Heterobasidion parviporum (Hp) were investigated using four clones of Norway spruce (Picea abies) with different susceptibility to Heterobasidion sp. Eight year old trees were inoculated with Ep and Hp to minimize the variation due to environment. After three weeks the bark tissue at the upper border of the inoculation hole were extracted with hexane and analyzed by GC-MS. Both treatment and clonal differences were found based on induced mono-, sesqui- and diterpenes. In addition, the Hp produced toxin, fomanoxin, was identified in lowest amount in the most Hp susceptible clone. The clonal trees seem to use different defense strategies towards the two fungi. One of the clones was able to induce strong chemical defense against both fungi, one clone induced chemical defense only against Ep and the most susceptible clone exhibited the least capacity to produce an effective defense against Ep and Hp. Two diterpenes were found to be distinctly different between clones with different susceptibilities, which can be used as chemical indication of Norway spruce resistance against fungi.
QC 20160531