A 2-year study explored metabolic and phenotypic plasticity of sun-acclimated Vitis vinifera cv. Pinot noir leaves collected from 12 locations across a 36.69-49.98°N latitudinal gradient. Leaf morphological and biochemical parameters were analysed in the context of meteorological parameters and the latitudinal gradient. We found that leaf fresh weight and area were negatively correlated with both global and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, cumulated global radiation being a stronger correlator. Cumulative UV radiation (sumUVR) was the strongest correlator with most leaf metabolites and pigments. Leaf UV-absorbing pigments, total antioxidant capacities, and phenolic compounds increased with increasing sumUVR, whereas total carotenoids and xanthophylls decreased. Despite of this reallocation of metabolic resources from carotenoids to phenolics, an increase in xanthophyll-cycle pigments (the sum of the amounts of three xanthophylls: violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, and zeaxanthin) with increasing sumUVR indicates active, dynamic protection for the photosynthetic apparatus. In addition, increased amounts of flavonoids (quercetin glycosides) and constitutive β-carotene and α-tocopherol pools provide antioxidant protection against reactive oxygen species. However, rather than a continuum of plant acclimation responses, principal component analysis indicates clusters of metabolic states across the explored 1,500-km-long latitudinal gradient. This study emphasizes the physiological component of plant responses to latitudinal gradients and reveals the physiological plasticity that may act to complement genetic adaptations.

• MeSH
• absorpce radiace MeSH
• alfa-tokoferol analýza   MeSH
• analýza hlavních komponent MeSH
• antioxidancia metabolismus   MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• fenoly analýza   MeSH
• karotenoidy analýza   MeSH
• listy rostlin anatomie a histologie   metabolismus   fyziologie   účinky záření   MeSH
• metabolom MeSH
• podnebí * MeSH
• ultrafialové záření MeSH
• Vitis anatomie a histologie   metabolismus   fyziologie   účinky záření   MeSH
• xanthofyly analýza   MeSH
• zeměpis MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

Mature berries of Pinot Noir grapevines were sampled across a latitudinal gradient in Europe, from southern Spain to central Germany. Our aim was to study the influence of latitude-dependent environmental factors on the metabolite composition (mainly phenolic compounds) of berry skins. Solar radiation variables were positively correlated with flavonols and flavanonols and, to a lesser extent, with stilbenes and cinnamic acids. The daily means of global and erythematic UV solar radiation over long periods (bud break-veraison, bud break-harvest, and veraison-harvest), and the doses and daily means in shorter development periods (5-10 days before veraison and harvest) were the variables best correlated with the phenolic profile. The ratio between trihydroxylated and monohydroxylated flavonols, which was positively correlated with antioxidant capacity, was the berry skin variable best correlated with those radiation variables. Total flavanols and total anthocyanins did not show any correlation with radiation variables. Air temperature, degree days, rainfall, and aridity indices showed fewer correlations with metabolite contents than radiation. Moreover, the latter correlations were restricted to the period veraison-harvest, where radiation, temperature, and water availability variables were correlated, making it difficult to separate the possible individual effects of each type of variable. The data show that managing environmental factors, in particular global and UV radiation, through cultural practices during specific development periods, can be useful to promote the synthesis of valuable nutraceuticals and metabolites that influence wine quality.

• MeSH
• anthokyaniny analýza   metabolismus   MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• flavonoly analýza   metabolismus   MeSH
• nadmořská výška MeSH
• ovoce chemie   růst a vývoj   metabolismus   účinky záření   MeSH
• polyfenoly analýza   metabolismus   MeSH
• ultrafialové záření MeSH
• Vitis chemie   růst a vývoj   metabolismus   účinky záření   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH