Seasonal and geographical variation of terpenes, resin acids and total phenolics in nursery grown seedlings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)

summary Variations of terpene, resin acid and total phenolic concentrations in young seedlings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) from nine different seed origins growing in three locations of different latitudes, in Finland and Estonia, were investigated in autumn 1991 and spring 1992. Seasonal variation was remarkable in monoterpene, resin acid and total phenolic concentrations. In spring there was more 3-carene, α-pinent. β-pinene + sabinene and total monoterpenes in pine shoots, and less myrcene and tricyclene compared to autumn. Concentrations of some individual resin acids, levopimaric and dehydroubietic acids, were higher in autumn. The total phenolic concentration was higher in spring. In the most northern location, the concentrations of total monoterpenes and total phenolics were lowest. The total resin acid concentration was highest in the middle location, and individual resin acids, palustric and neoabtetic acids, were more common in the most northern location. Seed origin had no significant effects either to the resin acid or total phenolic concentrations. There were almost equal concentrations of total phenolics and resin acids in northern and southern origins. Instead some individual monoterpenes. limonene, tricyclene, camphene, β-pinene + sabinene and bornylacetate, were more common in northern seed origins. The results suggest that the origin of the seed material is not so important in affecting the concentrations of secondary compounds as are the environmental factors.