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17 pages, 2532 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rhizosphere Microbial Community Shows a Greater Response Than Soil Properties to Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Cultivars

by Sirou Wei, Boheng Liu, Kang Ni, Lifeng Ma, Yuanzhi Shi, Yang Leng, Shenghong Zheng, Shuilian Gao, Xiangde Yang and Jianyun Ruan

Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010221 - 11 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2532

Abstract

Rhizosphere microbes play pivotal roles in regulating the soil ecosystem by influencing and directly participating in the nutrient cycle. Evidence shows that the rhizosphere microbes are highly dependent on plant genotype and cultivars; however, their characteristics in soils with different tea (Camellia [...] Read more.

Rhizosphere microbes play pivotal roles in regulating the soil ecosystem by influencing and directly participating in the nutrient cycle. Evidence shows that the rhizosphere microbes are highly dependent on plant genotype and cultivars; however, their characteristics in soils with different tea (Camellia sinensis L.) cultivars are poorly understood. Therefore, the present study investigated the rhizosphere soil properties, microbial community composition, and their potential functions under four tea cultivars Huangjinya (HJY), Tieguanyin (TGY), Zhongcha No.108 (ZC108), and Zijuan (ZJ). The study found a minor impact of cultivars on rhizosphere soil properties but a significant influence on microbial community structure. Except for available potassium (AK) (HJY > TGY > ZC108 > ZJ), tea cultivars had no significant impact on other soil properties. The tea cultivars resulted in substantial differences only in the diversity of soil bacteria of lower taxonomic levels (family to species), as well as significantly changed communities’ structure of bacteria and fungi (R² = 0.184, p = 0.013 and R² = 0.226, p = 0.001). Specifically, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteriota, and Firmicutes accounted for approximately 96% of the bacterial phyla in the tea soils, while Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, Rozellomycota, Basidiomycota, and Monoblepharomycota (90% of the total) predominated the soil fungal community. Redundancy analysis (RDA) identified soil pH (14.53%) and ammonium-nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N; 16.74%) as the key factors for the changes in bacterial and fungal communities, respectively. Finally, FAPROTAX analysis predicted significant differences in the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur (C-N-S)-cycling among the soils with different tea cultivars, specifically, ZJ cultivar showed the highest C-cycling but the lowest N- and S-cycling, while FUNGuild analysis revealed that the pathotroph group was significantly lower in ZC108 than the other cultivars. These findings improve our understanding of the differences in microbial community characteristics among tea cultivars and provide a basis for precisely selecting and introducing excellent tea varieties in the agriculture practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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11 pages, 3047 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental Simulation Model for Rapid Prediction of Tea Seedling Growth

by He Li, Yilin Mao, Yu Wang, Kai Fan, Hongtao Shi, Litao Sun, Jiazhi Shen, Yaozong Shen, Yang Xu and Zhaotang Ding

Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3165; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123165 - 14 Dec 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1897

Abstract

Accurate and effective monitoring of environmental parameters in tea seedling greenhouses is an important basis for regulating the seedling environment, which is crucial for improving the seedling growth quality. This study proposes a tea seedling growth simulation (TSGS) model based on deep learning. [...] Read more.

Accurate and effective monitoring of environmental parameters in tea seedling greenhouses is an important basis for regulating the seedling environment, which is crucial for improving the seedling growth quality. This study proposes a tea seedling growth simulation (TSGS) model based on deep learning. The Internet of Things system was used to measure environmental change during the whole seedling process. The correlation between the environmental parameters and the biomass growth of tea seedlings in various varieties was analyzed. A CNN-LSTM network was proposed to build the TSGS model of light, temperature, water, gas, mineral nutrition, and growth biomass. The results showed that: (1) the average correlation coefficients of air temperature, soil temperature, and soil moisture with the biomass growth of tea seedlings were 0.78, 0.84, and −0.63, respectively, which were three important parameters for establishing the TSGS model. (2) For evaluating the TSGS model of a single variety, the accuracy of ZM’s TSGS based on the CNN-LSTM network was the highest (Rp² = 0.98, RMSEP = 0.14). (3) For evaluating the TSGS model of multiple varieties, the accuracy of TSGS based on the CNN-LSTM network was the highest (Rp² = 0.96, RMSEP = 0.17). This study provided effective technical parameters for intelligent control of tea-cutting growth and a new method for rapid breeding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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11 pages, 2700 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Application of SNP-KASP Markers Based on Genes Related to Nitrogen Uptake, Assimilation and Allocation in Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis L.)

