Volatile composition, emission pattern, and localization of floral scent emission in <i>Mirabilis jalapa</i> (Nyctaginaceae)

Effmert, Uta; Große, Jana; Röse, Ursula S. R.; Ehrig, Fred; Kägi, Ralf; Piechulla, Birgit

doi:10.3732/ajb.92.1.2

Cited by 88 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…In addition to permeable petal cuticle, water also could be given off through petal stomata. In nightblooming Mirabilis jalapa (Nyctaginaceae), epidermal stomata are open at the beginning of anthesis and gradually close over time, supporting the prediction of enhanced gas exchange during flower opening (30). In O. cespitosa stomatal density on the adaxial petal surface is three-to fourfold lower than stomatal density on leaves (Figs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Floral humidity as a reliable sensory cue for profitability assessment by nectar-foraging hawkmoths

Arx

Goyret

Davidowitz

et al. 2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

118

148

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Most research on plant-pollinator communication has focused on sensory and behavioral responses to relatively static cues. Floral rewards such as nectar, however, are dynamic, and foraging animals will increase their energetic profit if they can make use of floral cues that more accurately indicate nectar availability. Here we document such a cue-transient humidity gradients-using the night blooming flowers of Oenothera cespitosa (Onagraceae). The headspace of newly opened flowers reaches levels of about 4% above ambient relative humidity due to additive evapotranspirational water loss through petals and water-saturated air from the nectar tube. Floral humidity plumes differ from ambient levels only during the first 30 min after anthesis (before nectar is depleted in wild populations), whereas other floral traits (scent, shape, and color) persist for 12-24 h. Manipulative experiments indicated that floral humidity gradients are mechanistically linked to nectar volume and therefore contain information about energy rewards to floral visitors. Behavioral assays with Hyles lineata (Sphingidae) and artificial flowers with appropriate humidity gradients suggest that these hawkmoth pollinators distinguish between subtle differences in relative humidity when other floral cues are held constant. Moths consistently approached and probed flowers with elevated humidity over those with ambient humidity levels. Because floral humidity gradients are largely produced by the evaporation of nectar itself, they represent condition-informative cues that facilitate remote sensing of floral profitability by discriminating foragers. In a xeric environment, this level of honest communication should be adaptive when plant reproductive success is pollinator limited, due to intense competition for the attention of a specialized pollinator.pollination biology | honest signaling | floral display P lant-pollinator relationships-like all mutualisms-strike a tenuous balance between the conflicting interests of foraging animals and flowering plants (1, 2). For flowering plants, pollinator attraction through floral density, form, color, pattern, and odor is necessary but insufficient to ensure effective pollination. Ideally, pollinators should transfer pollen between conspecific plants in ways that result in favorable levels of outcrossing (3) and reduced pollen loss (4). Flowers commonly manipulate pollinator movement by varying quality or quantity of floral nectar. The offer of variable amounts of nectar (5, 6), toxic nectar (7, 8), or an empty promise of nectar elicit similar results: pollinators leave plants sooner, reducing for example geitonogamous inbreeding (if selfcompatible) or pollen discounting (if self-incompatible).The availability of floral rewards often coincides with floral display and pollinator activity on a gross temporal scale (i.e., hours) (9, 10). Nevertheless, most pollinators encounter rewardless ("empty") flowers on a finer temporal scale (i.e., minutes), often due to recent visitation by another animal. From the pollin...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Floral humidity as a reliable sensory cue for profitability assessment by nectar-foraging hawkmoths

Arx

Goyret

Davidowitz

et al. 2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

118

148

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“…In Boronia megastigma, which is used for the production of essential oil, the stigma comprises only 20% of the Xower weight but contains 70% of the volatiles (MacTavish and Menary 1997). In most Xowers, when petals produce scent, it is thought to be emitted by the entire petal epidermis in a diVusive manner (EVmert et al 2005). However, in some Xowers, in particular those belonging to the Orchidaceae family, scent is emitted by specialized areas of the petal, termed osmophores by Vogel (1962).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Both the adaxial and abaxial epidermal layers of the rose petal emit volatile scent compounds

Bergougnoux

Caissard

Jullien

et al. 2007

Planta

106

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The localization and timing of production and emission of scent was studied in different Rosa x hybrida cultivars, focusing on three particular topics. First, it was found that petals represent the major source of scent in R. x hybrida. In heavily scented cultivars, the spectrum and levels of volatiles emitted by the flower broadly correlated with the spectrum and levels of volatiles contained within the petal, throughout petal development. Secondly, analysis of rose cultivars that lacked a detectable scent indicated that the absence of fragrance was due to a reduction in both the biosynthesis and emission of scent volatiles. A cytological study, conducted on scented and non-scented rose cultivars showed that no major difference was visible in the anatomy of the petals either at small magnification in optical sections or in ultrathin sections observed by TEM. In particular, the cuticle of epidermal cells was not thicker in scentless cultivars. Thirdly, using two different techniques, solid/liquid phase extraction and headspace collection of volatiles, we showed that in roses, both epidermal layers are capable of producing and emitting scent volatiles, despite the different morphologies of the cells of these two tissues. Moreover, OOMT, an enzyme involved in scent molecule biosynthesis was localized in both epidermal layers.

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“…For example, the essential oils obtained from fresh Cananga odorata flowers contained 1.5 -3 times more monoterpenes and light-oxygenated compounds than oils distilled 24 h after the flowers had been collected. While some flowers (e. g., Arabidopsis thaliana) release only very small amounts of volatiles [3], others release large amounts of volatiles, such as Mirabilis jalapa [4]; both plant materials require the use of different extraction techniques. When different C. odorata flower parts were extracted separately, it was found that on changing from petals to ovaries, the monoterpene and sesquiterpene contents increase, while light-and heavy-oxygenated compounds decline [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sampling flower scent for chromatographic analysis

Stashenko¹,

Martı́nez

2008

J of Separation Science

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The analysis of flower volatiles requires special methods for their isolation with enrichment. Living flowers show a continuous change in their volatile profile that depends on intrinsic (genetic) and external (light, temperature, hydric stress) factors. Excised flowers suffer rapid deterioration and loss of volatiles. While industrial isolation methods for flower volatiles are well established, those at the laboratory-scale experience progressive development, in the search for higher sensitivity, reproducibility, and simplicity. This review covers the flower scent sampling methods most commonly employed during the last decade, and includes comments on their strengths and limitations. The strengths of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) for in vivo monitoring are emphasized with the examples of monitoring the circadian variation of Brugmansia suaveolens flower scent and of volatile aldehyde detection in flower scent using on-fiber derivatization.

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Volatile composition, emission pattern, and localization of floral scent emission in Mirabilis jalapa (Nyctaginaceae)

Cited by 88 publications

References 55 publications

Floral humidity as a reliable sensory cue for profitability assessment by nectar-foraging hawkmoths

Floral humidity as a reliable sensory cue for profitability assessment by nectar-foraging hawkmoths

Both the adaxial and abaxial epidermal layers of the rose petal emit volatile scent compounds

Sampling flower scent for chromatographic analysis

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