6-8-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-isocoumarin, and other phenolic metabolites of Ceratocystis minor

Abstract

The fungus Ceratocytis minor (Hedge)Hunt is generally introduced into the phloem and xylem of southern pine trees during attack by the southern pine beetle Dendrotonus frontalis Zimmerman, and development of C. minor in the xylem is considered to be central to the death of beetle-attacked trees [1]. There are close parallels in both the cause and symptoms of this disease to those of the Dutch Elm disease in which bark beetles introduce the fungus Ceratocytis ulmi (Buism.) C. Moreau, into the xylem of Elms [2, 3]. Claydon et al. [4] showed that phenolic C-10 acids or their dihydroisocoumarin tautomers were produced in highest yields by the most virulent strains of C. ulmi and compounds of the isocoumarin class, are known for their biological activity on plant growth [5-8]. The similarities in these two important tree diseases prompted us to examine the phenolic metabolites of C. minor.

Citation

McGraw, G.W.; Hemingway, R.W. 1977. 6-8-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-isocoumarin, and other phenolic metabolites of Ceratocystis minor. Phytochemistry 16(8):1315-1316