Targeted plant defense: silicon conserves hormonal defense signaling impacting chewing but not fluid‐feeding herbivores
Article
Article Title | Targeted plant defense: silicon conserves hormonal defense signaling impacting chewing but not fluid‐feeding herbivores |
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ERA Journal ID | 3236 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Johnson, Scott N. (Author), Hartley, Susan E. (Author), Ryalls, James M. W. (Author), Frew, Adam (Author) and Hall, Casey R. (Author) |
Journal Title | Ecology |
Journal Citation | 102 (3), pp. 1-7 |
Article Number | e03250 |
Number of Pages | 7 |
Year | 2021 |
Place of Publication | United States |
ISSN | 0012-9658 |
1939-9170 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3250 |
Web Address (URL) | https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.3250 |
Abstract | Plants deploy an arsenal of chemical and physical defenses against arthropod herbivores, but it may be most cost efficient to produce these only when attacked. Herbivory activates complex signaling pathways involving several phytohormones, including jasmonic acid (JA), which regulate production of defensive compounds. The Poaceae also have the capacity to take up large amounts of silicon (Si) which accumulates in plant tissues. Si accumulation has anti‐herbivore properties, but it is poorly understood how Si defenses relate to defense hormone signaling. Here we show that Si enrichment causes the model grass Brachypodium distachyon to show lower levels of JA induction when attacked by chewing herbivores. Triggering this hormone even at lower concentrations, however, prompts Si uptake and physical defenses (e.g. leaf hairs) which negatively impact chewing herbivores. Removal of leaf hairs restored performance. Crucially, activation of such Si‐based defense is herbivore‐specific and occurred only in response to chewing and not fluid‐feeding (aphid) herbivores. This aligned with our meta‐analysis of 88 studies that showed Si defenses were more effective against chewing herbivores than fluid‐feeders. Our results suggest integration between herbivore defenses in a model Si‐accumulating plant, which potentially allows it to avoid unnecessary activation of other costly defenses. |
Keywords | herbivory, insects, jasmonic acid, plant defense, physical defense, silica, silicon |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 410299. Ecological applications not elsewhere classified |
310302. Community ecology (excl. invasive species ecology) | |
310899. Plant biology not elsewhere classified | |
Byline Affiliations | Western Sydney University |
University of Sheffield, United Kingdom | |
University of Western Sydney | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q5zx5/targeted-plant-defense-silicon-conserves-hormonal-defense-signaling-impacting-chewing-but-not-fluid-feeding-herbivores
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