BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN MICROCLONALLY PROPAGATED POPLARS UNDER ELEVATED UV-B RADIATION
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30970/sbi.2003.900
Abstract
Background. Fast-growing poplar plantations are a promising source of woody biomass and biologically active compounds – chlorophyll, phenolics, flavonoids, and salicylic acid. However, their physiological tolerance to acute ultraviolet B radiation (UV-B) remains poorly understood.
Materials and Methods. Highly productive hybrid poplar P. pyramidalis × P. laurifolia cv. ‘Novoberlinska-3’ was exposed to UV-B radiation at an irradiance of 3.35 W/m2 for 85 min, resulting in a total dose of 17 kJ/m². Chlorophyll content was determined using an MPM-100 multipigment fluorimeter on the first day, at intermediate periods from two to 33 days, and then 77 days after UV-B irradiation to assess short-term and long-term changes in the pigment apparatus. Flavonoid, total phenolic, and salicylic acid content were analyzed spectrophotometrically on the first and 33rd days after irradiation. In addition, stem height was assessed as an integral indicator of growth and development.
Results. UV-B irradiation caused a rapid increase in chlorophyll content immediately after irradiation, as well as a subsequent increase at later stages over a period of 33 to 77 days, indicating the possibility of long-term adaptive changes in the photosynthetic apparatus. A sharp increase in flavonoid and salicylic acid contents was observed within the first day after irradiation, consistent with the early activation of UV-sensitive signaling pathways. Total phenolic content in the experimental plants remained stable, while in the non-irradiated group, their levels decreased by almost half, possibly indicating adaptive stabilization of the antioxidant system in irradiated plants. Stem height remained unchanged, indicating no growth retardation.
Conclusions. The poplar clone ‘Novoberlinska-3’ showed high physiological stability under acute UV-B irradiation (17 kJ/m2), combining rapid metabolic responses with long-term adaptive changes in pigment and phenolic profiles. The maintenance of growth and photosynthetic activity highlights its resilience to short-term UV-B stress and confirms the adaptive potential of poplars under fluctuating UV-B levels.
Keywords
UV-B radiation, Poplar (Populus), secondary metabolites, salicylic acid, phenolics, flavonoids
Full Text:
PDFReferences
| Bandurska, H., & Cieślak, M. (2013). The interactive effect of water deficit and UV-B radiation on salicylic acid accumulation in barley roots and leaves. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 94, 9-18. doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2012.03.001 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Baroniya, S. S., Kataria, S., Pandey, G. P., & Guruprasad, K. N. (2014). Growth, photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism in soybean varieties after exclusion of the UV-B and UV-A/B components of solar radiation. The Crop Journal, 2(6), 388-397. doi:10.1016/j.cj.2014.08.002 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Bernhard, G. H., Bais, A. F., Aucamp, P. J., Klekociuk, A. R., Liley, J. B., & McKenzie, R. L. (2023). Stratospheric ozone, UV radiation, and climate interactions. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, 22(5), 937-989. doi:10.1007/s43630-023-00371-y Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Bornman, J. F., Barnes, P. W., Robson, T. M., Robinson, S. A., Jansen, M. A. K., Ballaré, C. L., & Flint, S. D. (2019). Linkages between stratospheric ozone, UV radiation and climate change and their implications for terrestrial ecosystems. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, 18(3), 681-716. doi:10.1039/c8pp90061b Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Chen, Z., Zheng, Z., Huang, J., Lai, Z., & Fan, B. (2009). Biosynthesis of salicylic acid in plants. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 4(6), 493-469. doi:10.4161/psb.4.6.8392 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Csepregi, K., & Hideg, É. (2018). Phenolic compound diversity explored in the context of photo-oxidative stress protection. Phytochemical Analysis, 29(2), 129-136. doi:10.1002/pca.2720 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Del Valle, J. C., Buide, M. L., Whittall, J. B., Valladares, F., & Narbona, E. (2020). UV radiation increases phenolic compound protection but decreases reproduction in Silene littorea. PloS One, 15(6), e0231611. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231611 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Escobar-Bravo, R., Chen, G., Grosser, K., Van Dam, N. M., Leiss, K. A., & Klinkhamer, P. G. L. (2019). Ultraviolet radiation enhances salicylic acid-mediated defense signaling and resistance to Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 in a jasmonic acid-deficient tomato mutant. