Work

Plant Silicon Defences Suppress Herbivore Growth but Trigger Compensatory Feeding in a Moderate-Accumulating Grass

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Silicon (Si) accumulation is a widespread anti-herbivore defence in grasses, yet little is known about how insects counteract silicification, including via compensatory feeding, or whether Si-mediated changes in plant stoichiometry also influence herbivore performance. We examined how Si supplementation alters foliar Si, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in two grasses with contrasting accumulation strategies, Brachypodium distachyon (high accumulator) and Lolium arundinaceum (moderate accumulator), and the consequences for growth and feeding by Helicoverpa armigera. Plants were grown hydroponically with or without Si, and herbivore relative growth rate (RGR), relative consumption (RC), and Efficiency of Conversion of Ingested food (ECI) were measured. Si supplementation had stronger effects on herbivore performance in B. distachyon compared with L. arundinaceum. RGR declined by 126% on B. distachyon compared with 40% on L. arundinaceum. Herbivores increased RC on Si-supplemented L. arundinaceum, with RC positively correlated with foliar Si concentrations, but no compensatory feeding occurred on B. distachyon. N and P concentrations were positively correlated with RGR in L. arundinaceum and ECI in B. distachyon. In conclusion, the degree of Si accumulation in grasses influences both plant stoichiometry and has contrasting impacts on herbivore feeding strategies.

Source: Plants

DOI: 10.3390/plants15091380

Authors: Scott N. Johnson, Ximena Cibils-Stewart, Jannatul Ferdous

Institutions: Western Sydney University, Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria

Language: English

Topic: Silicon Effects in Agriculture

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258