by Kai Fan, Jie Zhang, Min Wang, Wenjun Qian, Litao Sun, Jiazhi Shen, Zhaotang Ding and Yu Wang

Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2534; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102534 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1841

Abstract

Nitrogen is essential for the growth and quality formation of tea plants. Excessive and inefficient use of nitrogen fertilizer leads to cost increases and ecosystem pollution. It is important to improve the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) for tea plantation. Breeding high-NUE varieties by [...] Read more.

Nitrogen is essential for the growth and quality formation of tea plants. Excessive and inefficient use of nitrogen fertilizer leads to cost increases and ecosystem pollution. It is important to improve the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) for tea plantation. Breeding high-NUE varieties by marker-assisted selection using NUE-associated genes is a viable approach. However, few molecular markers related to nitrogen uptake and utilization have been identified in tea plants. In this study, a total of 2554 SNP loci within NUE-related genes were identified in a database. Of the non-synonymous SNPs, 46 were successfully converted to KASP markers. These markers were deployed on 35 tea germplasms to assess their suitability and accuracy in genetic analysis. The results show that 42 markers exhibited polymorphisms and the PIC values ranged from 0.05 to 0.38. The clustering results of the phylogenetic tree was basically consistent with the phenotype, showing that tea germplasms with high nitrogen accumulation and large biomass were grouped into one cluster. Using these markers, the fingerprints of these germplasms were constructed. The preliminary association analysis showed that there were two SNPs (CsSNP07 and CsSNP11) within CsNRT2.4 (CSS0001304) that were significantly associated with nitrogen accumulation (F = 4.631, P = 0.039 and F = 3.054, p = 0.047) and one SNP (CsSNP40) within CsAAP6 (CSS0035405) that was significantly associated with biomass (F = 3.842, p = 0.032). These functional SNP-KASP markers will be valuable for the early evaluation of tea germplasms and could accelerate the breeding of high-NUE varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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18 pages, 1740 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Fertilization Regimes on Soil Organic Carbon Fractions and Its Mineralization in Tea Gardens

by Guifei Li, Huan Li, Xiaoyun Yi, Zhenmin Hu, Kang Ni, Jianyun Ruan and Yiyang Yang

Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2522; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102522 - 16 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3434

Abstract

Changes in the organic carbon fraction and mineralization of soil aggregates play an important role in the improvement of soil quality by organic fertilization. Nevertheless, the effects of organic fertilizer application on the organic carbon fraction and mineralization characteristics of soil aggregates are [...] Read more.