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 14(4), e1581560. doi:10.1080/15592324.2019.1581560 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Gourlay, G., Hawkins, B.J., Albert, A., Schnitzler, J.-P. & Peter Constabel, C. (2022). Condensed tannins as antioxidants that protect poplar against oxidative stress from drought and UV-B. Plant, Cell & Environment, 45(2), 362-377. doi:10.1111/pce.14242 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Guarino, C., Paura, B., & Sciarrillo, R. (2018). Enhancing phytoextraction of HMs at real scale, by combining Salicaceae trees with microbial consortia. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 6, 137. doi:10.3389/fenvs.2018.00137 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Hara, M., Furukawa, J., Sato, A., Mizoguchi, T., & Miura, K. (2012). Abiotic stress and role of salicylic acid in plants. In P. Ahmad & M. N. V. Prasad (Eds.), Abiotic stress responses in plants (pp. 235-251). Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-0634-1_13 Crossref ● Google Schola | ||||
| ||||
| He, F., Zhao, Q., Shi, Y.-J., Li, J.-Lin., Wang, T., Lin, T.-T., Zhao, K.-J., Chen, L.-H., Mi, J.-X., Yang, H.-B., Zhang, F., & Wan, X.-Q. (2023). UV-B-pretreatment-enhanced cadmium absorption and enrichment in poplar plants. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(1), 52. doi:10.3390/ijms24010052 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Jang, Y. S., Lee, D. E., Hong, J.-H., Kim, K. A., Kim, B., Cho, Y. R., Ra, M.-J., Jung, S.-M., Yu, J.-N., An, S., & Kim, K. H. (2023). Phytochemical investigation of marker compounds from indigenous Korean Salix species and their antimicrobial effects. Plants, 12(1), 104. doi:10.3390/plants12010104 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Kataria, S., & Guruprasad, K. N. (2012). Solar UV-B and UV-A/B exclusion effects on intraspecific variations in crop growth and yield of wheat varieties. Field Crops Research, 125, 8-13. doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2011.08.011 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Kataria, S., Jajoo, A., & Guruprasad, K. N. (2014). Impact of increasing ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation on photosynthetic processes. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 137, 55-66. doi:10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2014.02.004 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Klem, K., Oravec, M., Holub, P., Šimor, J., Findurová, H., Surá, K., Veselá, B., Hodaňová, P., Jansen, M. A. K., & Urban, O. (2022). Interactive effects of nitrogen, UV and PAR on barley morphology and biochemistry are associated with the leaf C:N balance. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 172, 111-124. doi:10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.01.006 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Li, H., Meng, W., Xiao, H., Li, M., Yan, K., Li, Y., & He, Y. (2026). Elevated temperature and enhanced UV-B radiation alter soil nitrogen supply and allocation within rice plants in high-altitude paddy fields. BMC Plant Biology, 26(1), 91. doi:10.1186/s12870-025-07816-9 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Li, S., Xia, J., Liu, S., Li, Z., Shen, Q., Yang, F., Liu, X., & Bai, Y. (2024). Effects of UV-A/B/C on flavonoids and related synthetic enzymes in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 1477280. doi:10.3389/fpls.2024.1477280 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Loake, G., & Grant, M. (2007). Salicylic acid in plant defence - the players and protagonists. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 10(5), 466-472. doi:10.1016/j.pbi.2007.08.008 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Martel, A. B., & Qaderi, M. M. (2016). Does salicylic acid mitigate the adverse effects of temperature and ultraviolet-B radiation on pea (Pisum sativum) plants? Environmental and Experimental Botany, 122, 39-48. doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2015.09.002 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Martínez-Lüscher, J., Torres, N., Hilbert, G., Richard, T., Sánchez-Díaz, M., Delrot, S., Aguirreolea, J., Pascual, I., & Gomès, E. (2014). Ultraviolet-B radiation modifies the quantitative and qualitative profile of flavonoids and amino acids in grape berries. Phytochemistry, 102, 106-114. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2014.03.014 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| McKenzie, R. L., Aucamp, P. J., Bais, A. F., Björn, L. O., Ilyas, M., & Madronich, S. (2011). Ozone depletion and climate change: impacts on UV radiation. