Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology
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Production of mustard oils: On the origin of an enzyme
— 17 Mar 2011 19:14 | BiologyPlants are continually exposed to herbivore attack. To defend themselves, they have developed sophisticated chemical defence mechanisms. Plants of the mustard family, such as thale…
Host change alters toxic cocktail
— 12 Mar 2011 14:59 | BiologyLeaf beetles fascinate us because of their amazing variety of shapes and rich colouring. Their larvae, however, are dangerous plant pests. Larvae of the leaf beetle Chrysomela lapponica…
Orchid tricks hoverflies
— 15 Oct 2010 12:14 | BiologyEven Darwin was a self-admitted orchid lover. Dictionaries describe orchids as exotic ornamentals. Indeed, these plants - more than 30000 different species are thought to exist - are…
Red light controls nectar secretion
— 28 Sep 2010 13:24 | BiologyFlowering plants produce nectar to attract insect pollinators. Some plant species, such as Lima bean, also secrete nectar from so-called extrafloral nectaries to attract ants which…
Lethal backfire: Green odour with fatal consequences for voracious caterpillars
— 27 Aug 2010 11:13 | BiologyPlants have developed a sophisticated defence system. They can not only directly fend off herbivores by producing toxins, but also do so indirectly by emitting odorant molecules into…
Plant hormone regulates nectar production
— 30 Mar 2010 11:11 | BiologyRapeseed is one of the ten most important agricultural crops worldwide. In spring, the rapeseed fields with their bright yellow flowers are widely visible: this year winter rapeseed…
Smelling the scenery in stereo
— 15 Mar 2010 14:01 | BiologyScientists of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena have investigated another navigational skill of desert ants. These ants are already well-known for their remarkable…
Bacteria expect the unexpected
— 5 Nov 2009 12:47 | BiologyOrganisms ensure the survival of their species by genetically adapting to the environment. If environmental conditions change too rapidly, the extinction of a species may be the consequence.…
Conflict between plant and animal hormones in the insect gut?
— 15 Sep 2009 13:00 | BiologyCis-OPDA (12-oxophytodienoic acid) is a highly reactive plant hormone which simultaneously serves as a precursor molecule of the metabolic 'master switch' jasmonic acid. Both signal…
Restoring a natural root signal helps to fight a major corn pest
— 4 Aug 2009 10:48 | EnvironmentA longstanding and fruitful collaboration between researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and the University of Neuchatel in Switzerland, together with contributions…
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