Impacts of Different Intercropping Patterns on Tea Garden Soil and Xylem Anatomical Structure Properties of Tea Tree

Huang Lichao; Hu Yuehao; Tao Yanlan; Lan Zengquan

doi:10.14083/j.issn.1001-4942.2026.01.015

Abstract：This study investigated the effects of different intercropping patterns on tea garden soil and xy-lem structure of tea tree[Camellia sinenesis(L.)O.Kuntze].Three intercropping patterns including Rhododen-dron delavayi Franch.with tea tree(MT),Prunus cerasoides(D.Don)Sok.with tea tree(DT),Juglans mand-shurica Maxim.with tea tree(HT)were selected to compare with the pure tea plantation(CK)in the Cherry Valley Scenic Area of Wuliang Mountain in Nanjian County,Dali Prefecture,Yunnan Province.Activity of soil enzymes,content of soil nutrients,and xylem anatomy traits of tea tree were analyzed in spring and autumn.The results indicated that compared with CK,MT and DT treatments generally enhanced the activity of tea garden soil enzymes in both seasons,whereas HT showed limited improvement.All intercropping patterns(DT,MT and HT)increased the content of soil organic matter,total phosphorus and total potassium in autumn,thereby im-proving soil physical and chemical properties in tea garden.DT and HT intercropping mode significantly in-creased the xylem vessel length of tea tree.In spring,the fiber length,fiber width,double wall thickness and lumen width of tea tree xylem in HT pattern were significantly higher than those in the other three patterns.In autumn,the indexes of xylem fiber of tea tree in MT garden were the highest,and the difference in fiber length and double wall thickness reached significant level.In conclusion,intercropping with other tree species could improve the soil properties of tea garden to a certain extent,and enhance the water and nutrient use efficiency of tea tree,so suitable intercropping patterns could be adopted during tea garden construction.