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Biology (Basel)

Title:		Does the Floral Nectary in Dracocephalum moldavica L. Produce Nectar and Essential Oil? Structure and Histochemistry of the Nectary
Author(s):		Konarska A; Weryszko-Chmielewska E; Dmitruk M; Sulborska-Rozycka A; Piotrowska-Weryszko K;
Address:		"Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 15, 20-950 Lublin, Poland"
Journal Title:		Biology (Basel)
Year:		2022
Volume:		20221111
Issue:		11
Page Number:		-
DOI:		10.3390/biology11111650
ISSN/ISBN:		2079-7737 (Print) 2079-7737 (Electronic) 2079-7737 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Dracocephalum moldavica is an aromatic plant with a lemon scent and versatile use. Its flowers produce large amounts of nectar, which is collected by bees and bumblebees. The aim of the study was to investigate the structure of the floral nectary in this melliferous plant, which has not been analysed to date. The analyses were carried out with the use of light, fluorescence, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy, as well as histochemical techniques. The four-lobed nectary with a diameter of 0.9-1.2 mm and a maximum height of 1.2 mm is located at the ovary base; one of its lobes is larger than the others and bears 20-30 nectarostomata and 8-9 glandular trichomes. The histochemical assays revealed the presence of essential oil and phenolic compounds in the nectary tissues and in glandular trichomes. The nectary tissues are supplied by xylem- and phloem-containing vascular bundles. The nectariferous parenchyma cells have numerous mitochondria, plastids, ribosomes, dictyosomes, ER profiles, vesicles, thin cell walls, and plasmodesmata. Starch grains are present only in the tissues of nectaries in floral buds. The study showed high metabolic activity of D. moldavica nectary glands, i.e., production of not only nectar but also essential oil, which may increase the attractiveness of the flowers to pollinators, inhibit the growth of fungal and bacterial pathogens, and limit pest foraging"
Keywords:		Lamiaceae Moldavian balm anatomy micromorphology nectaries secondary metabolites ultrastructure;
Notes:		"PubMed-not-MEDLINEKonarska, Agata Weryszko-Chmielewska, Elzbieta Dmitruk, Marta Sulborska-Rozycka, Aneta Piotrowska-Weryszko, Krystyna eng project LKR/S/49/2022RiO and LKR/S/49/2022BiO/Poland's Ministry of Science and Higher Education/ Switzerland 2022/11/25 Biology (Basel). 2022 Nov 11; 11(11):1650. doi: 10.3390/biology11111650"