Purpose To study the regulatory effects of different pruning methods on the vegetative and reproductive growth of the tea cultivar ‘Baiye No. 1’, with the aim of inhibiting flower and fruit development, reducing nutrient consumption, promoting new shoot growth, and enhancing both tea yield and quality.
Methods Two kinds of pruning methods, three-dimensional pruning and canopy-surface pruning, were set up and used to explore the effects of two pruning methods and different pruning heights on the growth of tea flowers and on the yield and quality of tea leaves in ‘Baiye No. 1’.
Results Compared with the three-dimensional pruning method, the dry matter accumulation per tea flower under canopy-surface pruning method was lower, the reproductive growth consumed less nutrients, and the yield of fresh leaves was higher, and the ratio of flower biomass to tea fresh leaves yield was lower, which could effectively balance the reproductive and vegetative growth. Although spring tea shoots under canopy-surface pruning were somewhat thinner and contained slightly lower free amino acids (5.86%-6.68%), resulting in a somewhat inferior quality compared to three-dimensional pruning (free amino acid content was 7.06%-7.59%), they exhibited greater shoot density and higher canopy coverage. The yield of fresh tea leaves in spring under canopy-surface pruning was 19.03% to 125.69% higher than that of three-dimensional pruning, and summer and autumn tea could be harvested. With equivalent inputs, the annual net income from canopy-surface pruning was 51 000 yuan to 181 500 yuan per hectare higher than that from three-dimensional pruning, delivering more significant economic benefits. In three-dimensional pruning, the number of flowers and biomass increased with the increase of pruning height, and the spring yield of pruning 30 and 40 cm above the ground was significantly higher than that of pruning 20 cm above the ground. In canopy-surface pruning, the ratio of flower biomass to tea fresh leaves yield was the smallest (2.99) under the treatment of cutting off 5 cm of canopy layer, representing the most efficient nutrient use for reproductive growth.
Conclusion In high-altitude tea area, although canopy-surface pruning results in slightly inferior spring tea quality compared to the three-dimensional pruning method, its higher spring tea yield and the additional harvest of summer and autumn tea provide superior economic benefits, making it the preferred pruning method. In mid- to low-altitude tea-growing areas, if three-dimensional pruning is adopted, it is recommended to raise the pruning height to 30-40 cm above the ground.
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