Changes in the organic carbon fraction and mineralization of soil aggregates play an important role in the improvement of soil quality by organic fertilization. Nevertheless, the effects of organic fertilizer application on the organic carbon fraction and mineralization characteristics of soil aggregates are still unclear. This study carried out a 6-year field trial with five different fertilization treatments, namely, no fertilization (CK), chemical fertilization (CF), rapeseed cake (CR), chicken manure (CM), and a combination of chicken manure with biochar (CMB). The distribution, organic carbon density, and carbon mineralization characteristics in soil aggregate fractions were tested. The results showed that CR significantly increased the contents of large soil macroaggregates and enhanced the stability of soil aggregates of all sizes. CM increased the contents of macroaggregates and microaggregates but decreased the stability of the soil aggregates. CR, CM, and CMB increased the content of soil organic carbon and its components in the tea garden, while the contribution rate of organic carbon to large aggregates was the highest under the CR treatment. Organic fertilizer treatments had a positive effect on enhancing soil microbial biomass and carbon and nitrogen contents. The mineralization rate and accumulation of organic carbon in tea garden soil aggregates were increased under organic fertilizer treatments, of which CMB was the most significant. There was a high increase in tea yield and bud density under the CR treatment. In short, the application of organic fertilizers in tea garden soil is helpful to improve soil nutrients and soil fertility; plant- and animal-derived organic fertilizers are recommended for corporate application in agricultural production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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18 pages, 3564 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Role of IAA and Primary Metabolites in Two Rounds of Adventitious Root Formation in Softwood Cuttings of Camellia sinensis (L.)

by Shuting Wang, Guodong Sun, Ying Luo, Wenjun Qian, Kai Fan, Zhaotang Ding and Jianhui Hu

Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2486; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102486 - 12 Oct 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2301

Abstract

The type of adventitious root formation of tea softwood cuttings is different from that of single node cuttings. In addition to the callus at the base of cuttings, the adventitious roots are also formed in the upper cortex of softwood cuttings. In order [...] Read more.

The type of adventitious root formation of tea softwood cuttings is different from that of single node cuttings. In addition to the callus at the base of cuttings, the adventitious roots are also formed in the upper cortex of softwood cuttings. In order to find out the similarities and differences between the above two types of adventitious roots of softwood cuttings and the influencing factors for the differences, an integrated analysis of plant hormones, untargeted metabolomics, and transcriptomics of the softwood cutting stems at different positions is performed. The phytohormone results show that IAA plays a leading role, and a high ratio of in vivo auxin to GA3 or ABA facilitated root formation. The ratios of IAA/GA3 and IAA/ABA in the upper and base rooting parts of cuttings are both higher than the middle non-rooting transition zone. Differences in metabolites indicate that 73 metabolites are involved in the formation of adventitious roots in cuttings. Compared with the middle non-rooting transition zone, most saccharides are downregulated in the upper and base rooting parts of softwood cuttings, and the saccharides in the base rooting parts of cuttings are more consumed than that in the upper rooting parts. Most organic acids in the callus at the base of cuttings show an upward trend, while those in the upper rooting parts show a downward trend. Furthermore, coniferyl alcohol is the key metabolite for adventitious root formation in the upper and base rooting parts of cuttings. Transcriptome results show 1099 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are obtained, and KEGG enrichment analysis show that these DEGs are significantly enriched in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), two key modules which have a highly positive correlation with IAA are identified. In summary, maintaining the balance of endogenous hormones and sufficient nutritional elements is very important for adventitious root formation in tea plants. Clarifying the material basis of softwood cutting rooting of tea plant is of great significance to improve the cutting survival rate of tea plant (especially difficult rooting varieties) and shorten the breeding cycle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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15 pages, 2397 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Short-Term Phosphorus Supply on Rhizosphere Microbial Community of Tea Plants

by Haoyu Yang, Lingfei Ji, Lizhi Long, Kang Ni, Xiangde Yang, Lifeng Ma, Shiwei Guo and Jianyun Ruan

Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2405; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102405 - 5 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2333

Abstract

Microbes play an important role in rhizosphere phosphorus (P) activation and root P absorption in low P-available soils. However, the responses of the rhizosphere microbial community to P input and its effects on P uptake by tea plants have not been widely reported. [...] Read more.

