A cultivation method for improving the quality of tea tree by using corn syrup

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of tea cultivation technology, and more particularly to a cultivation method for improving tea quality using corn syrup. It includes the following steps: (1) planting asexual tea seedlings in containers filled with cultivation substrate and cultivating them in a greenhouse; (2) applying nutrient solution every 6-8 days during cultivation; (3) continuing cultivation until the tea seedlings sprout in early spring, and then spraying them with corn syrup solution. This invention, through foliar spraying with 0.5 mL / L corn syrup, significantly promotes tea growth and photosynthetic efficiency, improves tea quality, and under drought stress conditions, CSL0.5 treatment makes the tea leaves greener and more upright, enhancing the drought resistance of the tea trees.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tea tree cultivation technology, and in particular to a cultivation method for improving tea tree quality using corn syrup. Background Technology

[0002] The use of organic waste to promote sustainable agriculture has gained global recognition, as organic waste offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic fertilizers. Organic waste, such as manure, compost, and industrial byproducts, not only recovers nutrients but also promotes plant growth by improving soil structure, moisture retention, and biodiversity, ultimately enhancing plant vigor, crop yield, and the sustainability of ecological agriculture.

[0003] Corn steep liquor (CTL) is a byproduct of corn starch production, derived from the process of soaking corn kernels in water. With approximately 1 billion tons of corn produced globally annually, CTL is a significant byproduct resource. It is a yellow-brown organic liquid residue with high water solubility, containing bioactive substances such as amino acids, sugars, organic acids, and minerals. Due to its abundant resources and high organic content, direct discharge of CTL as wastewater poses serious environmental risks and results in significant resource waste. Therefore, the effective development and utilization of CTL has become a key challenge for industry and society. Because of its low cost and widespread availability, CTL has been widely used in microbial fermentation, clean energy production, and the manufacture of biosurfactants. CTL has been recognized as organic by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) in the United States, allowing its use in organic agriculture.

[0004] In recent years, researchers have discovered that corn steep liquor exhibits varying degrees of growth-promoting effects in many plant species. For example, a 0.5% corn steep liquor solution improved nitrogen use efficiency in chili peppers by enhancing nitrogen uptake and increasing amino acid and protein content. Furthermore, low concentrations of corn steep liquor have been shown to enhance seed germination, plant growth, biomass production, and flowering in soybeans. These studies indicate that corn steep liquor exhibits growth-promoting effects similar to plant biostimulants. However, the identification of the active ingredients in corn steep liquor, the responses of different plant species, and the mechanisms of its growth-promoting effects remain unclear.

[0005] According to European fertilizer regulations, biostimulants are defined as products that enhance plant nutrient processes, regardless of their nutrient content. The primary purpose of biostimulants is to improve one or more of the following characteristics of a plant or its rhizosphere: nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stresses, quality characteristics, and availability of nutrients in the soil or rhizosphere. These include humus, seaweed and microalgae extracts, hydrolyzed proteins, amino acids, and microbial inoculants (e.g., plant growth-promoting rhizosphere bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi). Currently, biostimulants extracted from industrial or agricultural byproducts and waste have received widespread attention. Converting waste into plant biostimulants not only reduces environmental pollution but also maximizes the utilization of organic matter and nutrients in these wastes, thereby promoting sustainable agriculture. Agricultural byproducts and food industry wastewater, after chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis, are rich in organic compounds, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, which play a crucial role in promoting plant growth, stress resistance, quality, and yield. Several biostimulants, such as mixed extracts from marine sources, endophytic fungi, and animal-derived protein hydrolysates, have been found to promote growth and quality, serving as viable alternatives to chemical fertilizers and offering promising solutions for organic tea cultivation. Despite the increasing research interest in biostimulants, current technology lacks reports on the application of corn steep liquor in tea plant growth and its effects on the nutritional quality components of tea leaves.

