Journal of Tea Science Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 238-248 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/jtsr 244 resilience of tea plants to drought conditions. These adaptive measures are crucial for sustaining the production and quality of “Anji Baicha” in the face of ongoing climate change (Lou et al., 2020; Yan et al., 2021). Figure 2 “Anji Baicha” leaves and chlorophyll concentration at four different stages (Adopted from Li et al., 2015) Image caption: (A) “Anji Baicha” leaves at four different stages during the development. YG, yellow-green leaf; WI, slightly white leaf; WII, pale-white leaf; G, re-greening leaf. (B) Chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), and Chl a + b concentrations of “Anji Baicha” leaves at four different stages. The significance of differences in the YG, WI and WII stages compared with that in the G stage is indicated with * (P< 0.05; Student's t test) or ** (P< 0.01; Student's t test) (Adopted from Li et al., 2015) 7 Adaptation Strategies and Management Practices 7.1 Agronomic practices Agronomic practices such as altered planting times, shade-growing, and irrigation management are vital in mitigating the impact of rising temperatures on tea quality. Adjusting planting times to avoid peak heat periods can help reduce the exposure of tea plants to extreme temperatures, thereby minimizing heat stress (Khan et al, 2019). Shade-growing is another effective technique that can protect tea plants from direct sunlight and reduce leaf temperature, which in turn helps maintain higher chlorophyll content and better overall plant health. Irrigation management is also crucial in combating the effects of high temperatures. Ensuring adequate water supply can help maintain leaf water content and reduce the negative impact of heat stress on tea plants (Minoli et al., 2019). Additionally, the use of growth regulators and fertilizers can induce acclimation and enhance the thermotolerance of tea plants. For example, brassinosteroids have been shown to attenuate the decline in tea quality caused by moderately high temperatures by enhancing theanine biosynthesis, which is essential for the unique umami flavor of green tea (Li et al., 2018). These agronomic practices, when combined, can significantly improve the resilience of tea plants to rising temperatures. 7.2 Technological innovations Technological innovations in climate-smart agriculture play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of rising temperatures on tea quality and flavor. The use of advanced genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic approaches
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