the science of nectar (@nectaromania) profile picture

the science of nectar

@nectaromania

Sharing pictures, research, and stories about the science of nectar biology. Curated by @plantbotsci

Joined July 2021
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“Behind-the-image” of the Call for Papers for the @NewPhyt Special Collection on Nectar & Nectaries. Co-editors: @plantbotsci @Yan_C_Gong @RoyRahul86 Elena Kramer 🧵1/8 #nectar #nectary #specialcollection
combined photo of an Anna’s hummingbird (right) visiting a scarlet monkeyflower (left). Dotted in the background are strands of scarlet monkeyflowers. On the bottom are three circles. Left - a red and yellow fluorescent image of a monkeyflower nectary. Middle - a collection of blue and gold sugar compounds. Right - a collection of multicolored microbes.

ALT combined photo of an Anna’s hummingbird (right) visiting a scarlet monkeyflower (left). Dotted in the background are strands of scarlet monkeyflowers. On the bottom are three circles. Left - a red and yellow fluorescent image of a monkeyflower nectary. Middle - a collection of blue and gold sugar compounds. Right - a collection of multicolored microbes.

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At the biochemical level, the #nectar is primarily composed of sugars in different ratios, but there are lots of other compounds, like nicotine and caffeine, that can also be found. sucrose (blue and gold) glucose (gold) fructose (blue) #nectarchemistry #metabolites 🧵7/8
simplified sugar compounds against a white background. Sucrose in blue and gold; glucose in yellow gold; fructose in blue.

ALT simplified sugar compounds against a white background. Sucrose in blue and gold; glucose in yellow gold; fructose in blue.

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Nectar is also an environment for microbial communities - #bacteria and #yeast - to thrive and can contribute to attracting pollinators. Drawing traced from Figure 2 of Chappell & Fukami, 2018: 🔗web.stanford.edu/~fukamit/ch… 📸@eco_genome 🧵8/8
drawings of multicolored yeasts or bacteria in shades of purple, orange, green, yellow, and blue against a white background

ALT drawings of multicolored yeasts or bacteria in shades of purple, orange, green, yellow, and blue against a white background

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Spring post on asparagus: If you let an asparagus spear keep growing, you might see some flowers blooming! Take a closer look at the flowers, and you’ll be able to see whether you have a male, female, or hermaphroditic plant. (1/7) #asparagus #asparagusofficinalis
Tips of the asparagus inflorescence branches with unopened flower buds. There is a prominent branch focused in the middle, but there are other shorter branches in all different directions.

ALT Tips of the asparagus inflorescence branches with unopened flower buds. There is a prominent branch focused in the middle, but there are other shorter branches in all different directions.

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Honeybees appear to pollinate asparagus flowers, as this video suggests. Successful pollination results in fruits developing, which look like small berries. (6/7) #beepollination #asparagus #asparagusfruit
An asparagus branch with some fruits developing, which are small yellow green spheres hanging down. The background is a blurred, with the top half more green (asparagus branches) and the bottom half more brown and dark gray (dirt and asparagus branch shadows).

ALT An asparagus branch with some fruits developing, which are small yellow green spheres hanging down. The background is a blurred, with the top half more green (asparagus branches) and the bottom half more brown and dark gray (dirt and asparagus branch shadows).

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Research-related: asparagus was the first species I was able to isolate nuclei and obtain single nuclei RNA sequences. With this data, I am hoping I can identify the genes that are responsible for nectary development in monocots! 🤞(7/7)
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January post on date palms: Depending on the weather, around mid- to late January, the flowers from date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) will start to bloom in the Coachella Valley in California. Thread below. (1/9) #datepalm #phoenixdactylifera #arecales
The top part of a date palm, featuring the palm leaves against a blue sky.

ALT The top part of a date palm, featuring the palm leaves against a blue sky.

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The USDA has a date palm collection in the Coachella Valley. This collection, also known as a germplasm or repository, is critical for all kinds of research, such as measuring fruit yield to being the source of the genetic material for the date palm genome. (8/9) #datepalm
Perspective view of a road flanked by date palms on both sides of the road against a clear blue sky. The center road has dried date palm leaves on the floor in a pile. Some date palms (such as the ones on the left) have what look like bags hanging down from the tree, which contain the date fruits within them.

ALT Perspective view of a road flanked by date palms on both sides of the road against a clear blue sky. The center road has dried date palm leaves on the floor in a pile. Some date palms (such as the ones on the left) have what look like bags hanging down from the tree, which contain the date fruits within them.

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To learn more about the date palm repository and other research projects, check out this link below. (9/9) #usda #germplasm #datepalm ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-ar…
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