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The Green Leaf Volatile (Z)-3-Hexenyl Acetate Is Differently Emitted by Two Varieties of Tulbaghia violacea Plants Routinely and after Wounding.

Alessandro FrontiniLuigi De BellisAndrea LuvisiFederica BlandoSamar Min AllahRosanna DimitaCarlo MininniRita AccogliCarmine Negro
Published in: Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (2022)
While studying aromas produced by the edible flowers of Tulbaghia violacea , we noticed a different production of (Z)-3-Hexenyl acetate (a green-leaf volatile, GLV) by purple (var. 'Violacea') and white (var. 'Alba') flowers. The white Tulbaghia flowers constantly emits (Z)-3-Hexenyl acetate, which is instead produced in a lower amount by the purple-flowered variety. Thus, we moved to analyze the production of (Z)-3-Hexenyl acetate by whole plants of the two varieties by keeping them confined under a glass bell for 5 h together with a SPME (Solid Phase Micro Extraction) fiber. Results show that six main volatile compounds are emitted by T. violacea plants: (Z)-3-Hexenyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, nonanal, decanal, (Z)-3-Hexenyl-α-methylbutyrate, and one unknown compound. By cutting at half-height of the leaves, the (Z)-3-Hexenyl acetate is emitted in high quantities from both varieties, while the production of (Z)-3-Hexenyl-α-methylbutyrate increases. (Z)-3-Hexenyl acetate is a GLV capable of stimulating plant defenses, attracting herbivores and their natural enemies, and it is also involved in plant-to-plant communication and defense priming. Thus, T. violacea could represent a useful model for the study of GLVs production and a 'signal' plant capable of stimulating natural defenses in the neighboring plants.
Keyphrases
  • body mass index
  • gas chromatography
  • cell wall
  • tandem mass spectrometry
  • simultaneous determination
  • liquid chromatography