Mechanism of wax-ripening wheat seeds attracting birds based on GC-MS widely targeted metabolomics and electronic...

Based on observation that house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and wild rock pigeons (Columba livia) exhibited distinct feeding preference during the wax-ripening stage showing strong attraction to the wheat cultivar Nongpin 5 and its F₁seeds derived from the direct cross population (♀Nongpin 5×♂Mengjian 33), while actively avoiding Mengjian 33 and F₁seeds derived from the direct cross population (♀Mengjian 33×♂Nongpin 5). Subsequently, combined analyses of metabolomics profiling and electronic nose (E-nose) detection were performed on F ₁ generation seeds of two reciprocal crosses populations. The results demonstrated that the direct cross population exhibited significantly higher levels of flavor compounds linked to woody, lipidic, and fruity sensory profiles, including n-decanol and 2-phenylethanol. In contrast, the reciprocal cross population accumulated significantly higher levels of sulfides and aromatic organosulfur compounds, among which, 2-methyl-1-butanethiol identified as potential key metabolites responsible for avian food avoidance. To validate these findings, feeding experiments with domesticated pigeons were conducted using diets treated with 2-methyl-1-butanethiol, n-decanol and furanone, respectively. The results confirmed that domesticated pigeons exhibited diets supplemented with n-decanol, while actively avoiding those treated with 2-methyl-1-butanethiol. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the differences in flavor-related metabolites among wheat grain cultivars underlies avian foraging preferences. This study also provides a solid theoretical basis for future research on wheat grain flavor modulation and the development of breeding strategies aimed at tailoring flavor profiles to mitigate avian pest pressure.