Volatiles emitted during the sexual stage of the Canada thistle rust fungus and by thistle flowers

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 185 - 188
• Main Authors: Connick, William J, French, Richard C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01-01-1991
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control and other methods; CIRSIUM; COMPOSE VOLATIL; COMPUESTO VOLATIL; CONTROL BIOLOGICO; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; LUTTE BIOLOGIQUE; ODEUR; OLOR; Parasitic plants. Weeds; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; PUCCINIA; REPRODUCCION SEXUAL; REPRODUCTION SEXUEE; TECHNIQUE ANALYTIQUE; TECNICAS ANALITICAS; Weeds; Attractant; Volatile compound; Weed; Biological control; Vegetal microorganism relation; Basidiomycetes; Compositae; Biological activity; Fungi; Gas chromatography; Animal plant relation; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Qualitative analysis; Chemical composition; Aromatic compound; Mass spectrometry; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf00001a037

Fragrance volatiles responsible for the sweet aroma produced when Canada thistle [Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.] plants are infected with the systemic sexual stage of the Canada thistle rust [Puccinia punctiformis (Strauss) Roehl.], a prospective biological control agent for that weed, have been identified by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after thermal desorption from Tenax. The four major peaks in the chromatogram were identified as benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, phenethyl alcohol, and indole, at average relative molar concentrations of 0.05, 0.85, 0.44, and 1.00, respectively. The known insect-attracting properties of these compounds may aid cross-fertilization of the fungus. Healthy Canada thistle flowers emitted these same compounds, except indole, plus methyl salicylate. Phenylacetaldehyde was the most concentrated fragrance volatile of the flowers