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, 10(2), 182-198. doi:10.1039/c0pp90034f Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Naikoo, M. I., Dar, M. I., Raghib, F., Jaleel, H., Ahmad, B., Raina, A., Khan, F. A., & Naushin, F. (2019). Role and regulation of plants phenolics in abiotic stress tolerance: an overview. In M. I. R. Khan, P. S. Reddy, A. Ferrante, & N. A. Khan (Eds.), Plant signaling molecules: role and regulation under stressful environments (pp. 157-168). Woodhead Publishing. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-816451-8.00009-5 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Patil, J. R., Mhatre, K. J., Yadav, K., Yadav, L. S., Srivastava, S., & Nikalje, G. C. (2024). Flavonoids in plant-environment interactions and stress responses. Discover Plants, 1(1), 68. doi:10.1007/s44372-024-00063-6 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Podolec, R., Demarsy, E., & Ulm, R. (2021). Perception and signaling of ultraviolet-B radiation in plants. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 72(1), 793-822. doi:10.1146/annurev-arplant-050718-095946 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Schola | ||||
| ||||
| Pushkarova, N. O., Lakhneko, O. R., Morgun, B. V., Kuchuk, M. V., Blume, Ya. B., & Yemets, A. I. (2019). Crambe aspera plants in vitro propagation and its effect on fatty acids and phenolic compounds content and genome stability. Biopolymers and Cell, 35(2), 118-128. doi:10.7124/bc.00099d Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Randriamanana, T. R., Nissinen, K., Moilanen, J., Nybakken, L., & Julkunen-Tiitto, R. (2015). Long-term UV-B and temperature enhancements suggest that females of Salix myrsinifolia plants are more tolerant to UV-B than males. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 109, 296-305. doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2014.06.007 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Ren, J., Duan, B., Zhang, X., Korpelainen, H., & Li, C. (2010). Differences in growth and physiological traits of two poplars from different altitudes under UV-B radiation and nutrient availability. Physiologia Plantarum, 138(3), 278-288. doi:10.1111/j.1399-3054.2009.01328.x Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Schola | ||||
| ||||
| Roviello, G. N. (2025). The multifunctional role of Salix spp.: linking phytoremediation, forest therapy and phytomedicine. Forests, 16(12), 1808. doi:10.3390/f16121808 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Şahin, T., Kasım, R., & Kasım, M. U. (2021). Twenty minutes of ultraviolet-B light improved quality of cherry fruits (Prunus avium L. cv 0900 Ziraat) during storage. Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 9(2), 375-385. doi:10.24925/turjaf.v9i2.375-385.4030 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Salinas, P., Velozo, S., & Herrera-Vásquez, A. (2024). Salicylic acid accumulation: emerging molecular players and perspectives on plant development and nutrition. Journal of Experimental Botany, 75(7), 2324-2336. doi:10.1093/jxb/erae309 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Santin, M., Castagna, A., Miras-Moreno, B., Rocchetti, G., Lucini, L., Hauser, M.-T., & Ranieri, A. (2020). Beyond the visible and below the peel: how UV-B radiation influences the phenolic profile in the pulp of peach fruit. A biochemical and molecular study. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 579063. doi:10.3389/fpls.2020.579063 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Santin, M., Lucini, L., Castagna, A., Rocchetti, G., Hauser, M. T., & Ranieri, A. (2019). Comparative "phenol-omics" and gene expression analyses in peach (Prunus persica) skin in response to different postharvest UV-B treatments. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 135, 511-519. doi:10.1016/j.plaphy.2018.11.009 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Schola | ||||
| ||||
| Sharma, S., & Guruprasad, K. N. (2012). Enhancement of root growth and nitrogen fixation in Trigonella by UV-exclusion from solar radiation. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 61, 97-102. doi:10.1016/j.plaphy.2012.10.003 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Sharma, S., Chatterjee, S., Kataria, S., Joshi, J., Datta, S., Vairale, M. G., & Veer, V. (2017). A review on responses of plants to UV-B radiation related stress. In V. P. Singh, S. Singh, S. M. Prasad, & P. Parihar (Eds.), UV-B radiation: from environmental stressor to regulator of plant growth (pp. 75-97). Wiley. doi:10.1002/9781119143611.ch5 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Singh, S., Agrawal, S. B., & Agrawal, M. (2015). Responses of pea plants to elevated UV-B radiation at varying nutrient levels: N-metabolism, carbohydrate pool, total phenolics and yield. Functional Plant Biology, 42(5), 471-484. doi:10.1071/fp15003 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Sokolova, D. A., Halych, T. V., Zhuk, V. V., & Kravets, A. P. (2024). Involvement of UV-C-induced genomic instability in stimulation рlant long-term protective reactions. Journal of Plant Physiology, 293, 154171. doi:10.1016/j.jplph.2024.154171 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Tawfeek, N., Mahmoud, M. F., Hamdan, D. I., Sobeh, M., Farrag, N., Wink, M., & El-Shazly, A. M. (2021). Phytochemistry, pharmacology and medicinal uses of plants of the genus Salix: an updated review. