A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF PHENOLIC-ACIDS ASSOCIATED WITH CELL-WALLS AND CYTOPLASMIC EXTRACTS OF HOST AND NONHOST ROOTS FOR AM FUNGI

Carrots (Daucus carota L.) are a ubiquitous host for arbuscular mycorr hizal fungi whereas sugar beets (Beta vulgaris L.) are a non-host. Roo t cultures were used to compare the constitutive phenolic compounds as sociated with the cell wall or present in the cytoplasm of the host an d non-host. Phenolic acids were released from purified cell walls by a lkaline hydrolysis and were separated and identified by HPLC, TLC and u.v. absorption spectra analyses. Two phenolic acids unique to carrot root cell walls were identified as p-hydroxybenzoic acid (p-HBA) and v anillic acid. Sugar beet root cell walls had ferulic acid as major con stituent and contained several unique phenyl propanoids which were not identified. Caffeic acid was found only in the cytoplasm of carrot ro ots and was present in the conjugated form (chlorogenic acid). The sug ar beet cytoplasm also contained several unidentified hydroxycinnamic acid-type phenolics which were not found in carrot roots.