Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding 2025, Vol.15, No.1, 33-43 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/tgmb 37 4.3 Enhance the market value and demand for tea through high-density planting High-density planting not only increases tea production but also enhances the quality of tea, making it more popular in the market. When the output increases, it can be sold to more customers and the market share can also expand. Moreover, after the tea trees are densely planted, the tea leaves that grow out have a more fragrant taste and a better texture. These are exactly what customers value most when buying tea (Zhang et al., 2020; Tang et al., 2021). In addition to high quality, high-density planting can also create an environmentally friendly and efficient brand image. Nowadays, everyone is more concerned about environmental protection. Tea gardens that grow tea in this way can easily attract customers. Consumers are willing to spend more money on such tea, and thus the value of tea increases (Tang et al., 2021; Zhao et al., 2022). 5 Environmental and Ecological Benefits of High-Density Tea Planting 5.1 Optimize land use: maximize the efficiency of land use in tea gardens High-density tea planting can effectively enhance land utilization and increase per-unit yield, which is particularly important in areas with limited arable land. This planting method can make better use of the existing resources without expanding the area, allowing the tea garden to earn more money. For instance, studies have shown that reasonable fertilization and proper control of planting density can not only increase the tea yield but also improve the quality, bringing more profits to the same area of land (Wang et al., 2019; Tang et al., 2021). Furthermore, high-density planting can reduce the need to open up new cultivated land, avoid the ecological degradation problems caused thereby, and help improve land management methods. By increasing the output of existing plots, tea gardens can maintain ecological balance and prevent adverse consequences such as deforestation and the destruction of animal and plant habitats caused by land reclamation (Hajiboland, 2017; Su et al., 2017). 5.2 Ecological balance: the impact of dense planting on soil and water stability High-density planting in tea gardens helps to enhance soil and water conservation and is very important for maintaining ecological balance. The dense branches and leaves of tea trees can increase ground coverage, reduce soil erosion and enable the soil to store more water. This effect is particularly obvious in hilly areas with poor soil and frequent drought (Xiao et al., 2004; Xiao et al., 2005). Planting other crops or trees around the tea garden can make the soil more solid and of better quality. Doing so can increase the nutrients in the soil and make it more fertile, which is crucial for the continuous cultivation of tea. Creating diverse ecological environments in tea gardens, high-density planting can also reduce pests, use less pesticides, and make the surrounding environment better (Wang et al., 2020; Feng and Sunderland, 2023). 5.3 Sustainability: promote sustainable tea production through high-density planting High-density tea planting can help achieve sustainable agricultural development and reduce the environmental burden of tea production. By applying fertilizers rationally and using less chemical fertilizers and pesticides, not only can greenhouse gas emissions be reduced, but also nutrients can be better utilized. For example, the use of slow-release fertilizers and farmyard manure in high-density tea gardens can reduce the emission of nitrous oxide and is helpful for mitigating climate change (Wang et al., 2020; Zheng et al., 2022). In addition, high-density planting takes into account both economic development and environmental protection, which is in line with the sustainable development goals. It can not only enhance production efficiency and income, but also protect the ecological environment of the planting area. This balance is very important for the long-term development of the tea industry. It can not only enable farmers’ income to increase steadily, but also provide consumers with green and environmentally friendly tea (Su et al., 2017; Liu et al., 2020). 6 Challenges and Limitations of High-Density Tea cultivation 6.1 Risk of pests and diseases In high-density tea gardens, because tea trees are planted too densely, the problem of pests and diseases will be
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