Research advances in aluminum tolerance and accumulation in tea plant (Camellia sinensis)

Tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is widely planted on acidic soils where aluminum (Al) toxicity is considered as a primary factor limiting plant growth. Unlike most plant species, tea plant is Al tolerant and accumulates high levels of Al. Understanding the mechanisms underlying Al tolerance and accumulation in tea plant may contribute to the improvement of tea plant cultivation and development of Al-tolerant crops. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the uptake, transport and accumulation of Al in tea plant and the genetic and environmental factors that affect these processes. We further highlight recent studies of Al in tea plant based on omics approaches, including transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, ionomics and microbiomics. We present perspectives for future research that will be helpful to decipher the mechanisms underlying Al tolerance and accumulation in tea plant.