[0006] Tea, one of the world's most widely cultivated economic crops, is favored by consumers for its rich nutritional content and health benefits. Numerous studies have shown that the biochemical components in tea leaves have health-promoting effects, driving the expansion of the global tea consumption market. Epidemiological studies have indicated that long-term tea consumption can reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and kidney disease. The health benefits of tea are primarily attributed to its antioxidant components, including amino acids, polyphenols, vitamins, and essential minerals. Notably, tea polyphenols, especially catechins and their derivatives, constitute 30% of the dry weight of tea leaves and play a crucial role in shaping the flavor profile. Excessive polyphenol content can lead to a pronounced bitterness, negatively impacting the overall taste. In contrast, higher levels of amino acids contribute to the fresh and crisp taste of tea and can counteract the bitterness caused by polyphenols. Research indicates that bitterness in tea is closely related to a higher phenol-to-amino acid ratio, which is also closely linked to the redox balance in cells. Various adverse environmental conditions, such as drought stress, high temperatures, and nutrient deficiencies, can lead to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, causing an imbalance in redox activity and an increase in the phenol-to-amino acid ratio in tea leaves, which negatively impacts the quality of the tea plant. Therefore, adopting effective cultivation and management techniques is crucial for enhancing the tolerance of tea plants to adverse environmental conditions, optimizing the overall quality of tea, and strengthening its health benefits. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cultivation method that uses corn steep liquor to improve the quality of tea trees, thereby increasing tea yield, nutritional value, and enhancing the stress resistance of tea trees.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0009] This invention provides a cultivation method for improving tea quality using corn syrup, comprising the following steps:

[0010] (1) Plant the asexual tea seedlings in a container filled with cultivation substrate and place them in a greenhouse for cultivation;

[0011] (2) Apply nutrient solution every 6 to 8 days during cultivation;

[0012] (3) Continue to cultivate until the tea seedlings sprout in early spring, and spray them with corn syrup solution.

[0013] Preferably, the tea seedlings in step (1) are two-year-old Longjing 43.

[0014] Preferably, the mass ratio of peat, vermiculite and perlite in the cultivation substrate of step (2) is (2-4):(1-2):(1-2).

[0015] Preferably, the environmental conditions of the greenhouse in step (1) are: daytime light intensity of 250–350 μmol m -2 s -1 The average daytime temperature is 14–20℃, the average nighttime temperature is 8–12℃, the relative humidity is 60–80%, and the photoperiod is 14–18 hours of light and 6–10 hours of darkness.

[0016] Preferably, the nutrient solution formula in step (2) is as follows:

[0017] NH4NO380~82mg / L, MnSO4˙H2O 0.16~0.18mg / L, KH2PO48~9mg / L, (NH4)6Mo7O 24 ˙4H2O 0.05~0.06mg / L, K2SO450~55mg / L, MgSO480~82mg / L, Al2(SO4)3˙18H2O 23~24mg / L, CaCl258~60mg / L, H3BO30.4~0.6mg / L, EDTAFeNa 1.5~2.0mg / L, ZnSO4˙7H2O 0.7~0.21mg / L, CuSO4˙5H2O0.02~0.04mg / L.

[0018] Preferably, the amount of nutrient solution applied is 300-500 mL per plant.

[0019] Preferably, the corn syrup solution in step (3) is applied by foliar spraying after being diluted with water.

[0020] Preferably, the application rate of the corn steep liquor solution is 8-12 mL per plant.

[0021] Preferably, the corn steep liquor solution is sprayed 5 to 7 times, with an interval of 2 to 3 days between each spraying.

[0022] Preferably, the concentration of the corn steep liquor solution is 0.1 to 4 mL / L.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] This invention, through foliar spraying of 0.5 mL / L corn steep liquor (CSL), significantly promoted tea growth and photosynthetic efficiency, particularly increasing internode length by 31.33%, which is of positive significance for mechanized tea harvesting. Furthermore, CSL0.5 also helped improve tea quality, mainly manifested in increased soluble protein, soluble sugar, and free amino acid content by 13.70%, 31.59%, and 6.33%, respectively. In addition, CSL0.5 enhanced antioxidant capacity, including increased vitamin C content, improved free radical scavenging ability, and enhanced iron-reducing antioxidant capacity, indicating that CSL helps enhance the stress resistance of tea plants.

