Developmental stage-dependent and wound-triggered formation dynamics of volatiles in Pleurotus cornucopiae.

Developmental stage and wounding trigger distinct volatile organic compound emission patterns in Pleurotus cornucopiae, with C8 VOCs peaking during early stages and sesquiterpenes later.

• Why it matters: Understanding how fungi regulate VOC emissions during development and in response to damage is essential for elucidating their ecological interactions, such as defense and communication, which are poorly understood.
• What they did: The study combined nondestructive headspace sampling, GC-MS, real-time PTR-ToF-MS, and feeding experiments to analyze VOC emissions across growth stages and after wounding in P. cornucopiae, focusing on key compounds like 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanone.
• The result: Findings reveal that VOC production is tightly controlled by developmental stage and injury, with rapid, near-simultaneous formation of certain C8 VOCs and evidence of metabolic cooperation, enabling better understanding of fungal ecological strategies.