Appetitive behavior of the honey bee Apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars
The honey bee is the most frequently used species in pollination services for diverse crops. In onion crops (Allium cepa L.), however, bees avoid visiting certain varieties, being attracted differently to male sterile (MS) and fertile (OP) lines. These differences might be based on the phenolic prof...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Artículo |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
Company of Biologists
2019
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/4929 http://jeb.biologists.org/content/222/2/jeb189910 http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.189910 |
| _version_ | 1855483522111766528 |
|---|---|
| author | Gatica Hernandez, Ismaél Jairo Gabriel Palottini, Florencia Macri, Ivana Noelia Galmarini, Claudio Romulo Farina, Walter Marcelo |
| author_browse | Farina, Walter Marcelo Galmarini, Claudio Romulo Gatica Hernandez, Ismaél Jairo Gabriel Macri, Ivana Noelia Palottini, Florencia |
| author_facet | Gatica Hernandez, Ismaél Jairo Gabriel Palottini, Florencia Macri, Ivana Noelia Galmarini, Claudio Romulo Farina, Walter Marcelo |
| author_sort | Gatica Hernandez, Ismaél Jairo Gabriel |
| collection | INTA Digital |
| description | The honey bee is the most frequently used species in pollination services for diverse crops. In onion crops (Allium cepa L.), however, bees avoid visiting certain varieties, being attracted differently to male sterile (MS) and fertile (OP) lines. These differences might be based on the phenolic profiles of the cultivars’ nectars. To understand the relationship between nectar composition and pollinator attraction to different onion lines, we tested sensory and cognitive abilities and palatability in honey bees exposed to MS and OP onion nectars and sugar solutions mimicking them. We evaluated the proboscis extension response (PER) after antennal contact (unconditioned response) to MS or OP onion nectars, finding no statistical differences, which denotes similar gustatory perception for both nectars. We also performed food uptake assays to test palatability of different artificial nectars, considering their flavonoids and potassium content. The presence of potassium decreased palatability of the artificial nectars. Finally, we evaluated the beeś cognitive abilities when the reward (unconditioned stimulus, US) offered during conditioning PER assays presents differences in composition. We found that potassium by itself impaired learning; however, such impairment was even higher when naringenin and quercetin were added in the US (MS mimic nectar). Interestingly, potassium together with luteolin (OP mimic nectar) improved learning. Our study demonstrates that the differences in the nectars’ flavonoid profiles combined with their high potassium content could explain the previously reported differences in attractiveness between onion lines, suggesting an important role of nectar-compounds other than sugars for the attractiveness of flowers to pollinators. |
| format | Artículo |
| id | INTA4929 |
| institution | Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA -Argentina) |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publishDateRange | 2019 |
| publishDateSort | 2019 |
| publisher | Company of Biologists |
| publisherStr | Company of Biologists |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | INTA49292025-05-07T11:52:14Z Appetitive behavior of the honey bee Apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars Gatica Hernandez, Ismaél Jairo Gabriel Palottini, Florencia Macri, Ivana Noelia Galmarini, Claudio Romulo Farina, Walter Marcelo Apis Mellifera Comportamiento Animal Apetito Néctar Olfacción Compuestos Fenólicos Alimentación de los Animales Flavonoides Polinización Animal Behaviour Appetite Olfaction Phenolic Compounds Animal Feeding Flavonoids Pollination Olfactory Learning Responsiveness The honey bee is the most frequently used species in pollination services for diverse crops. In onion crops (Allium cepa L.), however, bees avoid visiting certain varieties, being attracted differently to male sterile (MS) and fertile (OP) lines. These differences might be based on the phenolic profiles of the cultivars’ nectars. To understand the relationship between nectar composition and pollinator attraction to different onion lines, we tested sensory and cognitive abilities and palatability in honey bees exposed to MS and OP onion nectars and sugar solutions mimicking them. We evaluated the proboscis extension response (PER) after antennal contact (unconditioned response) to MS or OP onion nectars, finding no statistical differences, which denotes similar gustatory perception for both nectars. We also performed food uptake assays to test palatability of different artificial nectars, considering their flavonoids and potassium content. The presence of potassium decreased palatability of the artificial nectars. Finally, we evaluated the beeś cognitive abilities when the reward (unconditioned stimulus, US) offered during conditioning PER assays presents differences in composition. We found that potassium by itself impaired learning; however, such impairment was even higher when naringenin and quercetin were added in the US (MS mimic nectar). Interestingly, potassium together with luteolin (OP mimic nectar) improved learning. Our study demonstrates that the differences in the nectars’ flavonoid profiles combined with their high potassium content could explain the previously reported differences in attractiveness between onion lines, suggesting an important role of nectar-compounds other than sugars for the attractiveness of flowers to pollinators. EEA La Consulta Fil: Gatica Hernandez, Ismaél Jairo Gabriel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Consulta; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Palottini, Florencia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Laboratorio de Fisiología de Insectos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Macri, Ivana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Laboratorio de Fisiología de Insectos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Ingenierıá Rural; Argentina Fil: Galmarini, Claudio Romulo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Consulta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina Fil: Farina, Walter Marcelo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Laboratorio de Fisiología de Insectos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina 2019-04-17T12:51:26Z 2019-04-17T12:51:26Z 2019 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/4929 http://jeb.biologists.org/content/222/2/jeb189910 0022-0949 1477-9145 (Online) http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.189910 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess application/pdf Company of Biologists Journal of experimental biology 222 (2) : jeb.189910. (January 2019) |
| spellingShingle | Apis Mellifera Comportamiento Animal Apetito Néctar Olfacción Compuestos Fenólicos Alimentación de los Animales Flavonoides Polinización Animal Behaviour Appetite Olfaction Phenolic Compounds Animal Feeding Flavonoids Pollination Olfactory Learning Responsiveness Gatica Hernandez, Ismaél Jairo Gabriel Palottini, Florencia Macri, Ivana Noelia Galmarini, Claudio Romulo Farina, Walter Marcelo Appetitive behavior of the honey bee Apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars |
| title | Appetitive behavior of the honey bee Apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars |
| title_full | Appetitive behavior of the honey bee Apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars |
| title_fullStr | Appetitive behavior of the honey bee Apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars |
| title_full_unstemmed | Appetitive behavior of the honey bee Apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars |
| title_short | Appetitive behavior of the honey bee Apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars |
| title_sort | appetitive behavior of the honey bee apis mellifera in response to phenolic compounds naturally found in nectars |
| topic | Apis Mellifera Comportamiento Animal Apetito Néctar Olfacción Compuestos Fenólicos Alimentación de los Animales Flavonoides Polinización Animal Behaviour Appetite Olfaction Phenolic Compounds Animal Feeding Flavonoids Pollination Olfactory Learning Responsiveness |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/4929 http://jeb.biologists.org/content/222/2/jeb189910 http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.189910 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gaticahernandezismaeljairogabriel appetitivebehaviorofthehoneybeeapismelliferainresponsetophenoliccompoundsnaturallyfoundinnectars AT palottiniflorencia appetitivebehaviorofthehoneybeeapismelliferainresponsetophenoliccompoundsnaturallyfoundinnectars AT macriivananoelia appetitivebehaviorofthehoneybeeapismelliferainresponsetophenoliccompoundsnaturallyfoundinnectars AT galmariniclaudioromulo appetitivebehaviorofthehoneybeeapismelliferainresponsetophenoliccompoundsnaturallyfoundinnectars AT farinawaltermarcelo appetitivebehaviorofthehoneybeeapismelliferainresponsetophenoliccompoundsnaturallyfoundinnectars |