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Understanding and managing soil microorganisms for sustainable tea production: a review of current knowledge and future perspectives

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages globally, and its quality and yield are intrinsically linked to soil health, particularly the soil microbiome. As a perennial woody crop, tea plantations develop unique soil characteristics, including natural acidification and high aluminum content, resulting from long-term cultivation and fertilization practices. Soil microorganisms are vital components of tea plantation ecosystems, contributing significantly to soil health, plant growth, and nutrient cycling. However, comprehensive research on how microorganisms affect the plants' physiological activities and the ecosystem's stability remains insufficient. This review examines the current understanding of soil microbial communities in tea plantations, focusing on diversity patterns of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes, and factors influencing these communities, including tea varieties, plantation types, climate, geography, soil properties, and agricultural management practices. We systematically review the ecological functions of soil microorganisms, emphasizing their roles in improving tea quality through transforming nutrients, regulating secondary metabolites, facilitating element cycling, and stabilizing the soil structure. The review discusses research methods and technological advances, highlighting the transition from traditional sequencing to multiomics technologies. We identify current challenges, including our limited understanding of microbial interaction networks, geographic coverage gaps, and technical limitations. Future directions focus on integrated multiomics approaches, quality-related research linking microbiomes to tea flavor compounds, sustainable microbiome-informed management strategies, and adaptation to climate change. This comprehensive review aims to promote sustainable tea production by leveraging soil microorganisms and provides valuable insights for formulating management strategies that balance productivity, quality, and environmental stewardship.

Source: Beverage Plant Research

DOI: 10.48130/bpr-0026-0005