Research Progress on Preservation of Tea Plantation Soil Quality

Being the world largest producer of tea, as of 2024, China claims a vast tea cultivation area of 52.38 million mu, or 34.92 million km². The long years, intensive farming severely deteriorated the soil. The degradation seriously constrains further development of the agriculture. For instance, more than 46% of the plantations in China are tested to have a soil pH below 4.5. Soil acidification significantly lowers the production and nutritional quality of the crops grown on the land. In some regions, off balanced soil chemistry was known to relegate flavor of the tea produced. Focusing on the preservation of soil quality at tea plantations in southern China, particularly Fujian Province, this article reviewed the literature published in China and abroad on the advancements in the areas of acidification mitigation, fertility enhancement, microbial optimization, and heavy metal remediation on plantation soil as well as promotion of eco-friendly tea gardens. Studies indicated that tea plantations in Fujian are facing challenges of acidified soil, imbalanced fertility, and disrupted microbial community on the land. Well-designed fertilization and cultivation help maintain healthy plantation soil to ensure the continuation of an ample supply of quality tea products. Based on a comprehensive analysis and a thorough examination of the tea industry, recommendations are presented for future research to unveil the underline mechanism of soil acidification leading to effective preventive measures and fertility improvement, the critical roles of rhizosphere microorganisms naturally aiding the cultivation and upgrading the tea quality, and the intelligent water and fertilizer management maximizing precious nature resources for a sustainable industry.