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2025 Vol.43, Issue 3 Preview Page

Research Article

Rooting Efficiency in Tea Plant Varieties: Physiological and Biochemical Determinants
Yingyi Zhou1
,
Zhongcheng Lu2
,
Dafei Li3
,
Huaisheng Zhou4
,
Shi Tang5
,
Wenting Zhang1
,
Guanghui Wang6
,
Dongliang Li1*
1Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Innovation and Utilization of Tropical Special Economic Plants, Institute of Tropical Horticulture Research, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China
2Limu Mountain Branch of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park Administration, Qiongzhong 572911, China
3Wuzhishan Branch of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park Administration, Wuzhishan 572200, China
4Hainan Baisha Farm Group Co., Ltd., Baisha 572899, China
5Provincial Wuzhishan Big Leaf Tea Germplasm Resource Nursery, Baisha 572812, China
6Wuzhishan Shennong High Tech Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Wuzhishan 572200, China
*Corresponding Author
30 June 2025. pp. 343-356
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Abstract

This study investigated physiological and biochemical changes during the cutting propagation process in different tea plant varieties and the effects of these changes on the rooting efficiency. Dynamic changes in soluble sugars, soluble proteins, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), indole-3-acetic acid oxidase (IAAO), endogenous hormones (indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), cytokinins (CTK), and abscisic acid (ABA)) were monitored and analyzed during the cutting propagation process of six tea plant varieties: ‘Hainan Dayezhong’ (HD), ‘Yunnan Dayezhong’ (YD), ‘Fuan Dabai’ (FA), ‘Fuding Dabai’ (FD), ‘Jinxuan’ (JX), and ‘Huang Guanyin’ (HG), which have varying rooting abilities. The study revealed significant differences among the varieties in terms of the rooting time and rooting ability. JX demonstrated the highest rooting rate and fastest rooting process, with 86.3% of cuttings rooting successfully, while HD exhibited the lowest rooting rate, with only 22.86% of cuttings rooting successfully. Varieties with high rooting rates showed higher soluble sugar contents at the initial rooting stage, a significant early increase in PPO and POD activities followed by a decline, and reduced IAAO activity levels during the induction and development stages of adventitious root (AR) formation. Higher IAA/CTK and IAA/ABA ratios were generally associated with increased rooting rates. Medium-leaved varieties exhibited higher root formation rates overall, especially JX and FD. Our study shows that during the critical period of AR formation, several key physiological and biochemical changes determine differences in rooting ability among tea plant varieties. An increase in the IAA content was crucial for inducing root primordia in varieties with high rooting rates. Additionally, a decrease in the IAAO activity, elevated POD and PPO activities, and the rapid accumulation of soluble sugars and proteins were closely related to successful rooting. In contrast, low-rooting varieties exhibited less pronounced changes in these parameters, potentially explaining their lower rooting efficiency.

Keywords
Camellia sinensis
cutting propagation
endogenous hormones
enzyme activity
nutrients
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Information
  • Publisher :KOREAN SOCIETY FOR HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국원예학회
  • Journal Title :Horticultural Science and Technology
  • Journal Title(Ko) :원예과학기술지
  • Volume : 43
  • No :3
  • Pages :343-356
  • Received Date : 2024-10-11
  • Revised Date : 2024-12-03
  • Accepted Date : 2024-12-17
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7235/HORT.20250031
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