[0025] Under drought stress, CSL 0.5 treatment resulted in darker greener and more upright leaves, likely due to significantly increased chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate, improved cellular submicroscopic structural integrity, and reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation and oxidative damage. Therefore, CSL is a potentially effective biostimulant that can improve tea yield, nutritional value, and drought resistance. These findings will contribute to promoting cleaner production and sustainable development in the tea industry. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process of the present invention; wherein, (A) is the corn steep liquor (CSL) preparation process, (B) is the corn steep liquor treatment process during the normal cultivation stage, and (C) is the corn steep liquor treatment process under drought stress.

[0027] Figure 2 Phenotypic images of tea leaves sprayed with corn syrup solution in each group in Example 1.

[0028] Figure 3 The graph shows the effect of corn steep liquor solution on the leaf area of ​​tea leaves in Example 1.

[0029] Figure 4 The figure shows the effect of corn steep liquor solution on the internode length of tea trees in Example 1.

[0030] Figure 5 The figure shows the effect of corn steep liquor solution on tea leaf biomass in Example 1; where (A) is the biomass of young leaves, (B) is the biomass of mature leaves, and (C) is the total biomass of leaves.

[0031] Figure 6 The figure shows the effect of corn steep liquor solution on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of tea leaves in Example 1. Among them, (A) is a visible light image and a chlorophyll fluorescence image of the leaves under the PlantExplorer photosynthetic phenotype imaging system, (B) is the Fv / Fm of young leaves, (C) is the ETR of young leaves, (D) is the NPQ of young leaves, (E) is the Fv / Fm of mature leaves, (F) is the ETR of mature leaves, and (G) is the NPQ of mature leaves.

[0032] Figure 7 The figure shows the effect of corn steep liquor solution on the nitrogen balance index of chlorophyll content in tea leaves in Example 1; where (A) is the relative chlorophyll content of young leaves, (B) is the nitrogen balance index (NBI) of young leaves, (C) is the relative chlorophyll content of mature leaves, and (D) is the nitrogen balance index (NBI) of mature leaves.

[0033] Figure 8 The figure shows the effect of corn steep liquor solution on the biochemical content of tea leaves in Example 1; where (A) is the soluble protein content, (B) is the soluble sugar content, (C) is the vitamin C content, (D) is the free amino acid and polyphenol content, and (E) is the alkaloid content.

[0034] Figure 9 The figure shows the effect of corn steep liquor solution on the antioxidant activity of tea leaves in Example 1; where (A) represents the total antioxidant capacity and (B) represents the free radical scavenging rate.

[0035] Figure 10 The figure shows the effect of corn steep liquor solution on the nutrient content of tea leaves under drought stress in Example 2. Among them, (A) is the phenotypic diagram of tea leaves, (B) is the staining result of reactive oxygen species and membrane lipid peroxidation, (C) is the submicroscopic structure of leaves, (D) is the chlorophyll content, (E) is the nitrogen balance index, and (F) is the photosynthetic rate. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All raw materials and reagents used in the following embodiments are commercially available.

[0037] Corn steep liquor concentrate: Manufacturer is Chengwu Haocheng Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Heze City, Shandong Province. Ingredients: Amino acids 70g / L, small molecule organic acids 280g / L (including lactic acid 90g / L, propionic acid 100g / L, and citric acid 50g / L), organic matter 200g / L, N+P2O5+K2O 80 g / L, sugars 30 g / L, small peptides 18 g / L; natural active ingredients: salicylic acid 949.44 μg / L, gibberellin A 31.01 μg / L, gibberellin A 10.32 μg / L, gibberellin A 40.13 μg / L, indoleacetic acid 5181.87 μg / L, abscisic acid 116.5 μg / L, jasmonic acid 3.26 μg / L, jasmonic acid-isoleucine 11.87 μg / L, fucose 73.2 μg / L, arabinose 1623.6 μg / L, fructose 1242.2 μg / L, galactose 3767.8 μg / L).

