Evaluating the productivity of ancient Pu’er tea trees (Camellia sinensis var. assamica): a multivariate modeling approach

Abstract

Background The demand for productive economic plant resources is increasing with the continued growth of the human population. Ancient Pu’er tea trees [Camellia sinensis var. assamica (J. W. Mast.) Kitam.] are an important ecological resource with high economic value and large interests. The study intends to explore and evaluate critical drivers affecting the species’ productivity, then builds formulas and indexes to make predicting the productivity of such valuable plant resources possible and applicable. Results Our analysis identified the ideal values of the seven most important environmental variables and their relative contribution (shown in parentheses) to the distribution of ancient Pu’er tea trees: annual precipitation, ca. 1245 mm (28.73%); min temperature of coldest month, ca. 4.2 °C (18.25%); precipitation of driest quarter, ca. 47.5 mm (14.45%); isothermality, 49.9% to 50.4% (14.11%); precipitation seasonality, ca. 89.2 (6.77%); temperature seasonality, ca. 391 (4.46%); and solar radiation, 12,250 to 13,250 kJ m−2 day−1 (3.28%). Productivity was indicated by the total value (viz. fresh leaf harvested multiplied by unit price) of each tree. Environmental suitability, tree growth, and management positively affected productivity; regression weights were 0.325, 0.982, and 0.075, respectively. The degree of productivity was classified as follows: > 0.8, “highly productive”; 0.5–0.8, “productive”; 0.3–0.5, “poorly productive”; and < 0.3, “unproductive”. Overall, 53% of the samples were categorized as “poorly productive” or “unproductive”; thus, the management of these regions require attention. Conclusions This model improves the accuracy of the predictions of ancient Pu’er tea tree productivity and will aid future analyses of distribution shifts under climate change, as well as the identification of areas suitable for Pu’er tea tree plantations. Our modeling framework provides insights that facilitate the interpretation of abstract concepts and could be applied to other economically valuable plant resources.

Review of the application of in-situ sensing techniques to address the tea growth characteristics from leaf to field

“…Previous studies have employed various methodologies, including the Delphi method and GIS [100] , Sentinel-2 image data [81] , and integrating Sentinel-2 images with GIS [101] to evaluate tea plantation suitability. Factors considered for tea cultivation suitability include climate [102] , soil [103] , terrain, human-related factors, ecological economy factors, and tea plant growth information [104] . Accurate regional demarcation and assessment of tea plantations can significantly enhance tea planting, boost tea quality, and provide a scientific basis for tea cultivation.…”

High-Value Utilization of Tea Forest Resources: Breeding Eurotium cristatum Strains to Enhance Lovastatin Yields in Anhua Dark Tea

“…However, the potential health benefits of dark tea, including its lipid-lowering effect, are strongly influenced by microorganism species [16,17]. Hence, an investigation of the effect of fungi on the quality of dark tea could provide insights into the development of new dark teas with various health benefits and lay the foundation for the efficient use of tea forest resources in China [18,19].…”

Lovastatin Production by Wild Eurotium cristatum Isolated from Fuzhuan Brick Tea Produced Using Forest Resources in Auhua

“…The main fungus in this tea and its effect on tea quality can provide insights into screening high-quality tea varieties. They could lay the foundation for the conservation of germplasm resources in tea trees [28,29].…”