| Title: | Comparison of Biochemical Constituents and Contents in Floral Nectar of Castanea spp |
| Author(s): | Kim YK; Lee S; Song JH; Kim MJ; Yunusbaev U; Lee ML; Kim MS; Kwon HW; |
| Address: | "Division of Special Forest Product, National Institute of Forest Science, 39 Onjeong-ro, Suwon 16631, Korea. Department of Life Sciences & Convergence Research Center for Insect Vectors, Incheon National University, 199 Academy-ro, Incheon 22012, Korea" |
| DOI: | 10.3390/molecules25184225 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1420-3049 (Electronic) 1420-3049 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Pollination is essential for efficient reproduction in pollinator-dependent crops that rely on the attraction of pollinators to flowers. Especially, floral nectar is considered to be an important factor attracting pollinator like honey bees, but differences among major chestnut species (Castanea crenata, C. mollissima, C. dentata, and C. sativa) are still little explored. This study aims to evaluate the value of honey source by analyzing floral nectar characteristics and comparing the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that mediate plant-pollinator interaction. In this study, we analyzed nectar samples obtained from male flowers using HPLC and HS-SPME/GC-MS. The five chestnuts showed significant differences between the volume of secreted nectar, free sugar composition, amino acid content and VOCs composition. Furthermore, C. crenata (Japanese cultivar 'Ungi') was revealed to emit the highest total amounts of VOCs and high levels of benzenoid compounds that are generally associated with flower-visiting insects. The sugar content per catkin, which is used to determine the honey yield, was the highest in C. crenata, suggesting that C. crenata 'Ungi' can be highly valued as a honey tree. Therefore, a better understanding of the relationship between pollinator and nectar characteristics of C. crenara could contribute to a prospective honey plant" |
| Keywords: | Amino Acids/analysis Fagaceae/*chemistry/metabolism Flowers/chemistry/metabolism Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Plant Nectar/chemistry/metabolism Principal Component Analysis Solid Phase Microextraction Sugars/analysis Volatile Organic Compounds/*an; |
| Notes: | "MedlineKim, Young Ki Lee, Sujin Song, Jeong Ho Kim, Mahn Jo Yunusbaev, Ural Lee, Myeong-Lyeol Kim, Mun Seop Kwon, Hyung Wook eng Switzerland 2020/09/19 Molecules. 2020 Sep 15; 25(18):4225. doi: 10.3390/molecules25184225" |
