The role of nectar aminoacidic composition in pollinator preference

Amino acids are the main nectar components after sugars. In addition to protein amino acids (among which proline is the main one) non-protein amino acids (eg β-alanine) are also present and sometimes very abundant, but their contribution to floral attraction to pollinators is not clear (Nepi, 2014). Model organism for the study is Gentiana lutea subsp. symphyandra, a perennial and generalist plant that in the studied area is mainly pollinated by bumble bees. Previous analyses have revealed high concentration of β-alanine in G. lutea nectar (Rossi et al., 2014). The aim of the study is to investigate if the presence of proline and β-alanine in the nectar has an influence on the choice of Bombus terrestris and Apis mellifera for G. lutea nectar.