Nectary starch degradation affects nectar chemical composition, but not nectar sugars, in Arabidopsis thaliana.

ABSTRACT: Attracting and rewarding pollinators are important for the reproduction of many flowering plants, and floral nectar plays a central role in plant-pollinator relationships as the primary reward. Nectar production by floral organs called nectaries coincides with a buildup and degradation of nectary starch in many species. While this temporal connection might suggest that nectar sugars are produced from nectary starch, direct evidence to support this idea is lacking. Here, we performed genetic manipulations to test how nectary starch contributes to nectar production in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Additionally, we conducted semi-targeted metabolomics experiments to identify which nectar compounds (NCs) depend on nectary starch for their production and secretion. While nectar sugar leve

SUBMITTER: Solhaug EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12608078 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature