Biochemistry of Nectar Proteins

Insect pollination has been widely established as among the most important aspects of fruit and seed production. It is well known that increasing insect visitation results in increased pollination efficiency and subsequently in increased seed set (yield). Any attempt to manipulate insect visitation to affect yield must have as its first step a complete understanding of the components that plants use to attract insects. We have focused on the biochemistry of nectar. Our studies indicate that there is a limited array of proteins that accumulate in nectar of ornamental tobacco, yet these proteins generate a novel biochemistry that we propose serves primarily to protect the gynoecium from infection by microorganisms. The NEC1 protein appears to be common among angiosperms and it, together with NEC5, generates high levels of hydrogen peroxide in nectar.