Wuyi Rock Tea Research Articles

Wuyi Rock Tea Drinking Associated Knowledge and Practice: A Case Study from the Anthropological Perspectives

There are two domains in the anthropological knowledge of food and the practice of foodways: the materialist school, represented by Marvin Harris, and the teleological school, represented by Claude Levi Strauss. Scholars have considered these two schools irreconcilable for many years. This paper made a practical study of the two domains by investigating the consumption of Wuyi Rock Tea in Fujian Province from the perspective of anthropology. It suggests that Wuyi Rock Tea drinking has become a symbolic social behavior in Chinese society along with Chinese pragmatic principles. Consumers enjoy Wuyi Rock Tea and desire to consume it for various reasons.

Preparation and stability of angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides from protein hydrolysate of Wuyi rock tea residues

ABSTRACT Wuyi rock tea residues, generated after brewing or aroma extraction, are rich in nutrients. This study aimed to prepare ACE inhibitory peptides from the protein hydrolysate of Wuyi rock tea residues and investigate their stability. The optimal proteolysis conditions for neutral protease were optimized as: a substrate concentration of 2% (w/v), pH 7.0, hydrolysis temperature of 45°C, enzymatic digestion time of 3 h, and enzyme dosage of 6800 U/g. Under these conditions, the ACE inhibition rate of protein hydrolysate of Wuyi rock tea residues reached 70.47 ± 0.29% at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. Additionally, the prepared ACE inhibitory peptides demonstrated excellent stability against acid, base, heat, and certain metal ions. These findings suggest that the proteins extracted from Wuyi rock tea residues can serve as a promising source to produce highly active ACE inhibitory peptides. These peptides could be utilized in the development of nutraceuticals, functional foods, and pharmaceuticals.

Effect of roasting time on aroma quality of Shuixian Wuyi Rock Tea (Camellia sinensis)

Roasting is an important process in determining the quality of Wuyi rock tea (WRT). This study used the traditional charcoal roasting method at 120 ± 5°C to process Wuyi Shuixian raw tea. The roasting process lasted 12 h, with samples collected at 2 h intervals (0–12 h). The aroma compounds of the different roasting time samples were analyzed using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-olfactory-mass spectrometry (GC×GC-O-MS) technology. Twenty-one key aroma-active compounds were identified through aroma extraction dilution analysis (AEDA) and odor activity value (OAV). Multivariate statistical analysis identified ten key differential aroma active compounds to distinguish aroma differences in tea samples with varying roasting times. These compounds include phenylacetaldehyde, linalool, β-ionone, 2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, octanal, (E)-nerolidol, 2-ethyl-5-methylpyrazine, β-myrcene, and pentanal. The aroma characteristics of Wuyi Shuixian tea (WSXT) were significantly impacted by roasting time. Through the integration of electronic nose technology and descriptive sensory analysis, the optimal roasting time was 10 h. These results provided valuable insights for enhancing the production process of WSXT.

Volatilomics and Macro-Composition Analyses of Primary Wuyi Rock Teas of Rougui and Shuixian Cultivars from Different Production Areas.

Wuyi Rock Tea (WRT) is cherished for its exceptional "rock flavor" and its quality shows obvious regional differences. However, the flavor characteristics of Primary Wuyi Rock Teas (PWRTs) from different production areas remain unclear. Here, the Camellia sinensis var. sinensis cv. 'Rougui' and 'Shuixian', two quintessential cultivars for making WRT, planted in Zhengyan, Banyan, at high elevations, and Waishan production areas were used to make PWRTs. We conducted a comprehensive comparison of the sensory attributes, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and macro-compositions of PWRTs of 'Rougui' and 'Shuixian' cultivars from different producing areas. Sensory evaluation indicated that both 'Rougui' and 'Shuixian' PWRTs from Zhengyan exhibited the best flavor qualities, followed by those from Banyan, at high altitudes, and Waishan production areas. The results of the determination and analysis of VOCs showed 680 VOCs in 'Rougui' and 'Shuixian' PWRTs, and that the different production areas mainly influenced the quantitative pattern of VOCs and rarely the qualitative composition. Integrated multivariate statistical analysis methods revealed that benzyl alcohol, hotrienol, butanoic acid, 2-methyl-, hexyl ester, benzene, (2-nitroethyl)-, and geranyl isobutyrate may be the key VOCs affecting the aroma differences in PWRTs from different production areas. In addition, water-extractable substances, tea polyphenols, caffeine, and free amino acids may be the important macro-compositions that distinguish PWRTs from different production areas. The metabolite basis for differences in the flavor qualities of PWRTs across production areas was elucidated, which may be helpful for the production of high-quality WRT.

