Advances in Tea Plant Physiology, Quality Formation, and Stress Adaptation

Dear Colleagues,

The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is one of the world’s most significant agroeconomic crops, and its global value chain is deeply intertwined with the physiological traits, secondary metabolite profiles, and adaptive mechanisms of the plant itself. Recently, intricate genotype–environment interactions and the synthesis of quality-determining compounds (e.g., catechins or theanine) have been revealed through interdisciplinary approaches. However, climate volatility and emerging biotic/abiotic stressors—such as cold, drought, heat, pathogens, and pests—threaten yield stability and biochemical consistency, necessitating urgent advancements in stress-adaptive physiology. Understanding the mechanisms of the tea plant’s responses to biotic and abiotic stresses at both the physiological and molecular levels is vital for developing tea plants that are adaptive to changing environmental conditions. Moreover, the quality formation of tea is predominantly associated with the plant’s growth conditions and processing methods; consequently, revealing how tea quality is formed is essential for the green development of the tea industry. This Special Issue aims to attract studies on the mechanisms of tea plant growth and development, and the factors that regulate its stress responses and quality.

Dr. Chuan Yue
Dr. Hongli Cao
Guest Editors

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