Abstract:

This paper systematically reviewed the latest research progress on the application of chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers, and novel fertilizers in tea cultivation, elucidating the practical effectiveness, advantages and disadvantages, and applicable scenarios of different fertilizer categories. The results showed: (1) In terms of chemical fertilizers, single-nutrient fertilizers exhibited rapid effects; however, their prolonged misuse could lead to soil acidification, compaction, and related issues. (2) In contrast, compound fertilizers with optimized nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratios enhanced tea yield and quality in a more balanced manner, with notable advances achieved on special compound fertilizer for specific varieties such as ‘Yinghong 9’ and ‘Jinguanyin’. (3) Regarding organic fertilizers, farmyard manure was shown to significantly improve soil structure and stimulate microbial activity. Bio-organic fertilizers optimized the rhizosphere microenvironment and increased soil enzyme activity through the introduction of functional microorganisms, thereby improving tea quality. Organic-inorganic compound fertilizers achieved synergistic benefits by combining rapid nutrient supply with long-term soil improvement. (4) This paper further examined the application mechanisms and potential of novel fertilizers: biological fertilizers utilized beneficial microorganisms to promote nutrient transformation and uptake, alleviating issues related to continuous cropping. Soil amendments (e.g., biochar and humic acid-based materials) targeted soil acidification and improved soil physicochemical properties. Water-soluble fertilizers demonstrated clear advantages in topdressing, especially in fertigation systems, owing to their high nutrient use efficiency and ease of application. Finally, the paper concluded that the synergistic application of different types of fertilizers was the core path of high quality and high yield of tea garden and soil health. Future research should be directed toward establishing a precision fertilization system based on integrated soil-plant diagnosis, developing region- and variety-adapted slow-release compound fertilizers, and functional organic-inorganic fertilizers, along with establishing evaluation standards for green fertilizers in tea gardens to foster high-quality development of the tea industry.

Key words: tea, chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer, novel fertilizer, continuous cropping obstacle, precision fertilization, high-quality development