Start making scents: the challenge of integrating chemistry into pollination ecology

Although research on plant volatiles and pollination ecology has grown explosively over the past 15 years, there remains little dialogue between these fields. Here I examine the historical and cultural reasons for this impasse, focusing on the ways that questions in each field are addressed, and the potential for productive cross-talk. The specialization–generalization debate in pollination has cast doubt on the importance of sensory biology in mediating plant–pollinator interactions on the community scale. However, chemical 'filters' of volatile or nectar-borne repellents are likely to explain the absence of specific interactions in plant–pollinator webs. In addition, the omission of plant volatiles from path analyses measuring the relative impacts of herbivores and pollinators on plant fitness may be one reason for large unexplained variance terms in such models. Floral scent functions in concert with visual and gustatory cues by attracting pollinators from a distance, increasing approaches and landings, and mediating outcrossing rates through changes in visitation frequency and duration. All dimensions of floral chemistry, including ontogenetic and diel variation in scent emissions, have the potential to respond to balancing selection between herbivores and pollinators. The available data reveal that chemical aspects of floral phenotypes are important across the specialization–generalization spectrum, and thus are widely applicable to mainstream pollination ecology.     

Antagonistic assessment of Trichoderma spp. by producing volatile and non-volatile compounds against different fungal pathogens

Trichoderma spp. are well-known biological agents that have significant antagonistic activity against several plant pathogenic fungi. In the present study, Trichoderma spp. were tested in vitro for their antagonistic activity against different spp. of Fusarium and Alternaria viz. Alternaria alternata, A. brassicae, A. solani, Fusarium oxysporum and F. solani using dual plate assay and by the production of volatile and non-volatile compounds. The results obtained revealed that Trichoderma harzianum and T. viride effectively inhibited the growth and spore production of different spp. of Fusarium and Alternaria. The highest growth inhibition was found in A. alternata 62.50% and 60.00% by non-volatile compounds of T. harzianum and T. viride, respectively. Similarly, the volatile compounds inhibit the maximum growth of A. alternata 40.00% and 35.00% by T. harzianum and T. viride, respectively. Volatile and non-volatile compounds of Trichoderma spp. were analysed by GC-MS technique and the properties of distinguished compounds showed antifungal, antimicrobial and antibiotic activities. Volatile compounds of T. harzianum and T. viride showed highest percent abundance for glacial acetic acid (45.32%) and propyl-benzene (41.75%), respectively. In case of non-volatile compounds, T. harzianum and T. viride showed D-Glucose, 6-O-α-D-galactopyranosyl- (38.45%) and 17-Octadecynoic acid (36.23%), respectively. The results of present study confirmed that T. harzianum can be used as a promising biological control agent against Alternaria and Fusarium spp. that cause diseases in various vegetables and crops.     

‘早籽银桂’大小孢子发育与花器形态变化

为了解桂花两性株孢子发育和花器形态的关系,对早籽银桂(Osmanthus fragrans‘Zao Zi Yin’)大小孢子发育过程和花器外部形态进行了观察。。结果表明,圆珠期花芽突然膨大时,小孢子母细胞减数分裂启动,至花芽顶壳期进入四分体时期,四分体多数呈四面体型,少数呈十字交叉型,也有介于二者之间的排列方式;柃梗期时小孢子发育至单核靠边期;香眼期至盛花期形成二细胞型花粉并发育成熟;花药长度由0.3 mm增加至1 mm,颜色由无色透明变为鲜黄色。雌蕊柱头二裂,子房2室,每室2胚珠,胚珠横生,单珠被,薄珠心,珠柄不明显。二细胞花粉时期,大孢子母细胞减数分裂形成大孢子,至盛花期胚囊发育为成熟的8核蓼型胚囊。雄蕊发育早于雌蕊,花开后雌、雄蕊趋于同熟。大小孢子细胞学发育时期与花器形态建成密切相关,根据花器形态特征可判断大小孢子发育时期。     