Prediction of storage years of Wuyi rock tea Shuixian by metabolites analysis.

Wuyi rock teas of different storage duration have different flavor, bioactivity, and market value, Shuixian is a main variety of Wuyi rock tea. In this study, metabolites composition of Shuixian with different storage years were analyzed using Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). A total of 1201 compounds were identified, and 104 differential compounds (VIP > 1.5) were determined. Furthermore, the results showed that five compounds exhibited a positive correlation with storage time, such as alpha-terpineol formate, carnosol, 2-phenethyl-D-glucopyranoside, Ellagic acid, and D-ribosyl nicotinic acid, while 24 compounds showed a negative correlation, such as Ethyl linoleate, leucocyanidin, cis-3-hexenyl acetate. In total, 29 signature compounds significantly correlated with storage time. These findings shed light on the patterns and mechanisms of changes in the composition of Wuyi rock tea during storage and provide a theoretical foundation for distinguishing the storage years.

Effect of storage time on aroma profiles of wuyi rock tea

Wuyi rock tea (WRT) is typically stored for weeks or months before consumption, and the roasted aroma changes into a floral aroma during the storage. However, little is known about the aroma change that occur during this period. The aroma in WRT during storage was extracted and identified using simultaneous distillation extraction coupled with gas chromatography mass spectrometry, in addition to calculating the odor activity value (OAV) and conducting aroma recombination experiments. The results revealed the emergence of floral aroma with increasing storage time. Alcohols, aldehydes, and aromatics were the main volatile types in WRT. According to partial least squares discriminant analysis, 20 volatiles were crucial variables contributing to the volatile differences in WRT with variations in storage time. The key volatiles causative for the overall aroma of WRT were determined based on their OAVs. In total, 25 volatiles with OAVs >1 were identified as aroma-active compounds. Notably, trans-β-ionone, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, linalool, octanal, nonanal, dehydro-β-ionone, and pentylfuran were substantial players in the overall aroma profile of WRT under storage. Based on the results of aroma combination experiments, the contribution of 18 volatiles with OAVs >2 to the overall aroma of WRT was confirmed. The findings augment our comprehension of aroma development in WRT throughout the storage.

Dynamic changes and interaction between different aroma types during low‐temperature roasting of bud green tea

AbstractAs an important process for enhancing aroma of Wuyi rock tea, roasting has gradually been applied to the processing of bud green tea (BGT). However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the impact of roasting on BGT aroma. This research provides a detailed analysis of the changes in aroma perception and compounds during the low‐temperature roasting process (105°C, 90 minutes) of BGT. First, the changes in aroma perception were studied using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA). The aroma perception of BGT transformed from fresh to chestnut like. Next, headspace solid‐phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS‐SPME‐GC–MS) analysis was conducted to characterize the volatile compounds during roasting. A total of 313 volatile compounds were identified, among which 72 showed significant differences. Compounds such as linalool, benzyl alcohol, ionone, and ethyl salicylate (floral aroma) and 2,6‐dimethylpyrazine, 2,3‐dimethylpyrazine, 2‐acetylpyrrole, and 3‐furfural (caramel‐like aroma) were confirmed to be involved in the formation of the chestnut‐like aroma during roasting process. In addition, representative aroma compounds with different characteristics were selected based on monomolecular olfactory results to simulate sensory‐level aroma interactions. The results showed that fresh and tender aromas exhibited mutual enhancement at low concentrations, while sweet and chestnut‐like aromas showed mutual enhancement at all concentrations.

