The distribution pattern of two juvenile hormone related compounds in Fraser fir and the induced response to a balsam woolly adelgid infestation

Abstract

Two juvenile hormone related compounds (JRCs), juvabione and dehydrojuvabione, were isolated from Fraser fir, Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poirit. Both juvabione and dehydrojuvabione concentrations had large variations across the tested trees and within trees. Juvabione, but not dehydrojuvabione, was much higher in stemwood then in branchwood. There was no significant difference in either chemical in relation to high, low, or middle branch position. To determine if juvabione concentration was influenced by an infestation of balsam woolly adelgid, Adelges piceae Ratz., branches from infested and uninfested 11-year-old Abies fraseri with were sampled at the bottom, middle, and top branches of each tree. While mean juvabione concentrations for each infested fir were higher than their uninfested counterparts, only the infested middle tree sections had mean juvabione values that were substantially higher (p = 0.078) than the corresponding uninfested tree section of all the infested firs. The two infested Abies fraseri that maintained apical dominance demonstrated the highest upper branch levels of juvabione of all the infested. These results indicate that juvabione may be induced in small Abies fraseri in response to adelgid attack. Trees that produce large quantities of this compound may possess tolerance to the adelgid. Further research is needed to elucidate this possibility.