THE INFLUENCE OF MYCORRHIZAL COLONIZATION ON GROWTH IN THE GREENHOUSEAND ON CATECHIN, EPICATECHIN AND PROCYANIDIN IN ROOTS OF FAGUS-SYLVATICA L

The influence of mycorrhizal colonization on beech (Fagus sylvatica L. ) root tannin (procyanidin polymer) and its putative precursors catech in and epicatechin was investigated by high performance liquid chromat ography. Seedlings planted in a sterile mixture of litter, compost, so il and sand were inoculated with brown beech ectomycorrhizas collected from a woodland (Lactarius subdulcis Bull ex Fr. x F. sylvatica). The seedlings were not fertilized during the first :year of growth. Nonmy corrhizal control plants showed severe nutrient-deficiency symptoms on their leaves and grew less well than mycorrhizal plants. Mycorrhizal roots contained significantly less catechin, epicatechin and procyanid in polymer than nonmycorrhizal roots. In the second year of growth, th e plants were fertilized and procyanidin formation in roots was invest igated. None of the fertilized plants showed mineral-deficiency sympto ms. Fertilized mycorrhizal roots consistently contained significantly less catechin and epicatechin than nonmycorrhizal controls, but procya nidin polymer content varied between replicate experiments. The possib le function of catechin and epicatechin in ectomycorrhizal formation i s discussed.