[0038] Corn steep liquor (CSL) preparation process

[0039] Corn steep liquor is a yellowish-brown organic liquid residue obtained from the water used in the wet milling of corn kernels through processes such as enzymatic hydrolysis, membrane filtration, and concentration. Specifically, it includes:

[0040] Soaking corn kernels: Place corn kernels in water to soak. This step is fundamental to subsequent biochemical reactions, creating conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis.

[0041] Biochemical enzymatic hydrolysis: This method utilizes biochemical enzymes to hydrolyze soaked corn kernels. Through the catalytic action of enzymes, large molecules in the corn kernels are broken down, making them easier to process later.

[0042] Membrane separation and concentration: The enzymatic hydrolysis products are subjected to membrane separation and concentration operations to obtain corn steep liquor (CSL). Membrane separation technology can effectively remove impurities, concentrate target components, and improve the purity and concentration of corn steep liquor.

[0043] Filtration and dilution: The purchased corn steep liquor (CSL) stock solution is filtered to remove any insoluble impurities that may be present, and then diluted with deionized water to obtain corn steep liquor solutions with concentrations of 0.1 mL / L, 0.5 mL / L, 1 mL / L, 2 mL / L, and 4 mL / L, respectively.

[0044] Example 1

[0045] Spraying corn steep liquor during normal growing stages (non-drought stress)

[0046] Tea tree cultivation

[0047] Tea cultivation was carried out in a glass greenhouse, which maintained a daytime light intensity of approximately 300 μmol / m². -2 s -1The average daytime temperature was 16℃, and the average nighttime temperature was 10℃. Relative humidity was consistently maintained at around 70%, with a photoperiod of 16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness. Two-year-old clonal tea seedlings of the Longjing 43 variety were selected as experimental materials. Seedlings with uniform growth were chosen for potted experiments. The cultivation substrate consisted of a mixture of peat, vermiculite, and perlite in a 3:1:1 ratio. Every week, a tea-specific nutrient solution (NSP1030, Beijing Kulaibo Technology Co., Ltd.) with a pH of 5.0 was applied. Nutrient solution composition: NH4NO3 80.04 mg / L, MnSO4˙H2O 0.17 mg / L, KH2PO4 8.53 mg / L, (NH4)6Mo7O 24 The following nutrient solutions were added: 4H₂O 0.058 mg / L, K₂SO₄ 52.27 mg / L, MgSO₄ 80.64 mg / L, Al₂(SO₄)₃˙18H₂O 23.33 mg / L, CaCl₂ 58.82 mg / L, H₃BO₃ 0.43 mg / L, EDTAFeNa 1.77 mg / L, ZnSO₄˙7H₂O 0.19 mg / L, CuSO₄˙5H₂O 0.03 mg / L. The application rate of the tea tree nutrient solution was 400 mL / plant.

[0048] Step 2: Spray corn syrup

[0049] Before the tea trees sprout in early spring, spray them with CSL solution every 3 days for a total of 6 times, with 10 mL sprayed per tea seedling. During the cultivation process, different concentrations of corn steep liquor were sprayed into experimental groups.

[0050] Experimental group design

[0051] The 6 processing groups are as follows:

[0052] CK: Blank control group, sprayed with deionized water;

[0053] CSL0.1: 0.1 mL / L corn steep liquor solution;

[0054] CSL0.5: 0.5 mL / L corn steep liquor solution;

[0055] CSL1: 1 mL / L corn steep liquor solution;

[0056] CSL2: 2 mL / L corn steep liquor solution;

[0057] CSL4: 4 mL / L corn steep liquor solution.

[0058] Application method of corn solution:

[0059] The application method is foliar spraying. A sprayer is used to treat the upper and middle leaves of the tea seedlings on both the front and back sides. During the spraying process, the roots of each plant are covered with a plastic film to prevent the solution from entering the potting soil. The spraying time is after 4 pm in early spring before the tea seedlings sprout. The spraying frequency is once every 3 days. The spraying amount is 10 mL of corn steep liquor solution per plant.