Microbes play an important role in rhizosphere phosphorus (P) activation and root P absorption in low P-available soils. However, the responses of the rhizosphere microbial community to P input and its effects on P uptake by tea plants have not been widely reported. In this study, the high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the ITS2 region was employed to examine the responses of tea rhizosphere microbiomes to different P input rates (low-P, P0: 0 mg·kg⁻¹ P; moderate-P, P1: 87.3 mg·kg⁻¹ P; high-P, P2: 436.5 mg·kg⁻¹ P). The results showed that the P input treatments significantly reduced the soil C: N ratio and C: P ratio compared to the P0 treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, the P2 treatment significantly increased the soil available P, plant biomass and P content of the tea plant compared to the P0 and P1 treatments (p < 0.05). Both bacterial and fungal communities revealed the highest values of alpha diversity indices in the P1 treatment and the lowest in the P2 treatment. The dominant phyla of the bacterial community were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria, while in the fungal community they were Ascomycota and Mortierellomycota. In addition, P input enriched the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria but decreased the relative abundance of Acidobacteria. The Mantel correlation analysis showed that the fungal community was influenced by P input, whereas bacterial community was affected by the soil TC and C: N ratio. Furthermore, the P input treatments enhanced the TCA cycle, amino and nucleotide glucose metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and phosphotransferase system expression, which could promote C and N cycling. On the contrary, the P input treatments negatively affected the growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The PLS-PM model revealed that the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities, respectively, negatively and positively affected the P content by affecting the biomass. Meanwhile, rhizosphere microbial function profiles affected the P content of tea plants directly and positively. In summary, moderate P input favors the rhizosphere microbial diversity and functions in the short-term pot experiment. Therefore, we suggest that moderate P input should be recommended in practical tea production, and a further field test is required. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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17 pages, 2500 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Effects of Bio-Organic Fertilizer on Soil Fertility and Bacterial Community Composition in Tea Plantation Soils

by Zhenmin Hu, Lingfei Ji, Qing Wan, Huan Li, Ronglin Li and Yiyang Yang

Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2168; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092168 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3567

Abstract

Overuse of chemical fertilizers to maintain tea production has caused many adverse effects in tea plantations and largely hampers the sustainable development of the tea industry. Applying bio-organic fertilizer (BOF) to achieve the goal of sustainable agriculture has become popular because of its [...] Read more.

Overuse of chemical fertilizers to maintain tea production has caused many adverse effects in tea plantations and largely hampers the sustainable development of the tea industry. Applying bio-organic fertilizer (BOF) to achieve the goal of sustainable agriculture has become popular because of its advantages, such as its pollution-free nature, considerable amount of beneficial microbes and soil-friendly organic materials. However, the effects of BOF application on tea plantation soil remain an open question. Herein, we carried out a 3-year pot experiment with four treatments, including control without fertilization (CK), 100% chemical fertilizer (CF), 50% chemical fertilizer +50% BOF (CFOF) and 100% BOF (OF), to explore the effects of BOF application on soil fertility and bacterial community in tea plantations. The results showed that BOF application could increase soil fertility in both bulk and rhizosphere soils and improve the biomass of tea leaves. In addition, the nutrient level change caused by BOF application significantly changed bacterial community diversity and composition and accounted for 74.91% of the community variation. CFOF and OF treatments significantly increased the bacterial Chao1 and Shannon indices compared to CF treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, bacterial community composition was dominated by Betaproteobacteria (46.88%), Acidobacteria (11.29%), Alphaproteobacteria (9.69%) and Gammaproteobacteria (9.59%). BOF application increased the relative abundance of Alphaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria and planctomycetes and decreased the relative abundance of Betaproteobacteria (p < 0.05). Furthermore, bacterial function prediction revealed that BOF application improved the N and C cycling processes and enhanced the co-occurrence network complexity in the bulk soils. Bacterial community functions and co-occurrence networks in the rhizosphere did not show similar results, indicating that rhizosphere bacterial communities were more affected by the rhizosphere effect than BOF application. All these findings verified our hypothesis that applying BOF in tea plantations could increase the biomass of tea plants by improving soil fertility and influencing the soil bacterial function groups. In summary, we suggested that BOF application could be a promising way to achieve the sustainable development of the tea industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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16 pages, 2646 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Traditional Fertilization Alters Tea Garden Soil Properties and Tea Leaf Quality in Bangladesh

by Israt Jahan, Jannat Shopan, Md. Masudur Rahman, Animesh Sarkar, Md. Abdul Baset, Zheng Zhang, Xin Li, Golam Jalal Ahammed and Md. Kamrul Hasan

Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2128; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092128 - 7 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3647

Abstract

Soil acidity is one of the major soil-degradation events throughout the world, and the long-term application of nitrogenous fertilizers is thought to be a main cause of soil acidity. In the present experiment, we collected soil and tea (Camellia sinensis L.) leaf [...] Read more.

Soil acidity is one of the major soil-degradation events throughout the world, and the long-term application of nitrogenous fertilizers is thought to be a main cause of soil acidity. In the present experiment, we collected soil and tea (Camellia sinensis L.) leaf samples from five representative tea gardens in Bangladesh and evaluated soil nutrient pools and biochemical properties of tea leaves. The results showed that there was a negative relationship between soil pH and the amount of applied nitrogenous fertilizers. Moreover, continuous application of traditional fertilizers over twenty-five years promoted not only the deficiency of phosphorus (P) and mineral-based cations, such as potassium (K⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), and magnesium (Mg²⁺), but also increased manganese (Mn²⁺) and aluminum (Al³⁺) toxicity in soils, which suppressed the yield and quality of tea. Crucially, tea leaf production remained almost similar (average 1079.77 kg ha⁻¹) from 1995 to 2015, while the application doses of urea, TSP, and MoP increased by 24.69%, 18.92%, and 16.67%, respectively, in garden soils. However, the pH value of soil declined up to 24% from 1992 to 2020 in the tested gardens. Consequently, the availability of K⁺, P, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ decreased by 56%, 25%, 55%, and 49%, respectively, in those tea garden soils. In addition, the quality of tea leaves was severely affected, as evident by the reduced levels of total flavonoids, polyphenols, soluble solids, vitamin C, vitamin B1, and vitamin B2. Moreover, free-radical scavenging activity (DPPH), caffeine, and tannin concentration were increased in tea leaves, which indicated that tea plants were potentially being stressed. Therefore, we study concluded that long-term application of traditional nitrogenous fertilizers can be an important regulator of lowering garden soil pH, which reduces native soil nutrient pools and thereby the yield and quality of tea leaves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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17 pages, 3015 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Application of Inorganic and Organic Fertilizer Enhances Soil Organo-Mineral Associations and Nutrients in Tea Garden Soil

by Huan Li, Zhenmin Hu, Qing Wan, Bing Mu, Guifei Li and Yiyang Yang

Agronomy 2022, 12(6), 1330; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12061330 - 30 May 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4458

Abstract

Soil quality is one of the main factors that affect the growth and quality of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) plantations. The formation of the organo-mineral complex is one of the critical factors that influence the evolution of soil fertility. This study used [...] Read more.

Soil quality is one of the main factors that affect the growth and quality of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) plantations. The formation of the organo-mineral complex is one of the critical factors that influence the evolution of soil fertility. This study used chemical analyses and spectroscopy to study the effects of inorganic and organic fertilizer on the soil nutrients and organo-mineral complex in tea garden soil. SR-FTIR analysis revealed that clay minerals were connected as nuclei with the capacity to bind carbon, and that this interaction was aided by organic fertilization. Specifically, the O-H has the quickest reaction to aliphatic-C, next by Si-O, Fe-O, and Al-O in OM70. The soil pH of organic and inorganic fertilization treatments are obviously lower than the no fertilization (CK) treatment. Furthermore, OM70 and OM100 had notably higher pH values in fertilized soil. Organic fertilization (OM70) treatment significantly increased Soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorous, potassium (AP, AK), as well as the concentration of total and exchangeable Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in soils when compared to no fertilization (CK) and inorganic fertilization (NPK). Together, these results can provide the scientific theoretical basis for the study on the understanding of the sequestration of SOM and confirmed the feasibility of organic fertilization in improving soil fertility and supporting organo-mineral interactions, thereby making a contribution to carbon storage in tea plantation ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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15 pages, 2464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