Characterization of volatile compounds and identification of key aroma compounds in different aroma types of Rougui Wuyi rock tea

In this study, we characterized the aroma profiles of different Rougui Wuyi rock tea (RGWRT) aroma types and identified the key aroma-active compounds producing these differences. The roasting process was found to have a considerable effect on the aroma profiles. Eleven aroma compounds, including linalool, β-ionone, geraniol, indole, and (E)-nerolidol, strongly affected the aroma profiles. An RGWRT aroma wheel was constructed. The rich RGWRT aroma was found to be dominated by floral, cinnamon-like, and roasty aromas. Human olfaction was correlated with volatile compounds to determine the aromatic characteristics of these compounds. Most key aroma-active compounds were found to have floral, sweet, and herbal aromas (as well as some other aroma descriptors). The differences in key compounds of different aroma types were found to result from the methylerythritol phosphate, mevalonic acid and shikimate metabolic pathways and the Maillard reaction. Linalool, geraniol, and (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal were found to spontaneously bind to olfactory receptors.

Dynamic Changes in Qidan Aroma during Roasting: Characterization of Aroma Compounds and Their Kinetic Fitting.

Qidan is one of the most famous varieties of Wuyi Rock tea and has a strong aroma. The aroma-active compounds in Qidan subject to different roasting times were analyzed using solid-phase microextraction two-dimensional gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC×GC-O-MS), and a total of 92 aroma-active compounds were detected. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that the roasting time had a significant effect on the aroma characteristics of Qidan, and that the key products in the Maillard reaction accumulated with the extension of the roasting time; these key products were screened out according to the calculation of the odor activity values (OAVs), from which kinetic equations were established. It was found that the levels of 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methylpyrazine, 2-ethyl-5-methylpyrazine, and benzaldehyde increased with time, while the contents of benzeneacetaldehyde showed a tendency to first increase and then decrease. This study provides a theoretical basis for flavor quality control during Qidan processing.

Effect of Mechanical Damage in Green-Making Process on Aroma of Rougui Tea.

Rougui Tea (RGT) is a typical Wuyi Rock Tea (WRT) that is favored by consumers for its rich taste and varied aroma. The aroma of RGT is greatly affected by the process of green-making, but its mechanism is not clear. Therefore, in this study, fresh leaves of RGT in spring were picked, and green-making (including shaking and spreading) and spreading (unshaken) were, respectively, applied after sun withering. Then, they were analyzed by GC-TOF-MS, which showed that the abundance of volatile compounds with flowery and fruity aromas, such as nerolidol, jasmine lactone, jasmone, indole, hexyl hexanoate, (E)-3-hexenyl butyrate and 1-hexyl acetate, in green-making leaves, was significantly higher than that in spreading leaves. Transcriptomic and proteomic studies showed that long-term mechanical injury and dehydration could activate the upregulated expression of genes related to the formation pathways of the aroma, but the regulation of protein expression was not completely consistent. Mechanical injury in the process of green-making was more conducive to the positive regulation of the allene oxide synthase (AOS) branch of the α-linolenic acid metabolism pathway, followed by the mevalonate (MVA) pathway of terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, thus promoting the synthesis of jasmonic acid derivatives and sesquiterpene products. Protein interaction analysis revealed that the key proteins of the synthesis pathway of jasmonic acid derivatives were acyl-CoA oxidase (ACX), enoyl-CoA hydratase (MFP2), OPC-8:0 CoA ligase 1 (OPCL1) and so on. This study provides a theoretical basis for the further explanation of the formation mechanism of the aroma substances in WRT during the manufacturing process.

Metabonomics analysis of the flavor characteristics of Wuyi Rock Tea (Rougui) with “rock flavor” and microbial contributions to the flavor

Wuyi Rock Tea (WRT) has different characteristics of “rock flavor” due to different production areas. In this study, we investigated the flavor characteristics and key components of “rock flavor” and the influence of microorganisms on the substances by combining metabolomics and microbiomics with the Rougui WRTs from the Zhengyan, Banyan, and Waishan production areas. The results showed that Rougui has a strong floral and fruity aroma, which is mainly brought by hotrienol, and the sweet, smooth, and fresh taste is composed of epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, caffeine, theanine, soluble sugar, and sweet and bitter amino acids. Bacteria Chryseobacterium, Pedobacter, Bosea, Agrobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, and Actinoplanes mainly influence the production of hotrienol, epicatechin gallate, and theanine. Fungi Pestalotiopsis, Fusarium, Elsinoe, Teichospora and Tetracladium mainly influence the production of non-volatile compounds. This study provides a reference for the biological formation mechanism of the characteristic aroma of WRT's “rock falvor”.

