REVERSED-PHASE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY AND CHEMOMETRICS, A COMBINED INVESTIGATION TOOL FOR COMPLEX PHYTOCHEMICAL PROBLEMS

The phenolic content in the bark of poplar trees was analysed by RP-HP LC with the aim of finding some evidence of a relationship between the presence of phenols (either the total amount or the amount of an indi vidual specific compound) and the differential resistance to the fungu s Dothichiza populea that is found in different clones of these trees. Direct comparison of chromatographic results did not allow any useful information to be gleaned on this subject. On the other hand, the app lication of principal component analysis and linear discriminant analy sis methods to the quantitative chromatographic data gave very promisi ng results, allowing discrimination between resistant and susceptible poplars and the identification of phenolic compounds that are importan t for such discrimination.