[0060] Step 3: Result Detection

[0061] After the treatment, leaf phenotypic indicators were measured, and tea leaves were collected for testing physicochemical indicators.

[0062] Experimental conclusion:

[0063] After processing, the phenotypic diagram of Longjing 43 is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, tea biomass is as follows Figure 5 As shown, the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of the leaves are as follows: Figure 6 As shown, chlorophyll content and nitrogen balance index are as follows: Figure 7 As shown, the nutritional quality components are as follows: Figure 8 As shown, the total antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging rate are as follows: Figure 9 As shown.

[0064] Results analysis:

[0065] from Figure 3-4 As can be seen, compared with the control (CK) treatment, spraying with 0.5 mL / L CSL increased the leaf area of ​​the second true leaf of the new shoot by 20.20%. Spraying with 0.5 mL / L and 1 mL / L CSL increased the internode length of the first and second true leaves of the new shoot by 31.33% and 27.79%, respectively. Spraying with CSL at concentrations of 0.1, 0.5, and 1 mL / L significantly increased the biomass of young leaves. Specifically, the fresh weight of young leaves increased by 45.28%, 79.93%, and 48.96%, respectively, and the dry weight increased by 45.61%, 72.77%, and 43.07%, respectively.

[0066] In addition, spraying with 0.1 and 0.5 mL / L CSL also significantly increased the biomass of mature leaves. Figure 5 The fresh weight of tea leaves increased by 26.57% and 49.60%, respectively, and the dry weight increased by 19.65% and 37.39%, respectively. Analysis of the total biomass of tea leaves revealed that, compared with the control group, spraying with 0.1 and 0.5 mL / L CSL significantly increased the fresh weight of leaves by 33.84% and 61.38%, and the dry weight by 25.49% and 45.35%, respectively. These results indicate that, at appropriate concentrations, CSL can promote the accumulation of biomass in tea leaves, with the 0.5 mL / L spray concentration showing the most significant effect.

[0067] The nitrogen balance index is an important indicator for measuring crop growth; a higher value indicates more vigorous leaf growth. Compared with the control (CK), spraying with 0.5 mL / L CSL increased the nitrogen balance index of young leaves by 13.46%. Figure 7 B) further demonstrates that CSL can promote the growth of tea leaves. Analysis of chlorophyll content and fluorescence parameters revealed that, compared to the control, spraying with 0.5 mL / L CSL increased the chlorophyll content of young leaves by 16.77% and mature leaves by 18.24%. Figure 7 AD).

[0068] Photosynthetic parameters such as Fv / Fm (maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII), ETR (photosynthetic electron transfer efficiency of PSII reaction center) and NPQ (non-photochemical quenching coefficient) reflect the photosynthetic efficiency, light energy utilization efficiency and photoprotection capacity of plants, respectively. Figure 6 The results showed that spraying with 0.5, 1, and 2 mL / L CSL significantly increased the Fv / Fm value of young leaves by 13.50%, 10.02%, and 11.33%, respectively; the ETR value significantly increased by 21.39%, 18.17%, and 17.55%, respectively; and the NPQ value significantly increased by 79.35%, 72.30%, 66.76%, and 33.32% after spraying with 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mL / L CSL, respectively. Different concentrations of CSL increased the NPQ value of mature leaves by 1.32 times, 1.71 times, 1.89 times, 2.11 times, and 1.84 times compared to the control in the CSL0.1, CSL0.5, CSL1, CSL2, and CSL4 treatment groups, respectively. Figure 6 These results indicate that appropriate concentrations of exogenous CSL can enhance the photosynthetic efficiency, light energy utilization, and photoprotection capacity of tea leaves. Among the concentrations tested, 0.5 mL / L CSL showed the most significant effect in promoting leaf growth and improving chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and was therefore selected for subsequent experiments.

