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Habitat and density effects on tea quality: A microclimate and nutrients perspective
| First Author: |
Manzoor |
| Abstract: |
The global expansion of tea plantations due to increasing tea demand, often involving the conversion of forests to monoculture, has raised concerns about soil degradation, changes in microclimate, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss, and alteration in tea quality. On the other hand, planting density is another important factor affecting soil properties, tea growth, and quality. However, the combined effects of different habitats and planting densities on crucial factors and tea quality remain poorly understood. This study investigated these effects in Yunnan, China, considering three habitats (Monoculture (T1), Medium-coverage tropical evergreen broad-leaved forest (T2), and High-coverage tropical evergreen broad-leaved forest (T3)) with two tea densities (Medium (M) and High (H)). Our results show that the T2 + M treatment improved the microclimate for tea plants, resulting in increased relative humidity (3.6 %) and soil moisture (6.6 %), while reducing light intensity (70.1 %), soil and air temperature (5.5 % and 11.2 %) compared with T1 + M. Additionally, T2 + M exhibited higher soil total N (41-47 %), available P and K contents (100-202 % and 42-230 %) across the soil layers (0-100 cm) when compared to T1 + H. T1 + M enhanced tea growth metrics, including dry leaf weight, plant height, leaf area, and leaf mass area ratio, followed by T2 + M. The T2 + M model recorded higher chlorophyll content (23 %), young shoot and mature leaves N (25 % and 38 %), P (26 % and 59 %), and K (11 % and 28 %) contents compared with T1 + H. T2 + M also had higher levels of various amino acids (33-222 %) and catechins (18-88 %) relative to T1 + H. Notably, the quality of spring tea was higher than autumn tea, with 50-212 % higher amino acids contents and 92-242 % higher catechins contents. Between the different tea densities, medium tea density exhibited significantly higher levels of soil nutrients, tea nutrients, growth, and quality. Likewise, within the various habitats, T2 showed significantly higher levels of soil nutrients, tea nutrients, and quality. The structural equation model revealed that habitat and tea density significantly influenced tea quality, both directly and indirectly, through microclimate, soil nutrients, and tea nutrients contents. These results suggest that T2 + M is optimal for enhancing soil quality, microclimate, and tea growth and quality, providing scientific guidance for the sustainable development of ancient tea plantations. |
| Contact the author: |
Song, L |
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| Impact Factor: |
6.4 |
| Authors units: |
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| PubYear: |
2025 |
| Volume: |
394 |
| Publication Name: |
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT |
| The full text link: |
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