Manganese sulfate application promotes berry flavonoid accumulation in Vitis vinifera cv. ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ by regulating flavonoid metabolome and transcriptome profiles

Abstract

BACKGROUNDFlavonoids are vital for developing grapes and wine quality, and manganese deficiency decreases grape berry coloration. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of action of manganese sulfate on grape metabolic profiles have not been well studied. In this study, three concentrations of manganese sulfate solutions: 0.5 μmol·L‐1 (low, L), 5 μmol·L‐1 (middle, M, the standard manganese concentration of Hoagland nutrient solution, control), and 1000 μmol·L‐1 (high, H) were applied to "Cabernet Sauvignon" grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) to explore the effect on berry composition.RESULTSManganese application effectively improved manganese concentration in grape organs. Furthermore, the concentrations of malvidin 3‐O‐(6‐O‐acetyl)‐glucoside, malvidin 3‐O‐glucoside, malvidin‐trans‐3‐O‐(6‐O‐p‐coumaryl)‐glucoside, and peonidin 3‐O‐(6‐O‐acetyl)‐glucoside were significantly increased under H treatment. More importantly, weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed that the structural genes (VvDFR, VvUFGT, and VvOMT) of flavonoid biosynthesis in brown module were upregulated under H treatment, and positively correlated with malvidin‐ and peonidin‐derived anthocyanin concentrations.CONCLUSIONSThis study suggested that manganese application regulates berry transcriptional and flavonoid metabolic profiles, providing a theoretical basis for improving the color of red grapes and wines.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.