| Title: | Selection of key floral scent compounds from fruit and vegetable crops by honey bees depends on sensory capacity and experience |
| Author(s): | Mas F; Horner RM; Brierley S; Butler RC; Suckling DM; |
| Address: | "The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Gerald St, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand. Electronic address: flore.mas@plantandfood.co.nz. The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Gerald St, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand. The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Gerald St, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.104002 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-1611 (Electronic) 0022-1910 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Flowers have complex odours often comprising hundreds of volatile compounds. Floral scents are species-specific, and vary also among populations, varieties, sexes or lines, as well as with phenology. Honey bees, Apis mellifera, generally associate only a few key compounds among the complex floral scent with the food reward which guides their foraging choices. How these key compounds are selected remains partially unexplained, despite their crucial role in influencing foraging. Using electrophysiological techniques and behavioural assays, we identified the key bioactive compounds that bees detected with their antennae and that were associated with appetitive responses from four fruit crops and three vegetable crops. Three quantities of identified key volatile compounds were assayed with the two methods in each of four different seasons with experienced foragers. Whether the selection of these key compounds is determined by the sensory capability of the bee or influenced by its foraging experience was assessed by comparing experienced and naive bees. Our results showed that experienced foragers were electrophysiologically-sensitive to a specific set of key compounds for each crop, independent of variation in quantity among several varieties. Experienced foragers responded to these compounds in all seasons, with increased electrophysiological amplitude with increasing quantities. Behavioural appetitive responses varied amongst compounds and seasons, revealing preferences based on associative learning. Naive bees that were exposed to compounds and subsequently learned them, tended to be overall more sensitive. We discuss our results based on the identity of each bioactive compound and their presence in nature. Preferences for specific floral compounds based on sensory biases exist and associative learning may reinforce behavioural attraction depending on foraging experience in each season" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Appetitive Behavior/*physiology Bees/*physiology Crops, Agricultural Electrophysiology/methods Flowers/metabolism Fruit/metabolism Learning Odorants Pollination/physiology Seasons Smell/*physiology Vegetables/metabolism *Volatile Organic Compounds;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineMas, Flore Horner, Rachael M Brierley, Sam Butler, Ruth C Suckling, David M eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2019/12/25 J Insect Physiol. 2020 Feb-Mar; 121:104002. doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.104002. Epub 2019 Dec 21" |
