Floral scents and fruit aromas inspired by nature

Abstract

Plants use floral and fruit volatiles as chemical cues to interact with their environment by attracting pollinators and seed dispersers, thus ensuring plant reproductive success. These volatiles also have a significant economic value as they contribute directly to the quality, and indirectly to the yield, of crops. The scent of flowers and the aroma of fruits are composed of complex mixtures of tens or sometimes hundreds of volatile compounds, many of which are found in both flowers and fruits. Arising from diverse biochemical pathways, floral and fruit volatiles can be divided into four major classes according to their metabolic origin: terpenoids, phenylpropanoids/benzenoids, fatty acid derivatives and amino acid derivatives. Recent discoveries of genes and enzymes responsible for the formation of volatile compounds have facilitated the investigation of the regulation of the biosynthesis of flower and fruit volatiles. Our growing understanding of the plant volatile network, together with pioneering attempts for fragrance modification, provide a platform for future metabolic engineering of floral scent and fruit aroma for plant improvement and human enjoyment.