Full-process mechanization of tea production: technological advances and prospects from mechanization-friendly planting to mechanical harvesting

Abstract

To address labor shortages and rising production costs in the tea industry, as well as the limited adaptability of machinery to hilly and mountainous tea plantations, this study systematically screened and synthesized the literature published between 1990 and 2026 following the PRISMA framework, ultimately including 216 studies. The results indicate that tea plantation mechanization is transitioning from stand-alone machinery and manual assistance toward lightweight, precision-based, intelligent, and fully coordinated operations. However, several challenges remain, including inadequate adaptability to complex terrain, insufficient integration of agricultural machinery with agronomic practices, limited reliability and standardization of key components, inadequate accuracy and efficiency in shoot and leaf recognition, localization, and low-damage harvesting, and an insufficient understanding of the relationship between mechanized operations and tea quality. Future research should promote the development of standardized, machinery-compatible tea plantations; develop modular operation platforms, high-mobility chassis, active terrain-following systems, and flexible end effectors; advance the application of multimodal sensing, autonomous navigation, digital twins, and multi-machine coordination; and establish long-term evaluation systems for operational performance and tea quality across regions and seasons. These efforts will help build an integrated, full-process mechanization system that closely coordinates tea plant characteristics, agronomic practices, mechanical equipment, and information-based control, thereby supporting the efficient, high-quality, green, and sustainable development of the tea industry.