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 593856. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.593856 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Ullah, C., Chen, Y.-H., Ortega, M. A., & Tsai, C.-J. (2023). The diversity of salicylic acid biosynthesis and defense signaling in plants: knowledge gaps and future opportunities. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 72, 102349. doi:10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102349 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Verdaguer, D., Jansen, M. A. K., Llorens, L., Morales, L. O., & Neugart, S. (2017). UV-A radiation effects on higher plants: exploring the known unknown. Plant Science, 255, 72-81. doi:10.1016/j.plantsci.2016.11.014 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Wang, M., Liu, G., Guo, T., Xie, C., Wang, P., & Yang, R. (2023). UV-B radiation enhances isoflavone accumulation and antioxidant capacity of soybean calluses. Frontiers in Nutrition, 10, 1139698. doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1139698 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Wani, A. B., Chadar, H., Wani, A. H., Singh, S., & Upadhyay, N. (2017). Salicylic acid to decrease plant stress. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 15(1), 101-123. doi:10.1007/s10311-016-0584-0 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Warmiński, K., Stolarski, J. M., Gil, Ł., & Krzyżaniak, M. (2021). Willow bark and wood as a source of bioactive compounds and bioenergy feedstock. Industrial Crops and Products, 171, 113976. doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.113976 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Warrier, R. R., Paul, M., & Vineetha, M. V. (2013). Estimation of salicylic acid in Eucalyptus leaves using spectrophotometric methods. Genetics and Plant Physiology, 3(1-2), 90-97. Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Wong, T. M., Sullivan, J. H., & Eisenstein, E. (2022). Acclimation and compensating metabolite responses to UV-B radiation in natural and transgenic Populus spp. defective in lignin biosynthesis. Metabolites, 12(8), 767. doi:10.3390/metabo12080767 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Xie, X., He, Z., Chen, N., Tang, Z., Wang, Q., & Cai, Y. (2019). The roles of environmental factors in regulation of oxidative stress in plants. BioMed Research International, 2019, 9732325. doi:10.1155/2019/9732325 Crossref ● PubMed ● PMC ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Yadav, A., Singh, D., Lingwan, M., Yadukrishnan, P., Masakapalli, S. K., & Datta, S. (2020). Light signaling and UV-B-mediated plant growth regulation. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology, 62(9), 1270-1292. doi:10.1111/jipb.12932 Crossref ● PubMed ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Yatsiv, V., Kutsokon, N. & Rashydov, N. (2025). Physiological responses of microclonally propagated willow to excessive levels of UV-B radiation. Regulatory Mechanisms in Biosystems, 16(4), e25185. doi: 10.15421/0225185 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Zhang, H., He, H., Song, W., & Zheng, L. (2023). Pre-harvest UV-B irradiation enhances phenolic and flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of green and red leaf lettuce cultivars. Horticulturae, 9(6), 695. doi:10.3390/horticulturae9060695 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Zhang, L., Allen, L. H., Jr., Vaughan, M. M., Hauser, B. A., & Boote, K. J. (2014). Solar ultraviolet radiation exclusion increases soybean internode lengths and plant height. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 184, 170-178. doi:10.1016/j.agrformet.2013.09.011 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
| ||||
| Zhang, L., Wu, X., Tian, C., & Schneiter, R. (2024). Seasonal changes in salicylic and jasmonic acid levels in poplar with differing stress responses. Forests, 15(11), 1896. doi:10.3390/f15111896 Crossref ● Google Scholar | ||||
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2026 Volodymyr Yatsiv, Vladyslav Zhuk, Iryna Zhuk, Namik Rashydov, Nataliia Kutsokon
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.