ACETONE EMISSION FROM CONIFER BUDS

Acetone was detected in the headspace of excised vegetative buds of all seven conifers examined. Acetone emission rates of 7.4+/-1.5 mug hr-1 g-1 fr. wt were measured from intact buds of Abies concolor during a growth chamber experiment. Little or no acetone emission was observed from the leaves of conifers or from any angiosperm vegetative tissue tested. Acetone headspace concentrations from buds of three conifer species were measured over two growing seasons at a forest site. Acetone concentrations were highest in winter and dropped precipitously with the onset of budbreak, suggesting that acetone may play a role in cold tolerance in gymnosperms.