Plant VOCs emission: a new strategy of thermotolerance

Abstract

Plant leaves may emit a substantial amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere, which include isoprene, terpene, alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, aldehydes, eters, esters and carboxylic acids. Furthermore, most of these compounds actively participate in tropospheric chemistry. Great progresses have been made in linking emission of these compounds to climate. However, the VOCs emission function in plant is still not clear. Recently, some evidence has emerged that the production and the emission of VOCs, such as isoprene and monoterpenes, which account for 80% of total VOCs, exhibit plant protection against high temperatures. These increases in VOCs emissions could contribute in a significant way to plant thermotolerance. This perspective summarizes some latest literatures regarding the VOCs emission-dependent thermoprotection in plant species subjected to high temperature stress, presents the achievement in studies concerning plant VOCs emission-dependent thermotolerance, and then exhibits the proposed mechanisms of such plant thermotolerance. Finally, open questions regarding the plant VOCs emission were shown, and the future researches were proposed.

Keywords

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) / Isoprene / Monoterpene / Photosynthesis / Thermotolerance / Thermoprotection / Q946 / A

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