Flowers like hibiscus use an invisible blueprint established very early in petal formation that dictates the size of their bullseyes -- a crucial pre-pattern that can significantly impact their ability to attract pollinating bees.
The study, by researchers at the University of Cambridge's Sainsbury Laboratory also found that bees prefer larger bullseyes over smaller ones and fly 25% faster between artificial flower discs with larger bullseyes -- potentially boosting efficiency for both bees and blossoms.
The research also shows plants can precisely control and modify the shape and size of these patterns using multiple mechanisms, with possible implications for plant evolution. By fine-tuning these designs, plants may gain a competitive advantage in the contest to attract pollinators or maybe start attracting different species of insects.
Dr Riglet said:"At the earliest stage we could dissect, the petals have around 700 cells and are still greenish in colour, with no visible purple pigment and no difference in cell shape or size. When the petal further develops to 4000 cells, it still does not have any visible pigment, but we identified a specific region where the cells were larger than their surrounding neighbours. This is the pre-pattern.
Dr Riglet then compared the relative success of the bullseye patterns in attracting pollinators using artificial flower discs that mimicked the three different bullseye dimensions. Dr Riglet explained:"The bees not only preferred the medium and larger bullseyes over the small bullseye, they were also 25% quicker visiting these larger flower discs.
While wildflowers and perennials are a must for supporting pollinators, there's no denying the popularity of many annual flowers for their colorful, visual appeal. A new study suggests choosing the ...
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