Short- and long-term physiological responses of grapevine leaves to UV-B radiation

• Grapevine showed high tolerance to UV-B.
• Only high UV-B doses transiently reduced grapevine photosynthetic performance, inducing stomatal closure.
• Differential responses of grapevine to short- and long-term exposures to high UV-B were revealed.
• High UV-B doses triggered the antioxidant enzyme's response of grapevine, avoiding oxidative damage.
• UV-B absorbing compounds strongly increased in plants acclimated to UV-B.

The present study aimed at evaluating the short- and long-term effects of UV-B radiation on leaves of grapevine Vitis vinifera (cv. Tempranillo). Grapevine fruit-bearing cuttings were exposed to two doses of supplemental biologically effective UV-B radiation (UV-BBE) under glasshouse-controlled conditions: 5.98 and 9.66 kJ m−2 d−1. The treatments were applied either for 20 d (from mid-veraison to ripeness) or 75 d (from fruit set to ripeness). A 0 kJ m−2 d−1 UV-B treatment was included as control. The main effects of UV-B were observed after the short-term exposure (20 d) to 9.66 kJ m−2 d−1. Significant decreases in net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, sub-stomatal CO2 concentration, the actual photosystem II (PSII) efficiency, total soluble proteins and de-epoxidation state of the VAZ cycle were observed, whereas the activities of several antioxidant enzymes increased significantly. UV-B did not markedly affect dark respiration, photorespiration, the maximum potential PSII efficiency (Fv/Fm), non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), as well as the intrinsic PSII efficiency. However, after 75 d of exposure to 5.98 and 9.66 kJ m−2 d−1 UV-B most photosynthetic and biochemical variables were unaffected and there were no sign of oxidative damage in leaves. The results suggest a high long-term acclimation capacity of grapevine to high UV-B levels, associated with a high accumulation of UV-B absorbing compounds in leaves, whereas plants seemed to be tolerant to moderate doses of UV-B.