Hydrogen peroxide induces vessel occlusions and stimulates sesquiterpenes accumulation in stems of Aquilaria sinensis

• DOI: 10.1007/s10725-013-9838-z
• Publication Date: 2013-07-03T01:50:38Z
• Authors: Zheng Zhang; Xingli Zhang; Yun Yang; Jian-he Wei; Hui Meng; Zhi-hui Gao; Yan-hong Xu
• Keywords: Agarwood; Pruning; Abscission; Terpene

Agarwood is highly valuable resinous and fragrant heartwood, produced principally from tropical tree species in the genus Aquilaria, which is used widely in countries of the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Japan. Generally, healthy trees will not produce agarwood, but wounding of the tree initiates the production of agarwood. In this study, the pruning of actively growing saplings of Aquilaria sinensis resulted in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) burst, which was followed by formation of vessel occlusions and sesquiterpene biosynthesis in the pruned stems. Treatment of the pruned stems with scavenger of H2O2 (ascorbate, AsA) greatly reduced the amount of H2O2 released, the number of vessel occlusions, and the amount of sesquiterpenes produced. In addition, exogenous H2O2 also induced A. sinensis plants to form vessel occlusions and produce sesquiterpenes as pruning treatment. The results indicated that H2O2 may be an important post-wounding signal in A. sinensis that leads to the induction of vessel occlusions formation and sesquiterpene biosynthesis, and thus H2O2 might play a vital role in agarwood formation in pruned stems of A. sinensis.