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Variation in wood volatile compounds in a mixed oak stand: strong species and spatial differentiation in whisky-lactone content

Variation des composés volatils du bois dans un peuplement mixte de chênes: forte différenciation interspécifique et forte structuration spatiale de la quantité de whisky-lactone

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Abstract

The effect of species and ecological conditions on oak volatile extractive content was investigated in an evenaged (100 years) stand located in western France. The sample included a total of 286 trees (118 sessile, 158 pedunculate and 10 oaks with an intermediate morphology) growing in contrasted environments (plateau, intermediate slope, small valley). The main factor influencing oak extractives level is species. The effect of the local environment appears negligible. No correlation between ring width and volatile extractive content was found. Q. petraea is significantly richer than Q. robur in eugenol and whisky-lactone (10.8 vs. 0.6 μg/g). However, two groups of sessile oaks could be identified, one poor and one rich in whisky-lactone. Among the latter, either the cis or the trans stereoisomer was predominant, suggesting that their production is not independent. A strong spatial structure was detected for whisky-lactone (cis-, trans- and total whisky-lactone, for the two species combined but also for Q. petraea alone in the case of the cis isomer).

Résumé

Les effets de l’espèce de chêne et des conditions écologiques locales sur les teneurs en composés volatils ont été étudiés dans un peuplement équienne (100 ans) situé dans l’ouest de la France. L’échantillon total inclut 286 arbres (118 chênes sessiles, 158 chênes pédonculés et 10 chênes intermédiaires) répartis en mélange dans trois zones écologiques du peuplement (plateau, pente et fond de vallon). Le facteur principal qui influence la teneur en extractible du bois de chêne est l’espèce botanique. L’effet environnement apparaît négligeable et il n’existe aucune relation entre la largeur de cerne et les substances volatiles. Le bois de chêne sessile (Q. petraea) possède des teneurs plus élevées que le chêne pédonculé (Q. robur) en eugénol et en whisky-lactone (10,8 μg/g contre 0,6 μg/g). Cependant, les chênes sessiles se divisent en deux groupes, l’un pauvre en whisky-lactone et l’autre riche en ce composé. Parmi ce dernier groupe, on observe que l’une des deux formes stéréoisomères (cis ou trans) prédomine, suggérant que leur biosynthèse n’est pas indépendante. On constate enfin une forte structuration spatiale pour les whisky-lactones pour les deux espèces combinées mais également chez Q. petraea seul pour l’isomère cis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité Mixte de Recherche “Science pour l’Œnologie”, INRA, 2 place Viala, 34060, Montpellier, France

    Andrei Prida & Jean-Louis Puech

  2. UMR BIOGECO, INRA, 69 route d’Arcachon, 33612, Cestas Cedex, France

    Alexis Ducousso & Rémy J. Petit

  3. LERFoB (Laboratoire d’Étude des Ressources Forêt-Bois, INRA-Engref), Centre INRA de Nancy, 54280, Champenoux, France

    Gérard Nepveu

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  1. Andrei Prida
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  2. Alexis Ducousso
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  4. Gérard Nepveu
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  5. Jean-Louis Puech
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Correspondence to Jean-Louis Puech.

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Prida, A., Ducousso, A., Petit, R.J. et al. Variation in wood volatile compounds in a mixed oak stand: strong species and spatial differentiation in whisky-lactone content. Ann. For. Sci. 64, 313–320 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2007008

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2007008

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