Effect of drought and waterlogging stress on needle monoterpenes of <i>Picea abies</i>

Abstract

Monoterpenes were analysed in needles of clonal Picea abies (L.) Karst. exposed to drought and waterlogging. In drought-stressed trees the amounts of tricyclene, α-pinene, and camphene were significantly (p &lt; 0.05) higher than in the control trees. In the drought treatment the total terpene concentration was also significantly (p &lt; 0.05) higher. Waterlogging did not have significant effects on individual terpenes and total terpene concentration. However, multivariate redundancy analysis indicated that the effect of treatments on all the compounds simultaneously was not significant (p = 0.12). These results are discussed in terms of their potential impact on preferential selection of host plant by insects. Key words: drought, needles, Picea abies, terpenes, waterlogging.