Effects of Altitude on Tea Composition: Dual Regulation by Soil Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities
Soil chemical properties and soil microbial communities are the key factors affecting the content of tea. The mechanism by which altitude changes soil’s chemical properties and microbial community structure to affect tea content is unclear. This study was conducted on a typical tea plantation in the...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Xirong Ren Minyao Lin Jiani Liu Waqar Khan Hongbo Zhao Binmei Sun Shaoqun Liu Peng Zheng |
| author_facet | Xirong Ren Minyao Lin Jiani Liu Waqar Khan Hongbo Zhao Binmei Sun Shaoqun Liu Peng Zheng |
| author_sort | Xirong Ren |
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| description | Soil chemical properties and soil microbial communities are the key factors affecting the content of tea. The mechanism by which altitude changes soil’s chemical properties and microbial community structure to affect tea content is unclear. This study was conducted on a typical tea plantation in the Fenghuang Mountains of Chaozhou, China. It systematically revealed the relationship between soil chemical properties and microbial communities with tea quality components between different altitudes (396 m/517 m/623 m). We discovered that soil pH and soil Catalase activity appeared to decrease and then increase with altitude, and soil SOM content and soil Acid Phosphatase activity were significantly higher at mid-altitude. Soil TP and TK content were lowest at high altitudes (0.20 mg/kg, 5.98 mg/kg). Non-significant differences were found in the spatial composition of microbial communities at different altitudes. The abundance of fungi (Sobol index) was significantly higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) at low altitudes than in other altitude groups. Redundancy analysis indicated that soil pH and TP are drivers of changes in bacterial community structure. The abundance of Fibrobacteres, a key functional group of bacteria, showed a decreasing trend with increasing altitude, and <i>Stachybotrys</i> (fungi) likewise had the lowest abundance at high altitude (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The catechin, theanine, and caffeine content of tea leaves accumulated the least at high altitude (12.91%, 0.39%, 2.88%). Fibrobacteres and <i>Stachybotrys</i>, as well as soil TK and TP content, were strongly associated with the accumulation of major contents in tea leaves. Meanwhile, fungal abundance was significantly and positively correlated with theanine (<i>p</i> < 0.05). This study enhances our understanding of soil chemical property–soil microbial community–tea tree interactions. By exploring the differences in soil key nutrient content and the abundance of functional flora driving tea quality at different altitudes, it provides a basis for the precise microecological management of tea gardens. |
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| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-ccc32a82e6ca4048af2ac92ef1146d032025-08-20T03:11:19ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-05-011411164210.3390/plants14111642Effects of Altitude on Tea Composition: Dual Regulation by Soil Physicochemical Properties and Microbial CommunitiesXirong Ren0Minyao Lin1Jiani Liu2Waqar Khan3Hongbo Zhao4Binmei Sun5Shaoqun Liu6Peng Zheng7College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaCollege of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaCollege of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaCollege of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaCollege of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaCollege of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaCollege of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaCollege of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaSoil chemical properties and soil microbial communities are the key factors affecting the content of tea. The mechanism by which altitude changes soil’s chemical properties and microbial community structure to affect tea content is unclear. This study was conducted on a typical tea plantation in the Fenghuang Mountains of Chaozhou, China. It systematically revealed the relationship between soil chemical properties and microbial communities with tea quality components between different altitudes (396 m/517 m/623 m). We discovered that soil pH and soil Catalase activity appeared to decrease and then increase with altitude, and soil SOM content and soil Acid Phosphatase activity were significantly higher at mid-altitude. Soil TP and TK content were lowest at high altitudes (0.20 mg/kg, 5.98 mg/kg). Non-significant differences were found in the spatial composition of microbial communities at different altitudes. The abundance of fungi (Sobol index) was significantly higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) at low altitudes than in other altitude groups. Redundancy analysis indicated that soil pH and TP are drivers of changes in bacterial community structure. The abundance of Fibrobacteres, a key functional group of bacteria, showed a decreasing trend with increasing altitude, and <i>Stachybotrys</i> (fungi) likewise had the lowest abundance at high altitude (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The catechin, theanine, and caffeine content of tea leaves accumulated the least at high altitude (12.91%, 0.39%, 2.88%). Fibrobacteres and <i>Stachybotrys</i>, as well as soil TK and TP content, were strongly associated with the accumulation of major contents in tea leaves. Meanwhile, fungal abundance was significantly and positively correlated with theanine (<i>p</i> < 0.05). This study enhances our understanding of soil chemical property–soil microbial community–tea tree interactions. By exploring the differences in soil key nutrient content and the abundance of functional flora driving tea quality at different altitudes, it provides a basis for the precise microecological management of tea gardens.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/11/1642tea qualitysoil chemical propertiesrhizosphere soil microbial communitiesaltitudinal gradient |
| spellingShingle | Xirong Ren Minyao Lin Jiani Liu Waqar Khan Hongbo Zhao Binmei Sun Shaoqun Liu Peng Zheng Effects of Altitude on Tea Composition: Dual Regulation by Soil Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities Plants tea quality soil chemical properties rhizosphere soil microbial communities altitudinal gradient |
| title | Effects of Altitude on Tea Composition: Dual Regulation by Soil Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities |
| title_full | Effects of Altitude on Tea Composition: Dual Regulation by Soil Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Altitude on Tea Composition: Dual Regulation by Soil Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Altitude on Tea Composition: Dual Regulation by Soil Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities |
| title_short | Effects of Altitude on Tea Composition: Dual Regulation by Soil Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities |
| title_sort | effects of altitude on tea composition dual regulation by soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities |
| topic | tea quality soil chemical properties rhizosphere soil microbial communities altitudinal gradient |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/11/1642 |
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