[0069] Table 1 shows that exogenous corn syrup promoted the accumulation of macronutrients (N, K, Mg) and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, B, Zn) in tea leaves to varying degrees. Compared with the control (CK), spraying with 0.5 mL / L CSL significantly increased the contents of N, K, Mg, Fe, B, and Zn in young leaves by 9.67%, 11.88%, 6.82%, 7.08%, 76.44%, and 48.37%, respectively. In mature leaves, the contents of Fe and Mn significantly increased by 46.41% and 12.21%, respectively, after CSL treatment. This indicates that corn syrup promotes nutrient absorption in tea plants.

[0070] Table 1. Detection results of macronutrients and micronutrients in tea leaves after exogenous CSL treatment.

[0071]

[0072]

[0073] Note: Different letters 'a' and 'b' in each column indicate significant differences at the 5% level.

[0074] like Figure 8 As shown, corn steep liquor (CSL) improved tea quality. Spraying with 0.5 mL / L CSL (CSL0.5) significantly increased the contents of soluble protein, soluble sugar, free amino acids, and vitamin C by 13.70%, 31.59%, 6.33%, and 54.53%, respectively. Conversely, polyphenol content decreased by 13.96%, the phenol-to-amino acid ratio decreased significantly, and gallic acid content decreased by 15.87%. The total contents of the three alkaloids (theophylline, theobromine, and caffeine) decreased by 21.39%, 37.27%, and 17.41%, respectively. These results indicate that treatment with 0.5 mL / L CSL significantly improved the nutritional quality of tea. Figure 9 The results showed that spraying CSL significantly increased the total antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging rate of young leaves by 44% and 50%, respectively.

[0075] Example 2

[0076] Spraying corn steep liquor during drought stress simulation treatment stage

[0077] Step 1: Tea Tree Cultivation

[0078] Tea cultivation was conducted in a glass greenhouse, where daytime light intensity was maintained at approximately 300 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹, average daytime temperature was 16℃, and average nighttime temperature was 10℃. Relative humidity was consistently maintained at around 70%, and the photoperiod was 16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness. Two-year-old clonal tea seedlings of the Longjing 43 variety were selected as experimental materials. Seedlings with uniform growth were selected for pot experiments. The cultivation substrate consisted of a mixture of peat, vermiculite, and perlite in a 3:1:1 ratio. Every week, a tea-specific nutrient solution (NSP1030, Beijing Kulaibo Technology Co., Ltd.) with a pH of 5.0 ± 0.5 was applied. The nutrient solution composition was: NH₄NO₃ 80.04 mg / L, MnSO₄˙H₂O 0.17 mg / L, KH₂PO₄ 8.53 mg / L, (NH₄)₆Mo₇O₇ 24 The following nutrient solutions were added: 4H₂O 0.058 mg / L, K₂SO₄ 52.27 mg / L, MgSO₄ 80.64 mg / L, Al₂(SO₄)₃˙18H₂O 23.33 mg / L, CaCl₂ 58.82 mg / L, H₃BO₃ 0.43 mg / L, EDTAFeNa 1.77 mg / L, ZnSO₄˙7H₂O 0.19 mg / L, CuSO₄˙5H₂O 0.03 mg / L. The application rate of the tea tree nutrient solution was 400 mL / plant.

[0079] Step Two: Experimental Treatment

[0080] Group design

[0081] The grouping design for the two-group processing is as follows:

[0082] PEG: 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG);

[0083] PEG+CSL: 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG) + 0.5 mL / L corn steep liquor solution.

[0084] Test treatment

[0085] The PEG treatment served as the control group. Polyethylene glycol (PEG, 20% W / V) was added to tea tree-specific nutrient solution (NSP1030, Coolaber, China) to simulate drought stress conditions. The pH was adjusted to 5.0, and 400 mL of nutrient solution was applied to each pot / plant. The PEG+CSL treatment involved watering tea trees with tea tree-specific nutrient solution (pH 5.0), applying 400 mL of solution to each pot / plant, and spraying the leaves with corn steep liquor solution (CSL, 0.5 mL / L) every 3 days for a total of 6 sprays during the drought stress period.

[0086] Step 3: Result Detection

[0087] After the treatment, leaf phenotypic indicators were measured, and tea leaves were collected for testing physicochemical indicators.

