ABSTRACT
Floral scents are a diverse blend of low molecular weight, mostly lypophilic compounds. Many of the terpene volatiles found in floral bouquets are direct products of terpene synthases, while others are formed through alterations of the primary terpene skeletons formed by TPSs by hydroxylation, dehydrogenation, acylation, and other reaction types. Plants depend on external factors, either biotic or abiotic, to effect cross-pollination. Floral scent plays an important role in attracting insect and animal pollinators, and therefore contributes to the successful reproduction of many plants. Substantial progress in the past decade in the isolation and characterization of genes responsible for the formation of floral volatiles has facilitated investigations into regulation of their biosynthesis. The scent of many flowers is markedly reduced after pollination. Such quantitative or qualitative postpollination changes in floral bouquets, shown mostly in orchids, lower the attractiveness of these flowers, as well as increase the overall reproductive success of the plant by directing pollinators to the unpollinated flowers.
