Photosynthesis under Light Stress—Methods to Detect Acclimation and Damage to the Photosynthetic Apparatus

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The UV4Plants Training School, Ostrava (14. – 17. 10. 2025):

The UV4Plants Training School was organised to provide early-career researchers and students with hands-on experience in methods commonly used to investigate plant responses to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Instead of working on unrelated samples, participants performed an experiment under near-real research conditions. The central question addressed whether barley leaf angle, vertical or horizontal, modulates the spatial distribution of UV-protective pigments and how this relates to the severity of acute UV-B-induced damage, as evaluated by photosynthetic performance related parameters (Fv/Fm, thylakoid-membrane integrity, and CO₂-fixation rate).

The experiment comprised two phases. First, prior to any UV-B exposure, the acclimatory state of leaves grown at different angles, specifically the distribution of UV-absorbing pigments and the associated leaf optical properties,were determined. Second, the acute effects of UV-B were examined in primary leaves developed at these contrasting angles, enabling a direct comparison of pigment distribution and physiological damage.

Participants received practical training in: (i) basic HPLC profiling of UV-absorbing pigments; (ii) characterisation of leaf optical properties, including non-destructive in vivo estimation of UV-screening compounds, spectrofluorimetric analysis of chlorophyll excitation spectra in the UV range, and spectroradiometric measurements of leaf reflectance; (iii) functional analysis of Photosystem II using (imaging-)PAM fluorometry; (iv) electrochromic shift (ECS)-based assessment of thylakoid-membrane integrity; and (v) whole-leaf gas-exchange measurements to link pigment and optical traits with photosynthetic performance.

The pedagogical framework covered entire experimental process—from discussion of the experimental setup through sampling, standardised data acquisition, inter-group data pooling, and supervised processing—culminating in structured, cross-method synthesis. Joint synthesis sessions were chaired by senior scientists, including Prof. Éva Hideg and Prof. Wolfgang Bilger, who guided interpretation, highlighted methodological limitations and sources of variance, and demonstrated best practices for cross-validation across optical, biochemical, and gas-exchange datasets. The school thus combined rigorous practical instruction with integrative data analysis, aligning with the UV4Plants mission to advance robust, comparable research on plant UV responses.

Summary of Participation:
Participants completed 7 hours of lectures, 12 hours of practical (lab-)lectures, and 6 hours of meetings focused on data-processing and discussions of results.

Local Organizing Committee

  • Dr. Jakub Nezval — Main Coordinator
  • Dr. Adriana Volná — Logistics and Communication
  • Dr. Daniel Vrábl — Scientific Advisor
  • Dr. Martin Navrátil — Finances and Communication
  • Prof. Éva Hideg — Scientific Advisor

Lecturers

  • Prof. Wolfgang Bilger — Leaf optics; measurement of epidermal UV transmittance; Key Lecture; Discussion Leader
  • Dr. Jakub Nezval; Dr. Zuzana Kmecová Materová — HPLC techniques
  • Dr. Martin Navrátil — Leaf reflectance; Imaging-PAM
  • Dr. Václav Karlický — Electrochromic shift (ECS)–based analysis of thylakoid membranes; measurement of chlorophyll excitation spectra in the UV region
  • Assoc. Prof. Michal Štroch — PAM-based techniques
  • Dr. Daniel Vrábl; Jan Pleva, MSc — Gas-exchange analysis

UV4Plants Training School October 15–17, 2025, Ostrava, Czech Republic

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Dear UV4Plants members,

We are pleased to announce the UV4Plants Training School in Ostrava, Czech Republic, from 15th to 17th October 2025*. The training school is designed for PhD students as well as for master’s students who have previous experience in plant research.

A few seats are still available for the upcoming Training School. Therefore, the application deadline has been extended to Friday, 12th September, 12:00 PM (midday).

This three-day event will focus on experimental approaches to evaluate plant responses to light stress (excessive PAR or UV), particularly its effect on photosynthesis and the optical properties of leaves. Participants will have the opportunity to explore a combination of physiological, biochemical, and biophysical techniques through hands-on laboratory exercises.  The interpretation and synthesis of experimental results will form an important part of the workshop for the student group.

The detailed Programme is in the 2nd Circular UV4Plants training school in Ostrava_2025

The registration form is given here.

Local Organizing Committee

Mgr. Jakub Nezval, Ph.D.

Mgr. Adriana Volná, Ph.D.

Mgr. Martin Navrátil, Ph.D.

Prof. Éva Hideg, Ph. D.

For the UV4Plants Association

Prof. Dr. Susanne Neugart, President

Grateful to UV4Plants: My Experience at the 21st Congress of European Society for Photobiology

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Dear UV4Plants community,

Thanks to the generous support of the UV4Plants bursary and the ESP, I had the opportunity to attend the 21st Congress of the European Society for Photobiology (ESP) (https://www.photobiology.eu/esp-2025-congress-bari), which took place in Bari (Italy) from August 24th to 28th, 2025. The event brought together researchers from across Europe and beyond, creating a lively space to share the latest advances in photobiology.

Three sessions were particularly interesting for me: “Plant UV Photobiology” led by Gareth Jenkins, “UV radiation and climate effects through the lens of the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel” chaired by Janet Bornman, and “Precision Photobiology: Tailoring Light Environments in Controlled Environment Agriculture” driven by Matt Jones, because they connect directly to the core of my postdoctoral project at Örebro University (Sweden) (https://www.oru.se/personal/lara_garcia-campa).

I also had the chance to present my own work with a talk during the congress, as the recipient of the ESP Best Ph.D Thesis Award i

n the plant photobiology area. My project explores UV-B-mediated acclimation to high-light stress in Norway spruce and Scots pine, the two most economically important conifer species in Sweden and across Scandinavia. The feedback I received was very constructive and encouraging, and the discussions with experienced researchers were both insightful and motivating.

This was my first time attending this meeting, and the experience exceeded my expectations. The talks were diverse, inspiring, and highly relevant, ranging from molecular mechanisms to ecological implications, and providing me with fresh ideas for my own research.

The meeting offered a wonderful opportunity to connect with the community. I really appreciated the open, friendly atmosphere, which made it easy to exchange ideas, ask questions, and establish potential future collaborations. And of course, Bari was a beautiful backdrop for the congress. A city full of history, charm, and great food!

Overall, this conference was a meaningful step in my development as a researcher. I’m very grateful to UV4Plants for making this experience possible through the travel grant, and I look forward to staying involved in the network in the future.

All the best,

Lara García Campa

21st Congress of European Society for Photobiology in Bari, Italy

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The 21st Congress of European Society for Photobiology, which took place from 24 to 28 August 2025 in Bari, Italy, provided news on plant UV and light research. Two sessions were particularly interesting: “Plant UV Photobiology” led by Gareth Jenkins and “UV radiation and climate effects through the lens of the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel” chaired by Janet Bornman. UV4Plants Association supported Young Members with bursaries for attendance.