In vivo assessing flavonols in white grape berries (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot Blanc) of different degrees of ripeness using chlorophyll fluorescence imaging
Sándor Lenk A , Claus Buschmann A and Erhard E. Pfündel B CA Botanisches Institut II, Universität Karlsruhe, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, D-76128 Karlsruhe, Germany.
B Universität Würzburg, Julius-von-Sachs-Institut für Biowissenschaften, D-97082 Würzburg, Germany.
C Corresponding author. Email: epfuendel@web.de
Functional Plant Biology 34(12) 1092-1104 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP07206
Submitted: 23 August 2007 Accepted: 17 October 2007 Published: 27 November 2007
Abstract
Exposed and non-exposed halves of field-grown berries of the white grapevine Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot Blanc at various stages of ripeness were analysed using chlorophyll fluorescence imaging. The stage of ripeness was classified by the total sugar concentration which ranged between 120 and 300 g L–1 for the different berries but was similar in the exposed and the non-exposed half of individual berries. Fluorescence was excited in the UV-A and the blue spectral region and detected at red as well as far-red wavelengths. At both emission ranges, UV-excited fluorescence was weak and required correction for the contribution of small false signals. After correction, in vivo UV screening by berry skins was derived from the ratio of UV-A to blue-excited fluorescence intensities, and a relationship between in vivo UV screening and flavonol quantity was established: the quantity of flavonols was determined by spectral analysis of extracted phenolics. Significantly high flavonol concentrations, and effective in vivo UV screening, were detected in most exposed half-berries at sugar concentrations higher than 200 g L–1 but not in non-exposed samples. This suggests that radiation-exposure conditions determine flavonol synthesis. Based on the absence of flavonol accumulation in exposed half-berries with sugar concentrations smaller than 200 g L–1, however, it is suggested that berries need to arrive at an advanced stage of ripeness before responding to radiation-exposure by synthesising large amounts of UV-protecting flavonols. Chlorophyll degradation, which was followed by blue-excited intensities of far-red fluorescence, progressed in parallel with increasing sugar content suggesting that chlorophyll degradation is associated with berry ripening. In addition, exposure to sunlight appeared to slightly stimulate chlorophyll decay.
Additional keywords: flavonoid, fruit, quercetin, ripening, sugar, UV, viticulture.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Dr Robert J. Porra for help in preparing the manuscript. We thank Mr. Alexander Doll from the Winzergenossenschaft (cave cooperative) Weingarten/Baden, Germany, for providing access to their vineyards. Spectral irradiances were measured in collaboration with Hans-Peter Daub (Lichttechnisches Institut, Universität Karlsruhe, Germany). Financial support of the European Community provided through the Human Potential Program under contract HPRN-CT-2002–00254, STRESSIMAGING is gratefully acknowledged. S.L. is a research fellow within this European Research Training Network.
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