Survey of Pollen and Pollenkitt Lipids–chemical Cues to Flower Visitors?

Dobson, Heidi E. M.

doi:10.1002/j.1537-2197.1988.tb13429.x

Cited by 104 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…Our artificial removal of anthers from flowers presumably removes the visual cue of pollen, however it has yet to be established if exposed anthers are a strong visual cue for a pollen reward for bees. It could be that the removal of pollen removes the odour of pollenkitt, which is known to be a chemical scent cue to solitary bees [33]–[35]. Regardless, artificial emasculation may remove a short-distance visual cue and when honeybees near flowers they can distinguish between pollen and nectar rewarding individuals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Temporal Dimension to the Influence of Pollen Rewards on Bee Behaviour and Fecundity in Aloe tenuior

2014

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The net effect of pollen production on fecundity in plants can range from negative – when self-pollen interferes with fecundity due to incompatibility mechanisms, to positive – when pollen availability is associated with increased pollinator visitation and fecundity due to its utilization as a reward. We investigated the responses of bees to pollen and nectar rewards, and the effects of these rewards on pollen deposition and fecundity in the hermaphroditic succulent shrub Aloe tenuior. Self-pollinated plants failed to set fruit, but their ovules were regularly penetrated by self-pollen tubes, which uniformly failed to develop into seeds as expected from ovarian self-incompatibility (or strong early inbreeding depression). Bees consistently foraged for pollen during the morning and early afternoon, but switched to nectar in the late afternoon. As a consequence of this differential foraging, we were able to test the relative contribution to fecundity of pollen- versus nectar-collecting flower visitors. We exposed emasculated and intact flowers in either the morning or late afternoon to foraging bees and showed that emasculation reduced pollen deposition by insects in the morning, but had little effect in the afternoon. Despite the potential for self-pollination to result in ovule discounting due to late-acting self-sterility, fecundity was severely reduced in artificially emasculated plants. Although there were temporal fluctuations in reward preference, most bee visits were for pollen rewards. Therefore the benefit of providing pollen that is accessible to bee foragers outweighs any potential costs to fitness in terms of gender interference in this species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Temporal Dimension to the Influence of Pollen Rewards on Bee Behaviour and Fecundity in Aloe tenuior

2014

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“…Moreover, the pollen coat also carries the proteinaceous signalling molecules that are involved in self-incompatibility responses in species such as Brassica oleracea (Doughty et al 1993;Stephenson et al 1997) and is also the medium through which pollen hydration occurs following a successful compatibility response (Roberts et al 1984;Dickinson 1994Dickinson , 1995Hulskamp et al 1995). The pollen coat carries various lipidic volatile compounds (Henning and Teuber 1992;Robertson et al 1993;Dobson et al 1996), which provide olfactory cues to pollen-seeking flower visitors, such as honey bees (von Frisch 1923), moths (Gregory 1963) and hummingbirds (Grant and Grant 1968), as reviewed by Dobson (1988). The relative impermeability of the pollen coat prevents further water loss from the pollen grain, but also maintains it in a semi-dehydrated state until it lands on an appropriate surface for germination.…”

Section: The Pollen Coatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogenesis and function of the lipidic structures of pollen grains

Piffanelli

Ross

Murphy

1998

Sexual Plant Reproduction

388

362

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Pollen grains contain several lipidic structures, which play a key role in their development as male gametophytes. The elaborate extracellular pollen wall, the exine, is largely formed from acyl lipid and phenylpropanoid precursors, which together form the exceptionally stable biopolymer sporopollenin. An additional extracellular lipidic matrix, the pollen coat, which is particularly prominent in entomophilous plants, covers the interstices of the exine and has many important functions in pollen dispersal and pollen-stigma recognition. The sporopollenin and pollen coat precursors are both synthesised in the tapetum under the control of the sporophytic genome, but at different stages of development. Pollen grains also contain two major intracellular lipidic structures, namely storage oil bodies and an extensive membrane network. These intracellular lipids are synthesised in the vegetative cell of the pollen grain under the control of the gametophytic genome. Over the past few years there has been significant progress in elucidating the composition, biogenesis and function of these important pollen structures. The purpose of this review is to describe these recent advances within the historical context of research into pollen development.& k w d : Key words Lipid · Pollen · Tapetum · Microspore · Sporopollenin · Oil body& b d y :

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“…Though Singh et al 36 noted that fatty acids could also be inhibitory in bee gustation (sense of taste) and singled out sunflower lipids which happen to be dominant in myristic acid 10 . Pollen aromas that attract insects are chiefly carried in pollen lipid (reviewed by Dobson 7 ). These aromatic substances are also known to be antimicrobial (reviewed by Morris et al 23 ).…”

Section: Honey Bee Attraction To Pollen and Nutritionmentioning

confidence: 99%