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Ultraviolet-A Radiation (UVA) as a Stress and the Influence of Provenance and Leaf Age on the Expression of Phenolic Compounds by Eucalyptus camaldulensis ssp. camaldulensis

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: UV radiation represents a significant abiotic stress to green plants for which phenolic compounds have been suggested to be a component of their photoprotective adaptations. We used a unique combination of experimental (LED lighting and leaf tagging) and analytical (unbiased metabolomics) approaches to study the effects of high (approximating mid-summer) and low (approximating winter) UVA on the expression of phenolic compounds by five provenances of river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis ssp. camaldulensis). The geographically separated provenances used in our study span the lowest and highest latitudes of the range of this subspecies. Gallotannins and ellagitannins (i.e. hydrolysable tannins) increased most in concentration under high UVA but responses differed only slightly among provenances. The most substantial changes in the composition of phenolic compounds were associated with leaf age. Three-month-old (termed herein ‘young’) leaves had substantially different phenolic compositions to six- and 12-month-old (‘old’) leaves. Hydrolysable tannins were more abundant in young leaves whereas pedunculagin, catechin and kaempferol galloyl glucoses were more abundant in old leaves. High UVA altered the expression of phenolic compounds but our experimental saplings were unlikely to have experienced photoinhibition because they were not exposed to high light and low temperature – nor were they nitrogen limited. We expect that changes in phenolic compounds may have been more pronounced if we had induced photoinhibition.
Source: Plants
DOI: 10.3390/plants14030493
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
OpenAlex ID: W4407196053
FWCI: 3.516
Cites: 61
Cited by: 7
Related to: 10