Root Microbes May Be the Secret to a Better Tasting Cup of Tea
Published:23 Apr.2024 Source:Cell Press
A study shows that the making of a delicious cup of tea depends on another key ingredient: the collection of microbes found on tea roots. By altering that assemblage, the authors showed that they could make good-quality tea even better.
In the new study, the researchers wanted to learn more about how specifically root microbes affect tea quality. They found that the microbes in tea roots affected their uptake of ammonia, which in turn influenced the production of theanine, which is key for determining a tea's taste. They next constructed a synthetic microbial community, dubbed SynCom, that closely mirrored the one found in association with a high-theanine tea variety called Rougui. When they applied SynCom to tea roots, they found it boosted theanine levels. The microbes also allowed Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant commonly used in basic biological studies, to better tolerate low nitrogen conditions.
They now plan to further optimize SynCom and assess its use in field trials. They also hope to learn more about how root microbes affect other secondary metabolites in tea trees.