Bumblebee electric charge stimulates floral volatile emissions in Petunia integrifolia but not in Antirrhinum majus.

ABSTRACT: The timing of volatile organic compound (VOC) emission by flowering plants often coincides with pollinator foraging activity. Volatile emission is often considered to be paced by environmental variables, such as light intensity, and/or by circadian rhythmicity. The question arises as to what extent pollinators themselves provide information about their presence, in keeping with their long co-evolution with flowering plants. Bumblebees are electrically charged and provide electrical stimulation when visiting plants, as measured via the depolarisation of electric potential in the stem of flowers. Here we test the hypothesis that the electric charge of foraging bumblebees increases the floral volatile emissions of bee pollinated plants. We investigate the change in VOC emissions of two bee-po

SUBMITTER: Montgomery C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8440258 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature