Volatile Organic Compounds of Diverse Origins and Their Changes Associated With Cultivar Decay in a Fungus-Farming Termite.

ABSTRACT: Fungus-farming termites cultivate a Termitomyces fungus monoculture in enclosed gardens (combs) free of other fungi, except during colony declines, where Pseudoxylaria spp. stowaway fungi appear and take over combs. Here, we determined Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) of healthy Macrotermes bellicosus nests in nature and VOC changes associated with comb decay during Pseudoxylaria takeover. We identified 443 VOCs and unique volatilomes across samples and nest volatilomes that were mainly composed of fungus comb VOCs with termite contributions. Few comb VOCs were linked to chemical changes during decay, but longipinocarvone and longiverbenone were only emitted during comb decay. These terpenes may be involved in Termitomyces defence against antagonistic fungi or in fungus-termite signalling

SUBMITTER: Vidkjær NH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11799395 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature