Dynamic changes in anthocyanin biosynthesis regulation of Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) grown during the rainy season under rain-shelter cultivation

Abstract The grapevine ( Vitis vinifera L.) berry coloring mechanism in response to seasonal rain during grape ripening remains poorly understood. Therefore, anthocyanin biosynthesis regulation, dynamic changes in anthocyanin accumulation, biosynthetic enzyme activities, and related gene expression patterns were investigated in Cabernet Sauvignon grown under rain-shelter cultivation and open-field cultivation. Results showed that anthocyanin biosynthesis was strongly repressed during the rainy season. Environmental fluctuation from seasonal rain provoked metabolic responses in grapes, and there was a significantly greater accumulation of most of the anthocyanins, mainly the compositions of non-acylated and non-methylated, under rain-shelter cultivation; these findings indicate that rain-shelter cultivation may help improve tolerance to seasonal rain-induced stresses. Obvious resilience was observed in anthocyanins of open-field-cultivated grapes at harvest. Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated strong correlations between anthocyanin contents, CHI and DFR activities, and VvMYB5b transcriptional level. These findings provide novel insight into the crucial factors that directly modulate anthocyanin biosynthesis and consequently control grape coloration.