Grayanotoxin I variation across tissues and species of Rhododendron suggests pollinator-herbivore defence trade-offs
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Published version
Author(s)
Fattorini, Róisín
Egan, Paul A
Rosindell, James
Farrell, Iain W
Stevenson, Philip C
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Grayanotoxin I (GTX I) is a major toxin in leaves of Rhododendron species, where it provides a defence against insect and vertebrate herbivores. Surprisingly, it is also present in R. ponticum nectar, and this can hold important implications for plant-pollinator mutualisms. However, knowledge of GTX I distributions across the genus Rhododendron and in different plant materials is currently limited, despite the important ecological function of this toxin. Here we characterise GTX I expression in the leaves, petals, and nectar of seven Rhododendron species. Our results indicated interspecific variation in GTX I concentration across all species. GTX I concentrations were consistently higher in leaves compared to petals and nectar. Our findings provide preliminary evidence for phenotypic correlation between GTX I concentrations in defensive tissues (leaves and petals) and floral rewards (nectar), suggesting that Rhododendron species may commonly experience functional trade-offs between herbivore defence and pollinator attraction.
Date Issued
2023-08
Date Acceptance
2023-05-03
Citation
Phytochemistry: the international journal of plant chemistry, plant biochemistry and molecular biology, 2023, 212, pp.1-7
ISSN
0031-9422
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
1
End Page
7
Journal / Book Title
Phytochemistry: the international journal of plant chemistry, plant biochemistry and molecular biology
Volume
212
Copyright Statement
© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37149121
Subjects
Diterpenes
Flowers
Herbivory
Plant Nectar
Rhododendron
Ericaceae
Functional trade-offs
Grayanotoxin
Nectar chemicals
Phenotypic correlation
Plant defence
Rhododendron
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
113707
Date Publish Online
2023-05-04