Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This study examines volatile-mediated interactions among three barley cultivars Salome, Fairytale and Luhkas when grown under non-stressed conditions. Using a two‑chamber exposure system to isolate airborne interaction from other environmental factors, we assessed phenotypic responses and differential gene expression in the receiver cultivar Salome after exposed to volatiles emitted by either Salome (self-exposure control), Fairytale, or Luhkas.
Salome reacted strongly to volatiles from the slow‑growing cultivar Fairytale, characterized by reduced growth and significant upregulation of defence‑ and stress‑related genes. In contrast, exposure to volatiles from Luhkas caused no measurable changes in either growth or gene expression. These contrasting outcomes demonstrate that volatile‑mediated interactions can promote phenotypic convergence, especially when initial growth rates between emitter and receiver cultivars differ substantially.