Effect of tea green leafhopper (Empoasca onukii Matsuda) sucking on the quality of Oriental Beauty

This study aimed to investigate the effects of tea green leafhopper damage on the sensory quality and metabolite composition of Oriental Beauty by using tea leaves from different varieties of tea plants and processing factories. The results indicated that tea green leafhopper damage could reduce bitterness and increase the level of fruity aroma, which was related to the content changes of catechin components and alcohol substances. Furthermore, the tea green leafhopper salivary treatment experiment revealed that the decrease of catechin content and increase of theaflavin content were mainly influenced by the action of saliva and mechanical injury, and changes in volatile components such as linalool oxidation were responsible for the alteration in aroma. These findings provide a theoretical reference for the aroma formation and quality improvement of Oriental Beauty.