Intermittent exposure to traces of green leaf volatiles triggers the production of (Z)-3-hexen-1-yl acetate and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol in exposed plants

Plant Signal Behav. 2013 Nov;8(11):e27013. doi: 10.4161/psb.27013. Epub 2013 Dec 3.

Abstract

Intermittent exposure during a period of 3 weeks of undamaged Arabidopsis plants to trace amounts of volatiles emitted by freshly damaged Arabidopsis plants resulted in an increase of subsequent artificial-damage-induced production of (Z)-3-hexen-1-yl acetate and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol in the exposed Arabidopsis plants when compared with Arabidopsis plants exposed to undamaged Arabidopsis plant volatiles (control plants). We previously showed that (Z)-3-hexen-1-yl acetate attracts a parasitic wasp, Cotesia glomerata. Thus, the induced production of this volatile explained our previously reported finding that, when artificially damaged, the exposed plants were more attractive to C. glomerata than control plants.

Keywords: (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol; (Z)-3-hexen-1-yl acetate; Arabidopsis thaliana; green leaf volatiles; plant-plant signalling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aldehydes / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis / drug effects
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Hexanols / metabolism*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*
  • Volatile Organic Compounds / pharmacology*

Substances

  • (Z)-3-hexen-1-yl acetate
  • Aldehydes
  • Hexanols
  • Volatile Organic Compounds
  • 3-hexen-1-ol