EFFECT OF OZONE ON THE BIOCHEMISTRY AND APHID INFESTATION OF SCOTS PINE

One-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings were exposed t o 0.1 and 0.15 ppm O-3 for four weeks, and to 0.3 ppm O-3, for six day s in three separate experiments. Plants did not exhibit any visible in juries or differences in growth parameters. Ozone did not affect the n umbers of nymphs produced by grey pine aphid [Schizolachnus pineti (F. )]. The levels of total essential amino acids for aphids were not sign ificantly affected by O-3. The levels of total amino acids were signif icantly reduced on exposure to 0.3 ppm O-3. Reduced levels of starch i n shoots and roots were found in O-3-exposed seedlings. No changes in other sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) were detected. Ozone had no effect on secondary compounds: monoterpenes, resin acids, total phenol ics and catechins. The results indicate that rising levels of atmosphe ric O-3 may disturb primary carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism of Scots pine, while secondary metabolites remain unaffected.