Neglected Microbes in Floral Nectar: Influence of Filamentous Fungi on Nectar Scent and Parasitoid Olfactory Responses.

ABSTRACT: Floral nectar is a sugar-rich resource which is ubiquitously inhabited by a wide array of microorganisms. Fermentation by nectar-inhabiting microbes can alter several nectar traits, including nectar scent, via changes in the blend of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Although there is growing evidence on how yeasts and bacteria influence the foraging behavior of flower-visiting insects, the potential role of other microbial taxa that can colonize nectar has been largely neglected. In this study, we investigated how filamentous fungi isolated from the floral nectar of buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum, affect nectar scent and the olfactory responses of two co-occurring egg parasitoid species, Trissolcus basalis and Ooencyrtus telenomicida. Among nectar-feeding insects, adult parasitoids are

SUBMITTER: Ermio JDL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11903542 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature