Sen Wang, Liangquan Wu, Yiru Zhao, Zhengjia He, Zhiyi Liu, Wei Li, Lei Wu, Aosheng Jiang, He Chang, Hao Wu, Anni Wei, Jinlong Liu, Chengcong Chen, Huihuang Wu, Lijin Guo
Modern intensive tea cultivation boosts yield through high-density dwarfing, yet often at the expense of soil vitality and leaf quality. This study compared a traditional dwarfing and close planting system (TM) with a tall and wide planting system (NM) to explore how cultivation modes regulate Tieguanyin tea quality. NM alleviated soil acidification, increased available potassium (AK) and Exchangeable‑magnesium (E-Mg), promoted root development, and thus enhanced nutrient uptake. Leaf concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg) rose alongside increased free amino acids and tea polyphenols, despite a decline in yield. Key taste compounds, including theanine and catechins, were significantly enhanced. Aroma analysis showed that trans-β-ionone and phenethyl isovalerate contributed to spring tea aroma differences, whereas linalool was dominant in autumn tea. Redundancy analysis indicated that N and P played central roles in regulating metabolite variation. Ultimately, optimizing cultivation modes improves soil-plant interactions and tea quality.