Male flower parts behind potent grapevine perfume
April 7th, 2009 - 2:55 pm ICT by ANIWashington, April 7 (ANI): Contrary to common perception that petals alone produce perfume, scientists at the University of British Columbia have traced the fragrant scent of grapevine flowers to pollen grains stored in the anthers.
While studying grapes used to produce Cabernet Sauvignon from the Okanagan region of British Columbia, researchers identified a gene that produces and regulates fragrance from the vines’ tiny clusters of green blossoms.
“This was a surprise in fundamental plant biology. This discovery gives us strong clues to the origin and evolution of fragrant flowers,” said Joerg Bohlmann, a Distinguished University Scholar and professor in the Michael Smith Laboratories who directed the study.
Scientists believe plants have evolved to produce perfume in order to attract specific types of pollinators while fending off herbivores and pathogens.
“If you ask people where the perfume of a flower comes from, they’ll likely say the female parts or the petals,” said Bohlmann.
While flowers such as roses and snapdragons rely on their petals to produce perfume and attract insects, few other species have been so closely studied.
“Cultivated grapevines are largely self-pollinated, so we believe the fragrance serves more as a defense mechanism to protect their male reproductive tissues from predatory insects,” said Bohlmann.
The researchers also found that emission of perfume is light-dependent and is strongest at dawn, possibly to coincide with pollination and predation activities.
The study has been published in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Online Early Edition. (ANI)
- Plant gene can replace whale compound in perfumes - Apr 05, 2012
- Desirable daisies deceive male flies with sex offer - Sep 22, 2010
- Scientists unlock mystery of daisy spots on petals - Dec 19, 2009
- China resorts to artificial pollination - Feb 28, 2012
- Insect attacks doom frankincense production - Dec 21, 2011
- Why do animals and birds avoid red flowers? - Mar 17, 2009
- Bumblebees prefer striped flowers: Study - Oct 12, 2010
- Tobacco plant thwarts caterpillar attack by opening flowers in the morning - Jan 22, 2010
- Acacia plant can release chemicals to stop ants from interfering in pollination - Dec 28, 2009
- Orchid wears the scent of death to attract flies for pollination - Mar 15, 2011
- Sexual deception in orchids explained - Dec 18, 2009
- Flowers produce chemicals to keep greedy bees at bay: Study - Feb 02, 2011
- A genetically modified apple that won't turn brown - Dec 03, 2010
- New scent created by breeding orchid species to trick male bees - Apr 22, 2010
- Plant develops echo to attract bats - Aug 02, 2011
Tags: anthers, bohlmann, cabernet sauvignon, columbia researchers, fragrant flowers, fragrant scent, male flower, national academy of sciences, okanagan region, plant biology, pollen grains, pollinators, predatory insects, proceedings of the national academy, proceedings of the national academy of sciences, reproductive tissues, snapdragons, tiny clusters, university of british columbia, university scholar