Status and influential factors of soil nutrients and acidification in Chinese tea plantations

Abstract. The knowledge of the status and influential factors of soil nutrients including soil organic matter (SOM), nitrogen (N), potassium (K) and phosphorus (P), and acidification is the basis for sustainable management of tea plantations and thus the sustainability of tea industry. However, a study addressing this topic at a national level is lack. Thereby, we assessed the status, spatial variations, and influential factors of soil nutrients and acidification in China’s tea plantations based on 1,843 data pairs collected from 379 published articles. The results showed that only 40.90 % of the observed tea plantations could meet the standards of high-quality tea plantations and most tea plantations were facing soil acidification, and nutrient deficiencies and imbalance. Furthermore, the status of soil nutrients and pH varied among cultivation zones due to the impacts of geolocations, climate, and soil types. Specifically, tea plantations in the southern zone showed the lowest concentrations of soil available N and K and total K but the highest stoichiometric ratios of soil nutrients (P<0.05). The status of soil nutrients and pH was also significantly shaped by management practices (e.g., rotational life cycle and fertilization strategies). Applying organic fertilizer, extending rotational life cycle duration of cultivation, planting shading trees were recommended to improve the soil nutrient availability and balance and to mitigate soil acidification. Specifically, applying K fertilizer to tea plantations in the southern zone and/or at high altitudes was recommended.