法兰地草莓的芳香类和黄酮类成分

为了解草莓(Fragaria×ananassa Duch.)法兰地品种的化学成分,采用色谱分离方法,从新鲜果实的乙醇提取物中获得19个化合物。通过波谱数据分析鉴定了它们的结构,分别为对羟基苯甲酸(1)、没食子酸乙酯(2)、鞣花酸3-O-α-L-鼠李糖苷(3)、苄基β-D-葡萄糖苷(4)、淫羊藿次苷F2(5)、苄基6-O-α-L-呋喃阿拉伯糖基-β-D-葡萄糖苷(6)、苯乙基6-O-α-L-呋喃阿拉伯糖基-β-D-葡萄糖苷(7)、反式肉桂酰基β-D-葡萄糖苷(8)、顺式肉桂酰基β-D-葡萄糖苷(9)、反式对香豆酰基β-D-葡萄糖苷(10)、顺式对香豆酰基β-D-葡萄糖苷(11)、反式阿魏酰基β-D-葡萄糖苷(12)、山柰酚(13)、反式椴树苷(14)、山柰酚3-O-β-D-葡萄糖醛酸苷(15)、槲皮素(16)、槲皮素3-O-β-D-葡萄糖苷(17)、槲皮素3-O-β-D-葡萄糖醛酸苷(18)和根皮苷(19),化合物1~12为芳香类,其余为黄酮类。所有化合物均为首次从法兰地品种中报道,化合物4~9为首次从草莓中获得。     

Effects of season and population size on pollination and reproductive output in a Mediterranean shrub

• Pollinator guilds may change throughout extended flowering periods, affecting plant reproductive output, especially in seasonal climates. We hypothesised a seasonal shift in pollinator guild and an autumn reduction in pollinator abundance, especially in small and sparse populations.
• We recorded pollinator identity, abundance and behaviour in relation to flower density from plant to population throughout the extended flowering of Ononis tridentata. We evaluated female reproductive output by recording pollination success and pre‐dispersal seed predation in eight populations of contrasting size and density. Offspring quality was also characterised through seed weight and germination.
• A diverse guild of insects visited O. tridentata in spring, while only Apis mellifera was observed in autumn. Visitation frequency did not vary seasonally, but the number of flowers per foraging bout was lower, and seeds were heavier and had a higher germination rate in autumn. Plant and neighbourhood flowering display were not related to pollinator visitation frequency or behaviour. However, the rate of fertilised ovules, seed set and autumn flowering display size were positively related to population density.
• The maintenance of pollination in autumn enhances the reproductive performance of O. tridentata due to higher quality of autumn seed, and to a large reduction in seed predator pressure. We also suggest that observed changes in pollinator behaviour could be one of the processes behind seasonal variation in seed performance, since geitonogamous crosses were less likely to occur in autumn.

     

Comparison of floral properties and breeding system in dimorphic Buddleja delavayi (Scrophulariaceae)

In this study, floral color, scent composition and emission rate, nectar property, pollinators, and breeding system of dimorphic Buddleja delavayi Gagnep. were investigated. Flower color of B. delavayi was determined using a standard color chart and spectrophotometer, and two distinct color polymorphisms were observed having purple or white flowers. Floral scents of B. delavayi were collected using dynamic headspace adsorption and identified with coupled gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In total, 28 compounds were identified from the flowers of B. delavayi. The identified scents were divided into three chemical classes based on their biosynthetic origin: terpenes, fatty acid derivatives, and benzenoids. The scent profiles in all individuals were dominated by a few components, such as lilac aldehyde and alcohol, 4-oxoisophorone, benaldehyde, and oxoisophorone oxide. Floral scent composition (benzenoids and terpenes) showed a significant difference between white and purple flower morphs. Flower color–flower scent associations in B. delavayi were identified with two distinct scent profiles in the two color phenotypes. The studies of other floral characteristics (nectar, floral visitors, breeding system, and fruit set) indicated that floral scent emission rate, nectar volume, visitor visitation frequency, and natural fruit set were not significantly different between the two flower color morphs. Bagging experiments revealed that seed production of B. delavayi is dependent mainly on honeybee Apis cerana. Lastly, this study implies that dimorphic floral color in B. delavayi may have been maintained by floral visitors and nectar guide color.     

一种菊酯类复合剂对黑胸散白蚁体内CarEs和Ca-ATPase活性的影响

以黑胸散白蚁Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder为试验材料,研究了一种白蚁防治复合剂中的主要成分对白蚁体内羧酸酯酶（CarEs）和钙 腺苷三磷酸酶（Ca-ATPase）的影响。结果表明：氯菊酯在终浓度为1.66×10^-4 mol·L^-1以下时,对羧酸酯酶无明显抑制作用;八氯二丙醚和壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚在此浓度下都对羧酸酯酶表现出明显抑制作用,其IC₅₀分别为7.1148×10^-5 mol·L^-1和7.3373×10^-4 mol·L^-1;氯菊酯对Ca-ATPase表现出较强抑制作用,IC₅₀为5.11×10^-7 mol·L^-1。认为Ca-ATPase是黑胸散白蚁体内拟除虫菊酯类杀虫剂作用的主要靶标之一。