Nutrient-rich plants emit a less intense blend of volatile isoprenoids

What is it about?

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are "scents" emitted by plants that help coping with stressful conditions such as heat stress, but can also attract pollinators or predators of herbivores that harm them. We show that plants with higher foliar nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations tend to emit a less diverse and intense blend of these volatile compounds. We also found that foliar nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and the type of emission of VOCs have been liked through their evolutionary history.

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