Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Rapid Analysis of Abietanes in Conifers

  • Published:
Journal of Chemical Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Diterpene resin acids are major constituents of conifer oleoresin and play important roles in tree defense against insects and microbial pathogens. The tricyclic C-20 carboxylic acids are generally classified into two groups, the abietanes and the pimaranes. The abietanes have conjugated double bonds and exhibit characteristic UV spectra. Here, we report the analysis of abietanes by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using multiwavelength detection to optimize quantification of underivatized abietic, neoabietic, palustric, levopimaric, and dehydroabietic acids. The utility of the method is demonstrated with methanol extracts of white spruce (Picea glauca) phloem, and representative concentrations are reported.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Berenbaum, M. 1985. Brementown revisited: Interactions among allelochemicals in plants. Rec. Adv. Phytochem. 19:139–169.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Björkman, C. and Gref, R. 1993. Survival of pine sawflies in cocoon stage in relation to resin acid content of larval food. J. Chem. Ecol. 19:2881–2890.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franich, R. A. and Gadgil, P. D. 1983. Fungistatic effects of Pinus radiata needle epicuticular fatty and resin acids on Dothistroma pini. Physiol. Plant Pathol. 23:183–195.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gref, R. 1987. Resin acids and resistance of Pinus sylvestris to Melampsora pinitorqua. Eur. J. For. Pathol. 17:227–230.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gref, R. and Ericsson, A. 1985. Wound-induced changes of resin acid concentrations in living bark of Scots pine seedlings. Can. J. For. Res. 15:92–96.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joye, N. M. and Lawrence, R. V. 1967. Resin acid composition of pine oleoresins. J. Chem. Eng. Data 12:279–282.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kopper, B. J., Illman, B. L., Kersten, P. J., Klepzig, K. D., and Raffa, K. F. 2005. Effects of diterpene acids on components of a conifer bark beetle–fungal interaction: Tolerance by Ips pini and sensitivity by its associate Ophiostoma ips. Environ. Entomol. 34:486–493.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larsson, S., Björkman, C., and Gref, R. 1986. Responses of Neodiprion sertifer (Hym., Diprionidae) larvae to variation in needle resin acid concentration in Scots pine. Oecologia 70:77–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Latorre, A., Rigol, A., Lacorte, S., and Barcelo, D. 2003. Comparison of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of fatty and resin acids in paper mill process waters. J. Chromatogr. A 991:205–215.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, B. L., Ong, H. Y., Koh, D., and Ong, C. N. 1994. High-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of dehydroabietic and abietic acids, the skin sensitizers in bindi adhesive. J. Chromatogr. A 685:263–269.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, B. L., Koh, D., Ong, H. Y., and Ong, C. N. 1997. High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of dehydroabietic and abietic acids in traditional Chinese medications. J. Chromatogr. A 763:221–226.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McMartin, D. W., Peru, K. M., Headley, J. V., Winkler, M., and Gillies J. A. 2002. Evaluation of liquid chromatography-negative ion electrospray mass spectrometry for the determination of selected resin acids in river water. J. Chromatogr. A 952:289–293.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rigol, A., Latorre, A., Lacorte, S., and Barcelo, D. 2003. Direct determination of resin and fatty acids in process waters of paper industries by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. J. Mass Spectrom. 38:417–426.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomlin, E. S., Antonejevic, E., Alfaro, R. I., and Borden, J. H. 2000. Changes in volatile terpene and diterpene resin acid composition of resistant and susceptible white spruce leaders exposed to simulated white pine weevil damage. Tree Physiol. 20:1087–1095.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Volkman, J. K., Holdsworth, D. G., and Richardson, D. E. 1993. Determination of resin acids by gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography in paper mill effluent, river waters and sediments from the upper Derwent Estuary, Tasmania. J. Chromatogr. 643:209–219.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, M. R., Benjamin, D. M., Clancy, K. M., and Schuh, B. A. 1983. Influence of diterpene resin acids on feeding and growth of larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii (Hartig). J. Chem. Ecol. 9:119–127.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zinkel, D. F. and Engler, C. C. 1977. Gas–liquid chromatography of resin acid esters. J. Chromatogr. 136:245–252.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by USDA-NRI WIS04746, NSF DEB-0314215, McIntire-Stennis, and the University of Wisconsin College of Agricultural & Life Sciences.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI, 53726, USA

    P. J. Kersten & B. L. Illman

  2. Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    B. J. Kopper & K. F. Raffa

  3. USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Raleigh, NC, 27606, USA

    B. J. Kopper

Authors
  1. P. J. Kersten
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. J. Kopper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. F. Raffa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. L. Illman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. J. Kersten.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kersten, P.J., Kopper, B.J., Raffa, K.F. et al. Rapid Analysis of Abietanes in Conifers. J Chem Ecol 32, 2679–2685 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-006-9191-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-006-9191-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation