1/PTR and GOGAT as key genes, and the transcription factors (e.g., AP2/ERF, MYB, and WRKY) and auxins were actively involved in the high N stress response of ‘Ziyan’ roots. These findings will help us understand the adaptive mechanism of high N supply in tea tree roots and provide a reference for guiding the fertilization of ‘Ziyan’ tea plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality — Volume II)
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