Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 235-248 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 245 The future development of precision harvesting should not be limited to improving recognition accuracy. Instead, an integrated management system should be established to cover tea plant growth monitoring, bud emergence prediction, fresh leaf grading, harvesting organization, transportation scheduling, and processing capacity allocation. Through the close integration of digital agriculture and production management, spring tea can be harvested more precisely, summer and autumn leaves can be more fully utilized, and continuous year-round production can be achieved. This will improve tea garden resource-use efficiency and the stability of tea quality. 6.2 A quality-centered seasonal production system Future tea production will gradually shift from a yield-oriented approach to a quality-oriented approach. Spring, summer, and autumn teas differ clearly in chemical composition, processing suitability, and market position. Therefore, using the same cultivation and processing methods throughout the year can no longer meet the needs of the modern tea industry. Establishing differentiated production systems according to the quality characteristics of fresh leaves from different seasons will become an important direction for future development. During processing, the specific advantages of fresh leaves from each season should be fully used. Spring leaves contain relatively high levels of amino acids and have a fresh taste, making them more suitable for premium green tea production. Summer leaves contain higher levels of tea polyphenols and are more suitable for black tea and other fermented teas, in which fermentation can reduce bitterness and improve aroma. Autumn leaves can be processed into dark tea and specialty products through pile fermentation and other methods, allowing more reasonable allocation of fresh leaf resources throughout the year. A seasonal production model based on “premium products from spring tea, specialty products from summer tea, and further processing of autumn tea” can improve the value of fresh leaves harvested in different seasons and strengthen the market competitiveness of the tea industry. Future quality management should also cover the entire tea production process, including cultivar selection, fertilization, pruning, shading, fresh leaf grading, and processing. Cai et al. (2024) reported that season-specific nitrogen application not only increased fresh leaf yield but also improved leaf quality in different seasons. Summer fertilization was more effective in promoting tea polyphenol accumulation, whereas autumn fertilization helped increase amino acid and theanine contents. Dong et al. (2026) found that optimizing canopy structure, pruning systems, and fertilization management could balance mechanical harvesting efficiency with the quality of summer and autumn tea, providing technical support for high-quality mechanized production. Future tea garden management should place greater emphasis on season-specific practices. Cultivation measures, harvesting standards, and processing routes should be developed according to the characteristics of spring, summer, and autumn leaves. In this way, quality management can be applied throughout the production process and support stable, high-quality tea production throughout the year. 6.3 Development of high-value seasonal tea products The future development of the tea industry should focus not only on further improving spring tea quality but also on making full use of summer and autumn tea resources. Increasing annual fresh leaf utilization is essential for the sustainable development of the tea industry. For many years, summer and autumn teas have had relatively low market prices because of their stronger bitterness and astringency. In some areas, these leaves are not harvested, resulting in resource waste. With continued improvements in processing technology and changing consumer demand, summer and autumn teas are gradually being transformed from traditional tea-drinking materials into raw materials for functional foods, health products, and specialty processed products. Summer and autumn teas are rich in tea polyphenols, catechins, and other bioactive compounds and therefore have considerable development potential. Yang et al. (2023) pointed out that future functional tea products may include γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-rich tea, low-caffeine tea, selenium-enriched tea, and tea products with high levels of bioactive compounds. Fresh leaves from different seasons can be used to develop different products according to their quality characteristics. A meta-analysis by Li et al. (2025b) showed that selenium enrichment significantly increased selenium concentrations in tea and improved the composition of amino acids, soluble
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