Articles
Application of a multidisciplinary approach to understand the effect of night temperatures on anthocyanin accumulation in Corvina (Vitis vinifera L.)
Article number
1346_7
Pages
51 – 58
Language
English
Abstract
Night temperatures are expected to increase considerably in Italy over the next decades due to climate change.
Nevertheless, research in viticulture has focused mainly on the effects of daily maximum temperatures on anthocyanin biosynthesis, which is strongly affected by light and temperature combination.
An integrated approach involving biochemical, molecular, and enzymatic analyses was applied to understand the effect of two different night temperature regimes on anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, hypothesizing a transcriptional and enzymatic control driven by low temperatures.
To test this hypothesis, potted grapevines of Corvina were cooled overnight (10-11°C) during veraison (LNT) and compared to control vines (C) grown at ambient night temperature (15-21°C). No effects of night temperature on soluble solids concentration and titratable acidity were detected, but LNT berries were characterized by a slowdown in anthocyanin accumulation during the treatment and by an accelerated anthocyanin synthesis after the end of the treatment in comparison to C. Low night temperatures enhanced the expression of the key genes of anthocyanins biosynthesis (MYBA1 and UFGT), although gene expression did not always match a simultaneous anthocyanin accumulation, while UFGT enzymatic activity seemed to be better correlated with night temperature.
These results suggest that the rising trend in night temperatures may lead to reduced anthocyanin production in red grapevine berries and wines in the future years and that the mechanisms that underlie berry response involve a different control at the levels of transcription and protein activity regulation.
Nevertheless, research in viticulture has focused mainly on the effects of daily maximum temperatures on anthocyanin biosynthesis, which is strongly affected by light and temperature combination.
An integrated approach involving biochemical, molecular, and enzymatic analyses was applied to understand the effect of two different night temperature regimes on anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, hypothesizing a transcriptional and enzymatic control driven by low temperatures.
To test this hypothesis, potted grapevines of Corvina were cooled overnight (10-11°C) during veraison (LNT) and compared to control vines (C) grown at ambient night temperature (15-21°C). No effects of night temperature on soluble solids concentration and titratable acidity were detected, but LNT berries were characterized by a slowdown in anthocyanin accumulation during the treatment and by an accelerated anthocyanin synthesis after the end of the treatment in comparison to C. Low night temperatures enhanced the expression of the key genes of anthocyanins biosynthesis (MYBA1 and UFGT), although gene expression did not always match a simultaneous anthocyanin accumulation, while UFGT enzymatic activity seemed to be better correlated with night temperature.
These results suggest that the rising trend in night temperatures may lead to reduced anthocyanin production in red grapevine berries and wines in the future years and that the mechanisms that underlie berry response involve a different control at the levels of transcription and protein activity regulation.
Publication
Authors
C. Pastore, F. Gaiotti, G. Allegro, A. Cellini, L. Lovat, N. Belfiore, F. Spinelli, I. Filippetti
Keywords
climate change, ripening, berry color, grapevine, gene expression
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