PAR modulation of the UV-dependent levels of flavonoid metabolites in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. leaf rosettes: cumulative effects after a whole vegetative growth period

Long-term effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on flavonoid biosynthesis were investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana using the sun simulators of the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen. The plants, which are widely used as a model system, were grown (1) at high photosynthetically active radiation (PAR; 1,310 µmol m−2 s−1) and high biologically effective UV irradiation (UV-BBE 180 mW m−2) during a whole vegetative growth period. Under this irradiation regime, the levels of quercetin products were distinctively elevated with increasing UV-B irradiance. (2) Cultivation at high PAR (1,270 µmol m−2 s−1) and low UV-B (UV-BBE 25 mW m−2) resulted in somewhat lower levels of quercetin products compared to the high-UV-BBE conditions, and only a slight increase with increasing UV-B irradiance was observed. On the other hand, when the plants were grown (3) at low PAR (540 µmol m−2 s−1) and high UV-B (UV-BBE 180 mW m−2), the accumulation of quercetin products strongly increased from very low levels with increasing amounts of UV-B but the accumulation of kaempferol derivatives and sinapoyl glucose was less pronounced. We conclude (4) that the accumulation of quercetin products triggered by PAR leads to a basic UV protection that is further increased by UV-B radiation. Based on our data, (5) a combined effect of PAR and different spectral sections of UV radiation is satisfactorily described by a biological weighting function, which again emphasizes the additional role of UV-A (315–400 nm) in UV action on A. thaliana.