IAA Accumulation Promotes the Root Growth of Tea Plants under Aluminum

by Yaoyao Gao, Min Wang, Yifan Shi, Liu Yang, Jianhui Hu, Kai Fan and Yuanzhi Shi

Agronomy 2022, 12(5), 1110; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12051110 - 2 May 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3611

Abstract

A moderate supply of aluminum (Al) can promote the root growth of plant species, such as tea, that have adapted to acid soils. The formation and development of roots are regulated by phytohormones. However, the role that phytohormones play in facilitating the beneficial [...] Read more.

A moderate supply of aluminum (Al) can promote the root growth of plant species, such as tea, that have adapted to acid soils. The formation and development of roots are regulated by phytohormones. However, the role that phytohormones play in facilitating the beneficial effects of Al on root growth is unclear. In the present study, tea plants cultured hydroponically with either 0 or 0.4 mmol/L Al were characterized and compared in terms of root growth, hormone concentrations, and the expression of related genes. The hormone content in tea roots was measured by UPLC–MS, and the expression levels of genes involved in phytohormone biosynthesis, transport, and response were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Our results showed that the indole acetic acid (IAA) concentrations in the root base were significantly higher in plants supplied with Al compared to control plants without Al during the experimental period from 6 h to 7 d. By using inhibitors of IAA synthesis and transport, we found that Al induces short-term IAA synthesis in the root tip and enhances IAA transport in other parts of the root over the longer term, thus promoting root growth in tea plants by limiting IAA accumulation. The expression levels of genes YUC8 and AMI1, involved in IAA accumulation, were consistently upregulated in the root tip, whereas expression of PIN1/2/8, involved in IAA transport, was induced in the root base under Al supply at 6 h. In addition, the expression of PIN2 and PIN5 was highly induced in root stem by Al after 7 d and probably contributed to alleviating IAA accumulation in the root tip and thereby promoted root growth in tea plants. Meanwhile, the XET and expansin activities were increased under Al supply at 6 h. Thus, we conclude that the mechanism of Al-induced root growth is mediated by auxin accumulation and transport in cooperation with cell wall loosening in tea plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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14 pages, 3065 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Metabolomics Reveal That the High Application of Phosphorus and Potassium in Tea Plantation Inhibited Amino-Acid Accumulation but Promoted Metabolism of Flavonoid

by Kailing Wei, Meiya Liu, Yifan Shi, Hua Zhang, Jianyun Ruan, Qunfeng Zhang and Minhui Cao

Agronomy 2022, 12(5), 1086; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12051086 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2594

Abstract

As leaf-harvest plants, tea trees show unique nutrient requirements, different from those of corn and other field crops. However, the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) application on the accumulation of quality-related compounds and the mechanisms underlying how nutrients affect [...] Read more.

As leaf-harvest plants, tea trees show unique nutrient requirements, different from those of corn and other field crops. However, the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) application on the accumulation of quality-related compounds and the mechanisms underlying how nutrients affect tea-leaf metabolism have not been well elucidated. Here, fertilizers with different N, P, K ratios were applied to tea plants in pot experiments, and metabolomics based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with multivariate statistical and quantitative detections were conducted to assess the responses of quality-related compounds to NPK in tea leaves. An increased proportion of P and K was beneficial for the accumulation of carbohydrates and catechins in shoots, although the total carbon content did not increase significantly. In contrast, a high proportion of P and K input reduced the relative chlorophyll content in shoots, and the contents of free amino acids such as theanine and glutamic acid negatively correlated with P and K nutrient content. Moreover, the metabolism of malic acid in the tricarboxylic acid cycle was highly promoted by increasing the application of P and K. These results validate our suggestion that the application of high amounts of P and K in tea plantations induces the biased reallocation of photosynthates and carbohydrates to the catechin pathway by promoting malic acid metabolism in young tea shoots, which further affects tea quality. The results of this study provide theoretical ground for tea quality improvement by optimizing fertilization strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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14 pages, 2968 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Temporal Variation of the Non-Volatile Compounds and Key Odorants in Xinyang Maojian Green Teas during the Spring and Autumn Seasons

