Why flowers have lost their scent

Pollution is dulling the scent of flowers and impeding some of the most basic processes of nature, disrupting insect life and imperilling food supplies, a new study suggests.


The potentially hugely significant research – funded by the blue-chip US National Science Foundation – has found that gases mainly formed from the emissions of car exhausts prevent flowers from attracting bees and other insects in order to pollinate them. And the scientists who have conducted the study fear that insects' ability to repel enemies and attract mates may also be impeded.

The researchers – at the University of Virginia – say that pollution is dramatically cutting the distance travelled by the scent of flowers. Professor Jose Fuentes, who led the study, said: "Scent molecules produced by flowers in a less polluted environment could travel for roughly 1,000 to 1,200 metres. But today they may travel only 200 to 300 metres. This makes it increasingly difficult for bees and other insects to locate the flowers."

The researchers – who worked on the scent given off by snapdragons – found that the molecules are volatile, and quickly bond with pollutants such as ozone and nitrate radicals, mainly formed from vehicle emissions. This chemically alters the molecules so that they no longer smell like flowers. A vicious cycle is therefore set up where insects struggle to get enough food and the plants do not get pollinated enough to proliferate.

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/why-flowers-have-lost-their-scent-812168.html

Easter lilies used to have a lovely perfume. Now there's none. Florist chrysanthemums have had the perfume bred out, too.

Same with apples. I hate sour apples. Where are the sweeter MacIntosh, Golden, etc.? Guess we don't take time to "smell" the roses since it is gone. Like sweet apples our life has turned tasteless from greed and for profit.

Allergies aren't the reason for either problem. I read that they are importing apples from China and theirs are sour. Why is that when we have the ability to grow them here?

I saw NY State MacIntosh sweet apples at a organic store. Like they were special. Guess I have to make a special trip to that store to see if I can once again enjoy a sweet apple.

This government just couldn't leave well enough alone. Our food supply is a mess. Our small farms gone for corporate ones. We feed the world not just ourselves. When we have no money, we won't get the food others who pay more will. This policy has to change if we are to be once again self sufficient.

both flowers and produce have been bred to be very "shippable," taste and smell be damned.

Safeway stores are huge but can't bring us better food? It all looks so good but when you eat them they are bland. Now I can understand why people put so much spice and "kick" into their foods.

If they are bred to last longer and are bland are they still full of nutrition? Guess that's secret too. Here Agriculture Department have a tasteless Peach which has rotted from the inside when the outside is ripe. It certainly looked good on the shelf.

These huge corporations have ruined the quality of our products. Monopolies destroy not only competition but quality and innovation. Didn't our government leaders learn this is high school?

http://www.alternet.org/story/82632/ The world food supply fight.

Do you suppose the Americas Union secret government elite will consider the laws and regulations which keep our society functioning important? Seems they can't do what is right but only know how to profit by destruction.

is what people say about the vegetables from my garden that I give them.

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.

This Spring, I've been offering the same people plants for free so they can learn how to grow their own.

Those who do will be better off for it.

Some day, there may be none to give away.

I was commenting, yesterday, on how pear trees have been bred to flower... but not bear fruit. And how awful they smell. (Tho they are beautiful to gaze upon.)

Pears. The fruit bearing ones are different.