Effect of season and different fungi on phenolics in response to xylem wounding and inoculation in Eucalyptus nitens

Pot-grown and plantation-grown Eucalyptus nitens trees (approximately 2 and 3 years old, respectively) were experimentally wounded and inoculated with different fungi and in different seasons. Decay lesion development and defence zones were assessed. Two zones were described, a narrow brown decay interface (interface reaction zone, IRZ) and a diffuse zone beyond this being either pale brown or purple (reaction zone, RZ). The total phenol levels in the reaction zone were determined. Selected phenolics (pedunculagin, tellimagrandin 1, tetragalloylglucose, pentagalloylglucose and catechin) were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). A range of fungi (mainly decay-causing) were used to inoculate wounds and the results indicated that more extensive decay lesions were generally associated with greater production of soluble phenols in response. Sterile inoculations and weakly aggressive fungi were associated with no or little xylem discoloration, whereas aggressive fungi elicited more discoloration and phenolic accumulation in advance of infection. This indicates that phenol accumulation is not a generalized response to wounding, but a variable response due to the interaction between microorganisms and sapwood. In plantation-grown trees examined 6 months after wounding, purple reaction zones were commonly associated with large decay lesions. Seasonal differences in decay column area caused by Ganoderma applanatum were not significant 1 month after wounding and inoculation.