The Effects of Rock Zones and Tea Tree Varieties on the Growth and Quality of Wuyi Rock Tea Based on the OPLS-DA Model and Machine Learning

Rock zones have an important influence on the yield and quality of Wuyi rock tea. In this study, OPLS-DA combined with machine learning was used to analyze the effects of different rock zones and tea tree varieties on the physicochemical properties of rhizosphere soil, the growth of the tea tree and the quality of the tea leaves using tea trees in different rock zones. The results showed that rock zones had significant effects on rhizosphere soil physicochemical indexes, soil enzyme activities, tea tree growth and tea quality indexes, while there was little difference between different tea tree varieties. The interaction analysis showed that the physicochemical indexes of rhizosphere soil in different rock zones significantly affected tea quality, while also affecting growth indexes. The main indexes affecting tea yield and caffeine content were soil pH, available nitrogen, total phosphorus, total nitrogen and available phosphorus, while the main indexes affecting tea quality were available potassium, organic matter, total potassium, protease, polyphenol oxidase and urease. Analyses of PCA, OPLS-DA models and KNN and ANN machine learning showed that different rock zones could be effectively distinguished from each other with 100% accuracy, while different tea varieties had little difference and could not be distinguished. TOPSIS analysis found that the physicochemical indexes most affected by rock zone were available nitrogen, available potassium and sucrose, and the quality indexes most affected by rock zone were tea polyphenols and theanine. The growth index most affected by rock zone was tea yield. It was evident that the key difference between tea trees in different rock zones was yield and quality, with high yields in continent zones, and good quality in semi-rock zones and rock zones. This study provides a crucial foundation for tea-plantation management, the artificial regulation of tea yield and the quality of different rock zones of Wuyi rock tea.

Differences of Typical Wuyi Rock Tea in Taste and Nonvolatiles Profile Revealed by Multisensory Analysis and LC-MS-Based Metabolomics.

Wuyi Rock tea, specifically Shuixian and Rougui, exhibits distinct sensory characteristics. In this study, we investigated the sensory and metabolite differences between Shuixian and Rougui. Quantitative description analysis revealed that Rougui exhibited higher intensity in bitter, thick, harsh, and numb tastes, while Shuixian had stronger salty and umami tastes. Nontargeted metabolomics identified 151 compounds with 66 compounds identified as key differential metabolites responsible for metabolic discrimination. Most of the catechins and flavonoids were enriched in Rougui tea, while epigallocatechin-3,3'-di-O-gallate, epigallocatechin-3,5-di-O-gallate, gallocatechin-3,5-di-O-gallate, isovitexin, and theaflavanoside I were enriched in Shuixian tea. Catechins, kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin derivatives were positively correlated with bitter taste and numb sensation. Sour taste was positively correlated to organic acids. Amino acids potentially contributed to salty and umami tastes. These results provide further insights into the taste characteristics and the relationship between taste attributes and specific metabolites in Wuyi Rock tea.

New Insights into the Umami and Sweet Taste of Oolong Tea: Formation of Enhancer N-(1-carboxyethyl)-6-(hydroxymethyl) pyridinium-3-ol (Alapyridaine) in Roasting Via Maillard Reaction.

Roasting is pivotal for enhancing the flavor of Wuyi rock tea (WRT). A study investigated a novel compound that enhances the umami taste of WRT. Metabolomics of Shuixian tea (SXT) and Rougui tea (RGT) under light roasting (LR), medium roasting (MR), and heavy roasting (HR) revealed significant differences in nonvolatiles compounds. Compared LR reducing sugars and amino acids notably decreased in MR and HR, with l-alanine declining by 69%. Taste-guided fractionation identified fraction II-B as having high umami and sweet intensities. A surprising taste enhancer, N-(1-carboxyethyl)-6-(hydroxymethyl) pyridinium-3-ol (alapyridaine), was discovered and identified. It formed via the Maillard reaction, positively correlated with roasting in SXT and RGT. Alapyridaine levels were highest in SXT among the five oolong teas. Roasting tea with glucose increased alapyridaine levels, while EGCG inhibited its formation. HR-WRT exhibited enhanced umami and sweet taste, highlighting alapyridaine's impact on WRT's flavor profile. The formation of alapyridaine during the roasting process provides new insights into the umami and sweet perception of oolong tea.

Sensory and molecular insights into the bitterness of Wuyi rock tea

Wuyi Rock Tea (WRT) is widely appreciated for its unique rocky flavor and floral essence. However, the characterization of taste attributes, particularly bitterness, in this premium tea remains largely underexplored. This study aims to assess the perception of bitterness in WRT through an integrated approach, including sensory evaluation, phenolic compound analysis, and cell-based calcium imaging assay. Sensory evaluation revealed distinct bitterness intensities among nine selected typical WRT samples. Utilizing UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS, 54 phenolics were tentatively identified, comprising of 24 flavanols, 18 flavonols, and 12 phenolic acids. The cell-based calcium imaging assay revealed diverse intracellular calcium responses and half-maximum effective concentration (EC50) values across the tested samples. Notably, correlation analysis unveiled a strong negative correlation between sensory scores and EC50 values. Furthermore, 11 individual phenolic compounds, such as epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin gallate, demonstrated significant correlation with sensory scores and bitter taste receptor activation, suggesting their potential role as key contributors shaping the bitter taste perception of WRT. This study provides comprehensive insights into the nuanced bitterness of WRT, bridging sensory and molecular perspectives to enhance our understanding of the taste profile of this premium tea.

Analysis of rhizosphere soil microbial diversity and its functions between Dahongpao mother tree and cutting Dahongpao.

Dahongpao mother tree (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze) is a representative of Wuyi rock tea. Whether there is a difference in rhizosphere soil microbial diversity and function between asexually propagated cuttings of Dahongpao (PD) and the parent Dahongpao mother tree (MD) has not been reported. In this study, high throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze rhizosphere soil microbial diversity, functions and their relationship with soil available nutrients and enzyme activities in MD and PD. The results showed that available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents and urease, protease, acid phosphatase and sucrase activities of rhizosphere soils in MD were significantly higher than those in PD. Both bacterial and fungal diversity were higher in rhizosphere soils in MD than in PD, and secondly, the bacterial community structure was less stable while the fungal community structure was more stable in PD compared to MD. There were significant differences between MD and PD tea tree rhizosphere soils in 6 genera of characteristic bacteria and 4 genera of characteristic fungi. The results of function and interaction effect analysis showed that the rhizosphere soil available nutrient content and enzyme activities in MD were significantly higher than those in PD, and their contributions mainly originated from Pirellula and Acidisphaera of characteristic bacteria and Alatospora of characteristic fungi. Secondly, MD maybe had a stronger ability to inhibit soil pathogens than PD, with the main contribution coming from Scopulariopsis and Tolypocladium of characteristic fungi. Overall, compared with PD, soil texture in MD was relatively better, and its soil nutrient cycling-related enzyme activities were stronger, which was more favorable to soil nutrient cycling and increased the available nutrient content of the soil, which in turn promoted the growth of tea trees. This study provides an important reference for the planting and management of tea tree cuttings and microbial regulation of tea tree growth.

Transcriptomic analysis of the effect of shaking and tumbling degree on quality formation of Wuyi rock tea.

