Abstract

Addition of nitrogen (N) to the field layer of boreal forests has been shown to increase the occurrence of the parasitic fungus Valdensia heterodoxa on Vaccinium myrtillus plants. We investigated whether N addition to soil alters the levels of polyamines in V myrtillus shoots, and discuss here whether such changes could promote the spread of the parasitic fungus on V. myrtillus. Using HPLC, we analyzed the concentrations of free and conjugated polyamines in healthy and naturally V heterodoxa-infected V myrtillus plants, which had received a moderate or high dose of N fertilizer, or Do additional N. Fertilization with N increased the concentrations of free diamines (putrescine and diaminopropane), but had no significant effect on conjugated amines. Thus, N-induced changes in the constitutive levels of soluble conjugated amines do not seem to explain the increased parasite susceptibility of V myrtillus under N enrichment. Generally, the concentrations of free diamines and insoluble conjugated putrescine were higher in diseased than in healthy shoots, suggesting parasite-induced accumulation of diamines. Free spermine seemed to accumulate in unfertilized, diseased plants, but in fertilized plants this induction was dampened, suggesting that N-induced alterations in spen-nine metabolism may promote the spread of parasites on V myrtillus under N-enrichment

Published in

Journal of Chemical Ecology
2005, Volume: 31, number: 3, pages: 561-575
Publisher: SPRINGER

SLU Authors

• Witzell, Johanna

  • Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-005-2041-6

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/7004