by Peng Yin, Ya-Shuai Kong, Pan-Pan Liu, Chang-Ling Jiang, Mu-Fang Sun, Gui-Yi Guo and Zhong-Hua Liu

Agronomy 2022, 12(5), 1085; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12051085 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2262

Abstract

Xinyang Maojian (XYMJ) green tea is one of the top ten teas in China, and the consumers prefer spring tea due to its umami taste and pleasurable aroma. However, the knowledge about temporal variation of the volatile compounds in XYMJ green teas harvested [...] Read more.

Xinyang Maojian (XYMJ) green tea is one of the top ten teas in China, and the consumers prefer spring tea due to its umami taste and pleasurable aroma. However, the knowledge about temporal variation of the volatile compounds in XYMJ green teas harvested during different seasons is very limited. In the present work, the main non-volatile compounds that endowed the taste and volatile compounds responsible for the aroma in XYMJ green teas harvested during the spring and autumn seasons were determined. The average contents of free amino acids (FAA) were significantly higher and gradually declined in the spring teas, whereas the caffeine was significantly lower and gradually increased in the spring teas. A total of 39 volatile compounds of six chemical classes were detected in XYMJ green teas, and they displayed various change trends during the spring and autumn seasons, among which 15 volatile compounds were identified as the key odorants based on odor activity value (OAV). The highest OAV of 2195.05 was calculated for the violet-like smelling trans-β-ionone followed by decanal, nonanal, dimethyl sulfide, linalool, geraniol and naphthalene. The OAVs of geraniol, (Z)-3-hexenyl hexanoate, heptanal, benzaldehyde and hexanal in XYMJ spring teas were higher than XYMJ autumn teas. The hierarchical clustering analysis indicated that XYMJ green teas were divided into three clusters and the quality of XYMJ green teas changed greatly within spring season. Harvest season is a crucial factor affecting the flavor quality of XYMJ green teas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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Review

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14 pages, 890 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Novel Aspects of Regulation of Nitrogen Responses in the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis (L.))

by Xueying Xie, Zilin Sun, Xinjian Zhang and Xiaoyang Han

Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010144 - 1 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2112

Abstract

Tea brewed from leaves of Camellia sinensis (L.) is one of the most popular worldwide non-alcoholic beverages, and nitrogen is an essential nutrient that affects the growth and development of the tea plant. Inorganic nitrogen and organic nitrogen are major forms of nitrogen [...] Read more.

Tea brewed from leaves of Camellia sinensis (L.) is one of the most popular worldwide non-alcoholic beverages, and nitrogen is an essential nutrient that affects the growth and development of the tea plant. Inorganic nitrogen and organic nitrogen are major forms of nitrogen that are absorbed by the tea plant and also play an important role as a vital signaling molecule, which also affects the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of C. sinensis in its growth and development period. In addition, improving the NUE of C. sinensis is therefore important for the economic and environmental sustainability of the tea plantation industry. In this review, we discuss recently identified tea plant genes that have an essential role in the responses of different nitrogen forms in the short-term period and in the long-term nitrogen effect. We also focus in particular on how nitrogen regulates the growth and development of the tea plant, mainly on the aspects of root system architecture and leaf metabolism that are important parts of root development and leaf quality. Finally, this review concentrates recent research that has expanded the outline of the mechanisms underlying nitrogen responses and regulation in plants, focusing in particular on tea plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tea Agronomy: From Yield to Quality)

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