Male Flower Parts Responsible for Potent Grapevine Perfume

Error

Error loading feed data.

Male Flower Parts Responsible for Potent Grapevine Perfume

University of British Columbia scientists have traced the fragrant scent of grapevine flowers to pollen grains stored in the anthers, contrary to common perception that petals alone produce perfume.

While studying grapes used to produce Cabernet Sauvignon from the Okanagan region of British Columbia, researchers from UBC’s Wine Research Centre and Michael Smith Laboratories identified a gene that produces and regulates fragrance from the vines’ tiny clusters of green blossoms.

“This was a surprise in fundamental plant biology,” says Joerg Bohlmann, a Distinguished University Scholar and professor in the Michael Smith Laboratories who directed the study. “This discovery gives us strong clues to the origin and evolution of fragrant flowers.”

Details of the study are published in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Online Early Edition.

Scientists believe plants have evolved to produce perfume in order to attract specific types of pollinators while fending off herbivores and pathogens.

“If you ask people where the perfume of a flower comes from, they’ll likely say the female parts or the petals,” says Bohlmann. While flowers such as roses and snapdragons rely on their petals to produce perfume and attract insects, few other species have been so closely studied.

“Cultivated grapevines are largely self-pollinated, so we believe the fragrance serves more as a defense mechanism to protect their male reproductive tissues from predatory insects,” says Bohlmann, who adds that further studies on other flowering species may turn up similar mechanisms. “It may be more prevalent than we think.”

The team also found that emission of perfume is light-dependent and is strongest at dawn, possibly to coincide with pollination and predation activities.

The study was supported by funding from Genome Canada, Genome B.C. and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

UBC Research - In Sciences Organization

Next >

Move

Wine of the Week

Top Headline

Other Headlines

2007 Chateau d'Or et de Gueules Les Cimels (2/15/10)

Costieres de Nimes, France$18 A +7 **** Worth the best of breed in the mid-20's price range! Full bodied, black currrant, blackberry, sweet black cherry, plum, fennel, basil, thyme, coarsely ground black...

2007 Descendientes de Jose Palacios Petalos del Bierzo (2/8/10)

Bierzo, Spain$24 A +5 **** You might want to put your helmet and seatbelt on for this structured gem. 40-90 year old Mencia (Spanish varietal with characteristics somewhat similar to Cabernet Franc) walks...

2008 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec (2/1/10)

Mendoza, Argentina$14 A- +3 ** A distinguished choice. This is not your typical dopey-fat, candied-sweet, bulk-bore. Ruby color. Raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, plum sauce, earth, tar, anise, and...

Move

Cocktail of the Week

Top Headline

Other Headlines

Cu Collins (9/6/10)

2 oz. Hendrick's Gin4 cucumber slicesFresh cilantro leaves, to taste1 oz. fresh lime juice 1 oz. simple syrupclub soda, to taste ice 1 Cucumber slice or lime for garnish Muddle cucumber slices and...

Remember the Maine (2/15/10)

For the ZaZa get-the-evening-killin'-it dance. Sometimes, I'll substitute Pernod (non-absinthe) for the absinthe, but absinthe gives it the 6th gear. 2 oz. rye whiskey (Thomas Handy or Rip Van Winkle)

Tequini (2/8/10)

I love a gin martini this time of year, but occasionally a twist on the concept is in order. 3oz. white tequila, 1/2 oz. dry vermouth, dash of Angostura bitters, lemon twist. Stir tequila, vermouth, and...

Move

Recent Tastings

Top Headline

Other Headlines

Fairorth Tequila/Mezcal Lounge

The Fairorth Tequila/Mezcal Lounge (last updated 5/30/14) Below are 2 lists: “Bottles Claimed & Already Coming” and “Bottles Suggested” You don’t have to bring bottles on the suggested list, but they are suggested. I will try to update...

South by South Wine XIV (3/12)

SHE SPARKLES
’82 Krug
’85 Krug
’88 Bollinger RD
’88 Krug
’90 Dom Perignon
’00 Pierre Peters “Les Chetillons” Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut Le Mesnil
’02 Camille Savès Grand Cru Brut
’02 Pierre...

Cabernet Sauvignon (2/14)

Chateau Randle - Blind Tasting Group preference, in order: 1. ’1. '00 Elyse “Morisoli” Cab Sauv, Napa 13.8% (Kazoo) 2. ’2. '98 Raymond Reserve, Cab Sauv, Napa 13.8% (Bandolin) 3. ’3. '07 Darioush, Napa 14.8% (Cello) ...

Move

Events

Top Headline

Other Headlines

POTS, PLANTS, and PINOT - Come lounge in the huge SWOOP Wine Garden with a glass of wine and shop for pots & plants! This Saturday, March 27, 10am - 6pm. / 3012...

Please join us in Austin, Texas on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for a fine wine dinner featuring the wines of Frescobaldi with special guest and honorary director of Grapes For Humanity Global Foundation, Marchese Leonardo...

If you're going to this, you'll need to buy tickets now. There...

Move

In the Vineyard

Top Headline

Other Headlines

"The harvest that has just finished looks very encouraging. After plenty of August sunshine, the grapes ripened in ideal conditions. The healthy state of the fruit and its high sugar content augur well for wine quality. Initial tastings of the grape must and the...

University of British Columbia scientists have traced the fragrant scent of grapevine flowers to pollen grains stored in the anthers, contrary to common perception that petals alone produce perfume.While studying grapes used to produce Cabernet Sauvignon from the...

Pioneering winemaker Daniel Le Brun has developed a frost-fighting system, using electric cables, that means sleep-depriving frost fans and helicopters could become a thing of the past. "This is definitely the way of the future," said Mr Le Brun, 64, who brought...

Latest

Blog

Whitebread Illusion of Choice The wine doldrums are available at most convenience-factor retailers...
Preaching to the Converted So many of the wines I taste on a daily basis are insanely boring....
A Rant on Wine Scores, Wine Ratings, and Reviews… Bottom Line: We need more “ungabunga” in wine reviews. ...
Wine Sets of the Ungabunga Restaurant Wine Lists and Retail Wine Sets. Wine lists are generally...
Wine Palates Know These Flavors Interested in training your “wine-descriptor” palate? It can...