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Both the adaxial and abaxial epidermal layers of the rose petal emit volatile scent compounds

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Abstract

The localization and timing of production and emission of scent was studied in different Rosa × hybrida cultivars, focusing on three particular topics. First, it was found that petals represent the major source of scent in R. × hybrida. In heavily scented cultivars, the spectrum and levels of volatiles emitted by the flower broadly correlated with the spectrum and levels of volatiles contained within the petal, throughout petal development. Secondly, analysis of rose cultivars that lacked a detectable scent indicated that the absence of fragrance was due to a reduction in both the biosynthesis and emission of scent volatiles. A cytological study, conducted on scented and non-scented rose cultivars showed that no major difference was visible in the anatomy of the petals either at small magnification in optical sections or in ultrathin sections observed by TEM. In particular, the cuticle of epidermal cells was not thicker in scentless cultivars. Thirdly, using two different techniques, solid/liquid phase extraction and headspace collection of volatiles, we showed that in roses, both epidermal layers are capable of producing and emitting scent volatiles, despite the different morphologies of the cells of these two tissues. Moreover, OOMT, an enzyme involved in scent molecule biosynthesis was localized in both epidermal layers.

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Abbreviations

DMT:

3,5-Dimethoxytoluene

OOMT:

Orcinol O-methyltransferase

TEM:

Transmission electron microscopy

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Acknowledgments

We thank Isabelle Anselme-Bertrand (Centre de Microscopie Electronique Stéphanois) for her help on the ESEM. We are indebted to Martine Hossaert-McKey (Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS, Montpellier) and Marie-Charlotte Anstett (Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution, Université Montpellier 2) for the help with the headspace apparatus. We also thank Frédéric Pautz (Jardin Botanique de la Ville de Lyon), Charles Broizat (Hortirose), Pierre Orard and Meilland Richardier who allowed us to cut roses in their collection. We also would like to thank Florence Gros and David Roujol for technical assistance. This work was supported by the Région Rhône-Alpes, France.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Biotechnologies Végétales, Plantes Aromatiques et Médicinales, EA 3061, Université Jean Monnet, 23, rue du Dr. Michelon, 42023, Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France

    Véronique Bergougnoux, Jean-Claude Caissard, Frédéric Jullien, Jean-Louis Magnard & Sylvie Baudino

  2. Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5667 CNRS-INRA-ENSL-UCBL, IFR128 Bioscience Lyon-Gerland, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 allée d’Italie, 69364, Lyon Cedex 07, France

    Gabriel Scalliet & Philippe Hugueney

  3. UMR 7139 CNRS-Goëmar-UPMC, Végétaux Marins et Biomolécules, Station Biologique, Place Georges Teissier, BP74 29682, Roscoff Cedex, France

    J. Mark Cock

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  1. Véronique Bergougnoux
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  2. Jean-Claude Caissard
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  3. Frédéric Jullien
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  4. Jean-Louis Magnard
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  5. Gabriel Scalliet
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  7. Philippe Hugueney
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  8. Sylvie Baudino
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Correspondence to Sylvie Baudino.

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Bergougnoux, V., Caissard, JC., Jullien, F. et al. Both the adaxial and abaxial epidermal layers of the rose petal emit volatile scent compounds. Planta 226, 853–866 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-007-0531-1

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