6533b873fe1ef96bd12d597f

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Dimorphism in inflorescence scent of dioecious wild grapevine

Antonina ScrimaStefan DötterlPietro ZitoMaurizio SajevaFrancesco Carimi

subject

0106 biological sciencesHalictidaePollinationmedia_common.quotation_subjectInsectVitaceae010603 evolutionary biology01 natural sciencesBiochemistryPollinatorvolatile organic compoundsBotanyPollinationEcology Evolution Behavior and Systematicsmedia_commonVitis vinifera subspecies sylvestrisbiologyfungifood and beveragesbiology.organism_classificationSexual dimorphismVitaceaeInflorescencepollination Vitaceae Vitis vinifera subspecies sylvestris volatile organic compoundsSettore BIO/03 - Botanica Ambientale E ApplicataLonghorn beetle010606 plant biology & botany

description

Abstract Wild grapevine ( Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris ) is the dioecious ancestral form of grapevine, from which the domesticated cultivars have derived ( V. vinifera subsp. vinifera ). Little is known about the floral scent compounds of wild grapevine that is considered as being partly insect pollinated. The knowledge of volatiles released by male and female inflorescence may contribute to the understanding of the pollination biology of this endangered taxon. Inflorescence scents of male and female individuals were collected by dynamic headspace and analysed by thermal desorption-GC/MS. A total of 17 compounds of C5-branched chain alcohols, aliphatics, aromatics, and terpenoids were identified with benzyl alcohol being most abundant in both sexes. Eight of the compounds were sex-specific and differences in 1,2-dimethoxybenzene were most obvious. This aromatic compound was a main constituent in the scent of females (30%), but it did not occur in males. Some of the main compounds of the scent samples are known to be detected by beetles (Cerambycidae) or attract sweat bees (Halictidae) and honey bees ( A. mellifera ), all well-known inflorescence visitors in wild grapevine. The data presented here are an important step in understanding the chemical communication between wild grapevine and its inflorescence visitors/potential pollinators.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2016-06-01
10.1016/j.bse.2016.03.003http://hdl.handle.net/10447/176087