Slavković Filip, Bendahmane Abdelhafid
Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), INRAE, CNRS, University of Paris-Saclay, University of Evry, University of Paris Cité, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Plant Cell Environ. 2025 Sep;48(9):6865-6873. doi: 10.1111/pce.15670. Epub 2025 Jun 4.
Pollination is traditionally regarded as a quintessential mutualism, yet many plants employ deceptive strategies to achieve reproductive success. Among the most intriguing is sexual deception, wherein flowers mimic the sex pheromones and visual signals of female insects to attract male pollinators-without providing any reward. This strategy, most notably observed in orchids, is a powerful driver of diversification and speciation. Recent advances in genomics, metabolomics, and high-resolution imaging are shedding light on the genetic and biochemical mechanisms underpinning these complex mimicry systems. Remarkably, subtle genetic modifications and the repurposing of existing gene networks can give rise to highly specialized and effective forms of deception. Central to this process are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which serve as species-specific semiochemicals that manipulate innate pollinator behaviors and reinforce reproductive isolation. This review synthesizes emerging insights into floral semiochemistry and highlights its broader applications in pollinator surveillance, crop pollination enhancement, and biodiversity monitoring. As global pollinator populations face increasing threats, understanding floral chemical ecology offers promising avenues for designing pollinator-friendly crops and advancing tools in synthetic ecology.
传统上，授粉被视为一种典型的互利共生关系，但许多植物采用欺骗策略来实现繁殖成功。其中最引人入胜的是性欺骗，即花朵模仿雌性昆虫的性信息素和视觉信号来吸引雄性传粉者，而不提供任何回报。这种策略在兰花中最为显著，是物种多样化和物种形成的强大驱动力。基因组学、代谢组学和高分辨率成像方面的最新进展正在揭示这些复杂拟态系统背后的遗传和生化机制。值得注意的是，微妙的基因修饰和现有基因网络的重新利用可以产生高度专业化和有效的欺骗形式。这个过程的核心是挥发性有机化合物（VOCs），它们作为物种特异性的信息化学物质，操纵传粉者的固有行为并加强生殖隔离。这篇综述综合了对花卉化学生态学的新见解，并强调了其在传粉者监测、作物授粉增强和生物多样性监测方面的更广泛应用。随着全球传粉者种群面临越来越多的威胁，了解花卉化学生态学为设计对传粉者友好的作物和推进合成生态学工具提供了有希望的途径。
