Advances in Tea Gray Blight Research: Classification, Pathogenic Mechanisms, and Host Immunity from a Multi-Omics Perspective of Pestalotiopsis -like Fungi

Abstract

Tea gray blight, caused by the Pestalotiopsis-like species, poses a major threat to global tea production. The pathogen’s complexity, characterized by cryptic diversity (Pestalotiopsis, Pseudopestalotiopsis, and Neopestalotiopsis) and a dynamic ‘endophyte-pathogen’ lifestyle switch modulated by ecological factors, complicates effective control. Synthesizing recent breakthroughs in multi-omics and functional genomics, this review delineates a tripartite defense architecture in tea plants: (1) Signal-Epigenetic Coordination, featuring a unique spatiotemporal synergy between Salicylic Acid (SA) and Jasmonic Acid (JA), and a CsPRMT5-mediated histone methylation module that functions as a ‘molecular brake’ to fine-tune immune onset; (2) Metabolic Flux Redirection, wherein alternative splicing (e.g., CsDFR isoforms) acts as a rapid switch to prioritize the biosynthesis of high-potency esterified catechins and volatiles; and (3) Physical Reinforcement, driven by miRNA-regulated lignification (e.g., the miR397a-CsLAC17 module). To bridge the critical ‘translation gap’ between mechanistic discovery and field stability, we propose a closed-loop research framework. This roadmap integrates pan-genome taxonomy to resolve classification ambiguities, RNP-CRISPR gene editing to validate effector-receptor interactions, synthetic microbial communities for ecological engineering, and AI-driven precision management. This review not only decodes the molecular dialogue in the tea-Pestalotiopsis pathosystem but also provides a blueprint for leveraging systems biology to achieve resilient, quality-preserving disease control.