Biology subjects

Whitney, H. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Whitney, H. M..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Variations of floral temperature in changing weather conditions

O_LIFloral temperature is a flower characteristic that has the potential to impact the fitness of flowering plants and their pollinators. Likewise, the presence of floral temperature patterns, areas of contrasting temperature across the flower, can have similar impacts on the fitness of both mutualists. C_LIO_LIIt is currently poorly understood how floral temperature changes under the influence of different weather conditions, and how floral traits may moderate these changes. Such weather dependency will impact how stable floral temperatures are over time and their utility to plant and pollinator. The stability of floral temperature cues is likely to facilitate effective plant-pollinator interactions and play a role in the plants reproductive success. C_LIO_LIWe use thermal imaging to monitor how floral temperatures and temperature patterns of four plant species (Cistus snow fire and snow white, Coreopsis verticillata and Geranium psilostemon) change with several weather variables (illumination, temperature; windspeed; cloud cover; humidity and pressure) during times that pollinators are active. C_LIO_LIAll weather variables influenced floral temperature in one or more species. The directionality of these relationships were similar across species. In all species light conditions (illumination) had the greatest influence on floral temperature overall, and in generation of contrasting temperatures between parts of the flower, temperature patterns. The effect sizes of other weather variables were lower and more varied across the four species. Most likely, floral traits such as pigmentation and structure influence these relationships between weather conditions and generation of floral temperature. C_LIO_LISynthesis: Floral temperature and the extent to which flowers showed contrasting temperature patterns were influenced predominantly by light conditions. However, several weather variables had additional, lesser, influences. Furthermore, differences in floral traits, pigmentation and structure, likely resulted in differences in temperature responses to given conditions between species and different parts of the same flower. However, floral temperatures and contrasting temperature patterns that are sufficiently elevated for detection by pollinators were maintained across most conditions if flowers received moderate illumination. This suggests the presence of elevated floral temperature and contrasting temperature patterns are fairly constant and may have potential to influence plant-pollinator interactions across weather conditions. C_LI

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2023

The cuticular wax compositions and crystal coverage of leaves and petals differ in a consistent manner between plant species

1Both leaves and petals are covered in a cuticle, which itself contains and is covered by, cuticular waxes. The waxes perform various roles in plants lives, and the cuticular composition of leaves has received much attention. To date, the cuticular composition of petals has been largely ignored. Being the outermost boundary between the plant and the environment, the cuticle is the first point of contact between a flower and a pollinator, yet we know little about how plant-pollinator interactions shape its chemical composition. Here, we investigate the general structure and composition of floral cuticular waxes by analysing the cuticular composition of leaves and petals of 49 plant species, representing 19 orders and 27 families. We show that the flowers of plants from across the phylogenetic range are nearly devoid of wax crystals, and that the total wax load of leaves in 90% of the species is higher than that of petals. The proportion of alkanes is higher, and the chain-lengths of the aliphatic compounds are shorter in petals than in leaves. We argue these differences are a result of the adaptation to the different roles leaves and petals play in plant biology.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Bumblebees can detect floral humidity

Floral humidity, a region of elevated humidity proximal to the flower, occurs in many plant species and may add to their multimodal floral displays. So far, the ability to detect and respond to floral humidity cues has been only established for hawkmoths when they locate and extract nectar while hovering in front of some moth-pollinated flowers. To test whether floral humidity can be used by other more widespread generalist pollinators, we designed artificial flowers that presented biologically-relevant levels of humidity similar to those shown by flowering plants. Bumblebees showed a spontaneous preference for flowers which produced higher floral humidity. Furthermore, learning experiments showed that bumblebees are able to use differences in floral humidity to distinguish between rewarding and nonrewarding flowers. Our results indicate that bumblebees are sensitive to different levels of floral humidity. In this way floral humidity can add to the information provided by flowers and could impact pollinator behaviour more significantly than previously thought. Summary statementWe demonstrate for the first time that bumblebees show a preference to elevated floral humidity and can learn to distinguish flowers that differ in floral humidity levels.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2019

Photosynthesis and crop productivity is enhanced by glucose-functionalized fluorescent carbon dots

From global food security to textile production and biofuels, the demands currently made on plant photosynthetic productivity will continue to increase. Enhancing photosynthesis using designer, green and sustainable materials offers an attractive alternative to current genetic-based strategies and promising work with nanomaterials has recently started to emerge. Here we describe in planta use of carbon-based nanoparticles produced by low-cost renewable routes that are bioavailable to mature plants. Uptake of these functionalised nanoparticles from the soil improves photosynthesis and also increases crop production. We show for the first time that glucose-functionalization enhances nanoparticle uptake, photoprotection and pigment production, unlocking enhanced yields. This is demonstrated in Triticum aestivum Apogee (dwarf bread wheat) and results in an 18% increase in grain yield. This establishes the viability of a functional nanomaterial to augment photosynthesis as a route to increased crop productivity.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2019

A simple method for spray-on gene editing in planta.

Potential innovation in Plant research using gene-edited and genetically modified plants is currently being hindered by inefficient and costly plant transformation. We show that carbon dots formed from natural materials (quasi-spherical, <10nm nanoparticles) can act as a fast vehicle for carrying plasmids into mature plant cells, resulting in transient plant transformation in a number of important crop species with no negative impacts on photosynthesis or growth. We further show that GFP, Cas9, and gRNA introduced into wheat via foliar application (spraying on) of plasmid coated carbon dots are expressed and, in the case of Cas9, make genome edits in SPO11 genes. Therefore, we present a protocol for spray-on gene editing that is simple, inexpensive, fast, transforms in planta, and is applicable to multiple crop species. We believe this technique creates many opportunities for the future of plant transformation in research and shows great promise for plant protein production systems.

plant biology↗