Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Effect of weather conditions on photosynthetic and flavonoid pigment contents in leaves of grapevine cultivars during growing season

Author(s):

Carmen Doina Jitareanu^*, Liana Doina Toma, Cristina Slabu, Alina Elena Marta

Recieved Date: 2011-06-24, Accepted Date: 2011-10-08

Abstract:

The ecophysiological response of vine varieties under global warming-induced climate conditions was assessed by using leaf photosynthetic and flavonoid pigment contents as indicators of photosynthesis and plant resistance to stress conditions. The experiments were conducted on 4 vine varieties, Fetească albă, Fetească neagră, Fetească regală and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown in the vineyard center Iasi, Experimental Farm of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Romania, during 2007 – 2009. Temperature and rainfall were recorded by decade during the period from spring to autumn, and the values of mean temperatures and the sum of monthly rainfall were related to mean multiannual temperatures. The evolution of temperature and rainfall in the growing season of the grapevine showed the occurrence of the global warming phenomenon, represented by the appearance of drought in 2007 and 2009. In 2007, the drought was caused by an excessive overheating during the summer, with an increase of the monthly average temperature with up to +4.6°C and the daily temperature, which frequently exceeded +40°C. In 2009, the drought was caused by a severe deficit of rainfall, which represents only 55.6% of the multi-annual average value. The ecophysiological response of grape vine varieties was estimated by determination of visible and near UV light absorption capacity of leaf acetone extracts (1%). The 663-664 nm chlorophyll may assess the intensity of photosynthesis in the response centre, while a 431-432 nm and 453 nm chlorophyll may evaluate the light absorption capacity in the light absorption centre of photosynthetic systems; the flavonoid pigments with near UV absorption (321-322 nm) may evaluate the plant response to different factors of climate stress. The comparative study of leaf pigment contents of vegetative and flower shoots may evaluate the various mechanisms controlling plant growth, fructification and stress resistance. Under overheating conditions of 2007, the French variety Cabernet Sauvignon and the Romanian Fetească neagră had the highest photosynthetic intensity and capacity of light absorption. Under conditions of severe water shortage of 2009, Cabernet Sauvignon reacted by reducing the photosynthetic intensity and the intensification of light absorption, while the autochthonous varieties showed a more balanced behaviour. The content of flavonoid pigments was highly reduced at all varieties because of the water shortage. The red varieties of Fetească neagră and Cabernet Sauvignon reacted to severe water shortage by reducing the intensity of photosynthesis, and by increasing the capacity of light absorption in the leaves of the vegetative shoots compared to floriferous ones especially during the ripening period. Water deficit in 2009 reduced flavonoid pigment content in leaves in all studied varieties compared to 2008.

Keywords:

Grape vine, vineyard, ecophysiology, photosynthetic pigments, ecophysiological response

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2011
Volume: 9
Issue: 3&4
Category: Environment
Pages: 793-798

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :