By Victoria Barrera 
The figure demonstrates the Olfactory response of adult T. basalis females when given the choice between test and control odors. Test odors consisted of either buckwheat raw or synthetic nectar.
Produced by flowering plants, floral nectar is a sugar-rich resource colonized by various microorganisms that alter physical and chemical traits including scent due to production of microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). Nectar is mainly studied for its role in attracting insects such as parasitoids, commonly found visiting and feeding on nectar of various plants. That being said, mVOC’s effect on parasitoid's olfactory responses to flowering nectar is often overlooked. Currently, researchers aim to record if bacteria from phyla: Firmicutes (8 isolates), Proteobacteria (4 isolates), and Actinobacteria (2 isolates) associated with the nectar of Fagopyrum esculentum (Buckwheat) affect the response of Trissolcus basalis (wasp species) via odor changes. Nectar from 50 F. esculentum flowers were collected and 100 µL from 20 samples were placed onto a trypticase soy agar (TSA) for isolation. T. Basalis females were used in all bioassays and were individually placed in small vials 24 hours prior to induce starvation. Their results found that 4 out of 14 strains attracted T. Basalis, indicating that nectar-inhabiting bacteria affect interactions between flowering plants and parasitoids. Correspondingly, these results are relevant to biological control of insect pests as nectar modifications may enhance the future progression of human agriculture/pesticides.
Original Article:
Cusumano A., Bella P., Peri E. et al. Nectar-Inhabiting Bacteria Affect Olfactory Responses of an Insect Parasitoid by Altering Nectar Odors. Microb Ecol 86, 364–376 (2023).
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