Tea science: Gene discovery to boost mechanical harvesting

Researchers have made significant strides in understanding the genetic factors influencing tea plant leaf droopiness, a key determinant of mechanical harvest success. By identifying the CsEXL3 gene and its regulation by CsBES1.2, the study paves the way for improving tea cultivation and harvesting techniques, aiming to minimize leaf damage and boost efficiency in tea production processes.

Mechanical harvesting of tea is increasingly crucial due to labor shortages. However, droopy leaves in tea plants hinder this process by causing a high rate of broken leaves, negatively impacting efficiency. Understanding the genetic factors influencing leaf architecture is essential to overcoming these challenges. Identifying genes that regulate leaf droopiness can lead to improved mechanical harvesting methods, enhancing productivity and reducing costs in the tea industry. This study focuses on uncovering these genetic factors to address the urgent need for efficient tea plant harvesting.

A team of researchers from the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has made significant progress in this area. Their findings (DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae074), published in Horticulture Research on March 7, 2024, detail the discovery of a gene that could transform the tea industry's approach to mechanical harvesting.

The study used genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and transcriptome analysis on 146 tea plant accessions to uncover the genetic basis of leaf droopiness. Researchers identified 16 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with this trait, highlighting CsEXL3 on Chromosome 1 as a key candidate. Silencing CsEXL3 in tea plants significantly reduced leaf droopiness and improved vascular cell formation, confirming its crucial role in leaf architecture. Additionally, CsBES1.2 was found to transcriptionally activate CsEXL3, significantly influencing brassinosteroid-induced droopiness and lignin content regulation in leaves. This genetic analysis reveals how CsEXL3 and CsBES1.2 interact to influence leaf structure, offering valuable insights for breeding tea plants optimized for mechanical harvesting.

Dr. Jiedan Chen, one of the lead researchers, stated, "This discovery of CsEXL3 and its regulatory pathway offers a promising genetic target for breeding tea plants that are better suited for mechanical harvesting, potentially revolutionizing the tea industry."

The identification of CsEXL3 as a regulator of leaf droopiness opens new avenues for genetic improvement in tea plants, enhancing mechanical harvest efficiency. This could lead to significant labor cost reductions and increased productivity in tea plantations, addressing a critical issue faced by the tea industry today.

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References

DOI

10.1093/hr/uhae074

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhae074

Funding information

This work was supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFD1200505-2), Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (LQ23C160010), and China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA (CARS-19).

About Horticulture Research

Horticulture Research is an open access journal of Nanjing Agricultural University and ranked number one in the Horticulture category of the Journal Citation Reports ™ from Clarivate, 2022. The journal is committed to publishing original research articles, reviews, perspectives, comments, correspondence articles and letters to the editor related to all major horticultural plants and disciplines, including biotechnology, breeding, cellular and molecular biology, evolution, genetics, inter-species interactions, physiology, and the origination and domestication of crops.