Autotoxicity of the soil of consecutively cultured tea plantations on tea (Camellia sinensis) seedlings

The production and quality of Tie-Guan-Yin tea ( Camellia sinensis ) decrease with time after continuous picking over multiple years. However, it is unclear how the soils of consecutively cultured tea plantations affect the growth of tree seedlings. In this study, soil samples were collected from 4-, 9-, and 30-age Tie-Guan-Yin plantations within the original production area, Longjuan town, Anxi County, China. The toxicity of soil samples were tested by laboratory bioassay. Then, new tea seedlings were transplanted in situ into the land of three age tea plantations. One year after transplantation, the growth indexes, physiological parameters (protective enzymes and primary metabolites), photosynthesis parameters, and main tea quality indicators were measured. The results showed that the 4-, 9-, and 30-age soils inhibited lettuce root growth by 10.32, 24.19, and 48.04 %, respectively. The consecutively cultured soil negatively impacted on the growth, physiology, photosynthesis, and overall quality of transplanted tea seedlings. For example, seedlings grown in the 30-age soil had 20 % lower growth rates, 17 % less soluble sugar, 28 % less soluble protein, 37 % less polyphenol, 34 % less theanine, 25 % less amino acid, 37 % less caffeine, and 40 % less of eight catechols than tea seedlings grown in new soil with no history of tea production. These results indicated that the soils of consecutively cultured tea plantations resulted in significant autotoxicity which negatively affected tea seedling growth, metabolism, tea yield, and tea quality. Greater understanding of the causes and mechanisms of autotoxicity is critical to the reclamation of longstanding tea plantation and improvement of the yield and quality of the tea they produce.