Lushan Yunwu tea (LSYWT) is a famous green tea in China. However, the effects of intercropping tea with flowering cherry on the overall aroma of tea have not been well understood. In this study, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used for analysis. A total of 54 volatile compounds from eight chemical classes were identified in tea samples from both the intercropping and pure-tea-plantation groups. Principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and odor activity value (OAV) methods combined with sensory evaluation identified cis-jasmone, nonanal, and linalool as the key aroma compounds in the intercropping group. Benzaldehyde, α-farnesene, and methyl benzene were identified as the main volatile compounds in the flowering cherry using headspace solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC–MS). These findings will enrich the research on tea aroma chemistry and offer new insights into the product development and quality improvement of LSYWT.

Plants face various biotic and abiotic stress factors during their growth and development, among which, drought is a serious adverse factor that affects yield and quality in agriculture and forestry. Several transcription factors are involved in regulating plant responses to drought stress. In this study, the B-box (BBX) transcription factor CoBBX24 was cloned from Camellia oleifera. This gene encodes a 241-amino-acid polypeptide containing two B-box domains at the N-terminus. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that CoBBX24 and CsBBX24 from Camellia sinensis are in the same branch, with their amino acid sequences being identical by 96.96%. CoBBX24 was localized to the nucleus and acted as a transcriptional activator. The overexpression of CoBBX24 in Arabidopsis heightened its drought tolerance along with a relatively high survival rate, and the rate of water loss in the OX-CoBBX24 lines was observably lower than that of the wild-type. Compared to the wild-type, the root lengths of the OX-CoBBX24 lines were significantly inhibited with abscisic acid. Leaf senescence was delayed in the OX-CoBBX24 lines treated with abscisic acid. The expression of genes related to leaf senescence and chlorophyll breakdown (e.g., SAG12, SAG29, NYC1, NYE1, and NYE2) was downregulated in the OX-CoBBX24 lines. This study indicated that CoBBX24 positively regulates the drought tolerance in Arabidopsis through delayed leaf senescence.

Ning black autumn tea from Jiangxi, China, is often neglected by farmers due to quality decline under hot and arid autumn conditions. In this study, four soil moisture levels (T1–T4, ranging from 32.75% to 18.36%) were established through different sprinkler irrigation frequencies to investigate their effects on tea quality. T2 (27.98% soil moisture) exhibited the highest content of total free amino acids (13.77 mg/g), which was 13.33% higher than that in T4 (12.15 mg/g). Notably, T2 had the highest content of umami amino acids (6.75 mg/g) and the lowest content of bitter amino acids (3.07 mg/g) among all treatments. The total non-esterified catechin content in T2 (18.92 mg/g) was 2.74-fold higher than that in T4 (6.90 mg/g). Among the 55 volatile compounds identified, trans-nerolidol reached its highest odor activity value in T2 (11.77), contributing to a distinctive fruity and floral aroma. Sensory evaluation confirmed that T2 had the highest taste score (89.7), with significantly reduced bitterness and astringency, consistent with its enriched umami amino acids (6.75 mg/g) and lower bitter amino acids (3.07 mg/g). These findings demonstrate that maintaining soil moisture at approximately 28% through moderate sprinkler irrigation effectively balances flavor-related metabolites and improves autumn tea quality, offering a practical strategy to reduce resource waste and increase economic returns.

Two poplar varieties with different resistance to sulfur dioxide were subjected to different concentrations of SO₂ fumigation treatment. Young and mature leaves of Purui poplar (resistant) vs. 74/76 poplar (susceptible) were used to measure the changes in the activity of enzymes and metabolite content. Among the five key enzymes involved in sulfur metabolism and sulfur metabolites, APR, SO enzyme, GSH, and sulfate content have the greatest impact on young leaves of Purui, followed by 74/76 young leaves. The results show that for both Purui and 74/76 poplar, young leaves have stronger sulfur metabolism ability than mature leaves, indicating that young leaves have stronger SO₂ resistance. Purui has stronger sulfur metabolism ability than 74/76 poplar, especially reflected in their young leaves. The comparison between young and mature leaves, as well as the comparison between resistant and susceptible varieties, mutually confirms that sulfur metabolism in leaves is an important mechanism for sulfur dioxide resistance.