[0088] Experimental conclusion:

[0089] After treatment, the phenotypic diagram of Longjing 43, the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate of tea leaves, the nitrogen balance index of leaves, and the submicroscopic structure of leaves were as follows: Figure 10 As shown.

[0090] Results analysis:

[0091] from Figure 10 It can be seen that corn syrup improves the drought resistance of tea trees, such as Figure 10 As shown in Figure A, under drought stress simulated by PEG, tea leaves exhibited wilting and yellowing, while tea leaves sprayed with CSL (PEG+CSL) remained dark green and grew well. DAB and NBT staining revealed denser brown and blue spots under PEG treatment, indicating the presence of H2O2 and O2. - Large amounts of these reactive oxygen species accumulate, while CSL treatment inhibits their accumulation. Figure 10 B). Furthermore, the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation was observed by Evans blue staining. The staining results showed that PEG-treated leaves were dark blue, while PEG+CSL-treated leaves were light blue, indicating that CSL reduced the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation. Figure 10B). Drought stress leads to cell dehydration, plasmolysis, loss of starch grains, and damage to chloroplast structure, resulting in disordered thylakoid arrangement. However, after spraying CSL under drought stress, no plasmolysis was observed, starch grains increased, and chloroplast thylakoids remained neatly arranged with good structural preservation. Figure 10 C). These results indicate that CSL effectively protected the ultrastructure of tea leaf cells under drought stress. Compared with PEG treatment, PEG+CSL treatment increased chlorophyll content, nitrogen balance index, and photosynthetic rate by 10.97%, 23.3%, and 96.46%, respectively. Figure 10 (DF) indicates that spraying CSL under drought stress helps tea trees grow better.

[0092] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cultivation method for improving tea tree growth, quality, and stress resistance using corn syrup, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Plant the asexual tea seedlings in a container filled with cultivation substrate and place them in a greenhouse for cultivation; (2) Apply nutrient solution every 6 to 8 days during cultivation; (3) Continue to cultivate until the tea seedlings sprout in early spring, and then spray them with corn syrup solution; In step (3), the corn steep liquor solution is applied by foliar spraying after being diluted with water. The application rate of the corn steep liquor solution is 8–12 mL per plant; The corn steep liquor solution is sprayed 5 to 7 times, with an interval of 2 to 3 days between each spraying. The concentration of the corn steep liquor solution is 0.5 mL / L; The improvement of tea tree growth includes increasing leaf biomass, internode length, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic capacity; The improvement of tea quality includes increasing the content of soluble protein, soluble sugar, and free amino acids; The improvement of tea tree's resistance to adverse conditions refers to enhancing its drought resistance.

2. The cultivation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tea seedlings in step (1) are two-year-old Longjing 43.

3. The cultivation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass ratio of peat, vermiculite and perlite in the cultivation substrate of step (2) is (2-4):(1-2):(1-2).

4. The cultivation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The environmental conditions of the greenhouse in step (1) are: daytime light intensity of 250–350 μmol m -2 s -1 The average daytime temperature is 14–20℃, the average nighttime temperature is 8–12℃, the relative humidity is 60–80%, and the photoperiod is 14–18 hours of light and 6–10 hours of darkness.

5. The cultivation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The formula for the nutrient solution in step (2) is as follows: NH4NO3 80~82mg / L、MnSO4˙H2O 0.16~0.18mg / L、KH2PO4 8~9mg / L、(NH4)6 Mo7O 24 ˙4H2O0.05~0.06mg / L、K2SO4 50~55mg / L、MgSO4 80~82mg / L、Al2(SO4)3˙18H2O 23~24mg / L、CaCl2 58~60mg / L、H3BO3 0.4~0.6mg / L、EDTAFeNa 1.5~2.0mg / L、ZnSO4˙7H2O 0.7~0.21mg / L、CuSO4˙5H2O 0.02~0.04mg / L。 6. The cultivation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The amount of nutrient solution applied is 300-500 mL per plant.

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