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REVIEW article

Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Symbiotic Interactions
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1492424
This article is part of the Research Topic Visualizing Plant-Microbe Dynamics: Cutting-Edge Imaging Methods in Plant Research View all 4 articles

Effects of Microbial Biocontrol Agents on Tea Plantation Microecology and Tea Plant Metabolism: A Review

Provisionally accepted
Yixin Xie Yixin Xie 1,2Chunxia Cao Chunxia Cao 2*Daye Huang Daye Huang 2*Yan Gong Yan Gong 2*Beibei Wang Beibei Wang 2*
  • 1 College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
  • 2 Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Centre, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The quality of fresh tea leaves is crucial to the final product, and maintaining microbial stability in tea plantations is essential for optimal plant growth. Unique microbial communities play a critical role in shaping tea flavor and enhancing plant resilience against biotic stressors. Tea production is frequently challenged by pests and diseases, which can compromise both yield and quality. While biotic stress generally has detrimental effects on plants, it also activates defense metabolic pathways, leading to shifts in microbial communities. Microbial biocontrol agents (MBCAs), including entomopathogenic and antagonistic microorganisms, present a promising alternative to synthetic pesticides for mitigating these stresses. In addition to controlling pests and diseases, MBCAs can influence the composition of tea plant microbial communities, potentially enhancing plant health and resilience. However, despite significant advances in laboratory research, the field-level impacts of MBCAs on tea plant microecology remain insufficiently explored. This review provides insights into the interactions among tea plants, insects, and microorganisms, offering strategies to improve pest and disease management in tea plantations.

    Keywords: Tea, biotic stress, biological control, Metabolomics, Tea quality

    Received: 06 Sep 2024; Accepted: 26 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Xie, Cao, Huang, Gong and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Chunxia Cao, Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Centre, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
    Daye Huang, Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Centre, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
    Yan Gong, Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Centre, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
    Beibei Wang, Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Centre, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.