Plants use volatile compounds to repel and kill pests, to attract pollinators, and to communicate between cells and plants. Volatile compounds can be expressed in minute quantities that are impossible to work with individually, but they become more workable when combined as floral scent. One compound, linool, is toxic to some insects. The same compound, though, allows moths to find the Clarkia plant, which has small pink flowers and depends on a nocturnal moth for pollination. As a moth closes in, it fixes on a different short-distance compound to help it zero in on a specific flower.
Plants also use volatile compounds to warn other plants.
Once she understands how plants produce volatile compounds and what genes are involved, Dudareva says she hopes to be able to manipulate the genes to enhance the beneficial aspects of scent. She's also intrigued by the field of aromatherapy and the attempts to link health benefits with exposure to certain smells. If links can be established between scent and health effects, such as stress reduction, Dudareva knows that interest in her work will blossom. Purdue flower researcher Natalia Dudareva works with flowers to understand the genetic mechanisms that have caused flowers to lose their scent. Color photo, electronic transmission, and Web and ftp download available.