Olfactory misinformation reduces wheat seed loss caused by rodent pests

Parker, Finn C. G.; Price, Catherine J.; Bytheway, Jenna P.; Banks, Peter B.

doi:10.1038/s41893-023-01127-3

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…However, our findings confirm our hypothesis that the VOC composition of seeds stored for overwintering differed from those left on the field. In various plant species, maternal factors such as the position of the inflorescence on the mother plant or the position of seeds within the inflorescence or pod can significantly affect seed size, composition, and maturation stage 20 – 22 . Long-term selection experiments with maize showed that lower and higher protein and oil containing seeds do appear in each generation 23 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wild rodents seed choice is relevant for sustainable agriculture

Peng,

Hu,

Dong

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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Mitigating pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) and post-harvest food loss (PHFL) is essential for enhancing food securrity. To reduce food loss, the use of plant derived specialized metabolites can represent a good approach to develop a more eco-friendly agriculture. Here, we have discovered that soybean seeds hidden underground during winter by Tscherskia triton and Apodemus agrarius during winter possess a higher concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) compared to those remaining exposed in fields. This selection by rodents suggests that among the identified volatiles, 3-FurAldehyde (Fur) and (E)-2-Heptenal (eHep) effectively inhibit the growth of plant pathogens such as Aspergillus flavus, Alternaria alternata, Fusarium solani and Pseudomonas syringae. Additionally, compounds such as Camphene (Cam), 3-FurAldehyde, and (E)-2-Heptenal, suppress the germination of seeds in crops including soybean, rice, maize, and wheat. Importantly, some of these VOCs also prevent rice seeds from pre-harvest sprouting. Consequently, our findings offer straightforward and practical approaches to seed protection and the reduction of PHS and PHFL, indicating potential new pathways for breeding, and reducing both PHS and pesticide usage in agriculture.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wild rodents seed choice is relevant for sustainable agriculture

Peng,

Hu,

Dong

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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“…For example, strategically designed artificial odours could be exploited to inform herbivores, altering their foraging decisions and nudging them away from valued plants. Deploying informative odours in place of real plants sends a deceptive message and hence is a form of olfactory misinformation 14,15 .…”

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confidence: 99%

Olfactory misinformation provides refuge to palatable plants from mammalian browsing

Finnerty,

Possell,

Banks

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Mammalian herbivores browse palatable plants of ecological and economical value. Undesirable neighbours can reduce browsing to these plants by providing ‘associational refuge’, but they can also compete for resources. Here, we recreated the informative odour emitted by undesirable plants. We then tested whether this odour could act as virtual neighbours, providing browsing refuge to palatable tree seedlings. We found that protection using this misinformation tactic was equivalent to that provided by real plants. Palatable seedlings were 17-20 times more likely to be eaten by herbivores without virtual, or real, neighbours. As many herbivores use plant odour to forage, virtual neighbours could provide a novel practical management approach to help protect valued plants.

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