Avoidance and suppression of plant defenses by herbivores and pathogens

TLDR

Plants are nutritious, so herbivores and phytopathogens have specialized to attack them, while plants have evolved direct and indirect defenses that create a coevolutionary arms race. This review examines how plant consumers adapt to plant defenses, emphasizing suppression mechanisms. The authors synthesize evidence from studies on plant consumer adaptations and suppression of plant defenses.

Abstract

Plants are nutritious and hence herbivores and phytopathogens have specialized to attack and consume them. In turn, plants have evolved adaptations to detect and withstand these attacks. Such adaptations we call 'defenses' and they can operate either directly between the plant and the plant consumer or indirectly i.e. when taking effect via other organisms such as predators and parasitoids of herbivores. Plant defenses put selection pressure on plant-consumers and, as a result, herbivores and pathogens have evolved counter-adaptations to avoid, resist, or manipulate plant defenses. Here we review how plant consumers have adapted to cope with plant defenses and we will put special emphasis on the phenomenon of suppression of plant defenses.