6533b7d0fe1ef96bd125a38f

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Floral scent in Iris planifolia (Iridaceae) suggests food reward

Maurizio BrunoSergio RosselliPietro ZitoAntonella MaggioMaurizio Sajeva

subject

0106 biological sciencesHoney beeInsectaPollinationIris Plantmedia_common.quotation_subjectHover flieContext (language use)Plant ScienceInsectFlowersHorticultureBiologyAnisoles01 natural sciencesBiochemistryGas Chromatography-Mass SpectrometryIridaceaeHoney BeesPollinatorBotanyAnimalsDynamic headspacePollinationMolecular BiologyIris planifoliamedia_commonVolatile Organic CompoundsAromatic compound010405 organic chemistryfungifood and beveragesGeneral MedicineSettore CHIM/06 - Chimica OrganicaBees0104 chemical sciencesIridaceaeBumble beeItalyFloral scentSettore BIO/03 - Botanica Ambientale E ApplicataIris planifoliaGC-MS010606 plant biology & botany

description

Iris species can adopt different pollination strategies to attract their pollinators, generalized shelter-mimicking, specialized deceptive sexual-mimicking or food-rewarding. As attractive stimuli, Iris flowers may use their colours, large-size, symmetry, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, relatively few studies in- vestigated Iris floral olfactory cues in the context of plant-visitor/pollinator interactions. In the present study we combined the identification of the floral volatiles of the nectariferous I. planifolia with insects visiting its flowers to gather data on its biology. Floral volatiles were collected in the natural environment by dynamic headspace and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Insect visitors/pollinators were also recorded. The volatile bouquet was aromatic-dominated with 1,4 dimethoxybenzene as major compound. Among the insects visiting its flowers, bumble and honey bees were the most abundant followed by hover flies. Overall, our results suggest that I. planifolia advertises its food reward by an aromatic dominated volatile composition.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2018-07-30
10.1016/j.phytochem.2018.11.011http://hdl.handle.net/10447/335902