Silicon Defence in Plants: Does Herbivore Identity Matter?

Silicon accumulation is a key defence against herbivorous pests, but may have wider detrimental impacts if plants become unpalatable for livestock. We argue that some herbivores are better adapted to silicon-rich diets than others; herbivore anatomy and physiology, and the nature of silicon deposition, are crucial to understanding these differences.
(Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)