Shaking and tumbling are extremely important for the formation of the special flavor of Wuyi rock tea. In this study, we analyzed the effects of different shaking and tumbling degrees on the quality index content of tea leaves and determined changes in gene expression in tea leaves using RNA sequencing technology. On this basis, the correlation between gene expression intensities in tea leaves and tea quality index content was analyzed. The results showed that heavy shaking and tumbling (MW3) increased gene expression of metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, starch and sucrose metabolism, biosynthesis of amino acids, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism pathways and decreased gene expression of flavonoid biosynthesis, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways in tea leaves, which in turn increased the content of caffeine, soluble sugar, amino acid and decreased the content of flavone, tea polyphenol, catechin component in tea leaves; the opposite was true for light shaking and tumbling. Second, this study found that MW3 was more beneficial in improving the mellowness, sweetness, and fresh and brisk taste of tea leaves and reducing the bitterness of tea leaves. This study provides some references to guide the processing of Wuyi rock tea with different flavors. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Heavy shaking and tumbling was more beneficial in improving the mellowness, sweetness, and fresh and brisk taste of tea leaves and reducing the bitterness of tea leaves. Therefore, the degree of shaking and tumbling in Wuyi production can be appropriately improved to produce high-quality tea and improve the economic benefits of tea.

Multidimensional exploration of the bitterness amelioration effect of roasting on Wuyi Rock tea

The influence of roasting on tea bitterness remains unclear. With Wuyi Rock tea (WRT) as an example, this study investigated the impact of roasting on WRT's bitterness, utilizing an integrated approach involving sensory evaluation, bitter compound profiling, and cell-based calcium imaging. Sensory analysis revealed that roasting effectively reduced the perceived bitterness of WRT. This reduction was supported by decreases in various bitter compounds, including 19 flavanols, 11 flavonols, 12 phenolic acids, 2 purine alkaloids, and 9 bitter amino acids, which diminished by 16%, 26%, 19%, 2%, and 70%, respectively. Furthermore, we established two heterogeneous bitter receptor expression systems: TAS2R39/Gα15-HEK293T and TAS2R14/Gα15-HEK293T cell lines. These systems quantitatively confirmed the reduction in bitterness, demonstrating 51% and 62% decreases in intracellular calcium mobilization within the transfected cells, respectively. These findings provide compelling evidence for the bitterness-ameliorating effect of roasting, expanding our knowledge of the role of roasting in shaping the flavor of tea.

Effect of different degrees of withering on gene expression and metabolite content of Wuyi rock tea leaves

The degree of withering significantly affected the formation of tea quality. This study analyzed the effects of light withering (LW), moderate withering (MW) and heavy withering (HW) on tea quality jointly by transcriptome and metabolomics. It was found that LW was more beneficial in increasing gene expression of the ko00500, ko00511, ko00940, ko00944, ko00941, ko00740 and ko02010 pathways in tea leaves, thereby increasing the content of quinones, phenolic acids, lignans and coumarins, and flavonoids; MW was more beneficial in increasing gene expression of ko00500, ko00511, ko00130, ko00380 and ko00520 pathways, thereby increasing the content of terpenoids, organic acids and lipids. The aroma intensity was highest in moderately withering tea leaves and bitterness intensity was highest in lightly withering tea leaves, while the intensity of mellowness, fresh and brisk taste was significantly higher in MW and LW than in HW. This study provides an important basis for guiding the processing of Wuyi rock tea with different flavors.

Transcriptomic Analysis of the Effect of Pruning on Growth, Quality, and Yield of Wuyi Rock Tea.

Pruning is an important agronomic measure in tea plantation management. In this study, we analyzed the effect of pruning on gene expression in tea leaves from a transcriptomics perspective and verified the results of a transcriptomic analysis in terms of changes in physiological indicators of tea leaves. The results showed that pruning enhanced the gene expression of nine metabolic pathways in tea leaves, including fatty acid synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, and plant hormone signal transduction, thereby promoting the growth of tea plants and increasing tea yield. However, pruning reduced the gene expression of nine metabolic pathways, including secondary metabolites biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis, and lowered the content of caffeine, flavonoids, and free amino acids in tea plant leaves. In conclusion, pruning could promote the growth of tea plants and increase the yield of tea, but it was not conducive to the accumulation of some quality indicators in tea leaves, especially caffeine, flavonoids, and free amino acids, which, in turn, reduced the quality of tea. This study provides an important theoretical reference for the management of agronomic measures in tea plantations.