Biochemistry and Biology of Plant Volatiles

Principally all plants produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that play important roles in their communication with the environment. These interactions include defense responses against microorganisms and herbivorous insects and the attraction of pollinating insects or parasites and predators of insect pests.

The Tholl lab investigates volatile terpenes, which represent a major class of plant volatiles, in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We are employing biochemical, molecular and genomic tools to study the biosynthesis of these volatiles and explore their physiology and ecological significance in above- and belowground plant tissues.