Abstract: 【Aim】 To clarify the influence of Aleurocanthus spiniferus infestation on the contents of biochemical substances and activities of antioxidant enzymes in tea leaves, so as to provide references for acurate, safe, efficient and green control of A. spiniferus to improve tea quality. 【Methods】 The contents of biochemical components including tea polyphenol, soluble sugars, free amino acids, caffeine and catechin and the activities of three antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD and CAT) in the 3rd leaves of Huangjinya tea (Camellia sinensis cv. Huangjinya) damaged by A. spiniferus at different levels were determined. 【Results】 With the increase of the damage level of A. spiniferus, the content of tea polyphenol in the 3rd leaves of Huangjinya tea decreased significantly and was the lowest (18.82%±0.21%) when the damage level was IV, while the contents of the free amino acids, caffeine, soluble sugars and catechin did not change significantly. The activities of POD and CAT in the 3rd leaves of Huangjinya tea firstly increased significantly and then decreased as the damage level increased, and were the highest at the damage level I, being 57.14±3.98 and 28.05±0.40 U/mg pro, respectively. The SOD activity decreased significantly with the increase of the damage level, and was the lowest (442.73±10.54 U/mg pro) when the damage level was IV. 【Conclusion】 There is no significant change in the contents of caffeine and catechins related to insect resistance and the contents of free amino acids and soluble sugars related to stress compensation in the leaves of Huangjinya tea damaged by A. spiniferus. However, the content of tea polyphenol decreases significantly, and the activities of the three antioxidant enzymes increase firstly and then decrease significantly as the damage level increases, suggesting that the resistance of Huangjinya tea to A. spiniferus infestation is quite low and the scientific management of A. spiniferus on Huangjinya tea needs to be strengthened.

Key words: Aleurocan spinfetus; Camellia sinensis cv. Huangjinya, damage level, biochemical components, antioxidant enzymes, insect resistance