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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Characterizing Herbivore Resistance Mechanisms: Spittlebugs on Brachiaria spp. as an Example
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Chenopod salt bladders deter insect herbivores.

E F LoPresti1

  • 1Department of Entomology, Graduate Group in Ecology, Center for Population Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA, LoPresti.Eric@gmail.com.

Oecologia
|November 19, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Chenopodiaceae plants possess salt bladders on leaves, which deter insect herbivores. These salt bladders offer both structural and chemical defense against plant-eating insects.

Area of Science:

  • Plant biology
  • Ecology
  • Chemical ecology

Background:

  • Chenopodiaceae family plants feature specialized trichomes called salt bladders.
  • These bladders, with large central vacuoles, are known to contribute to salt tolerance by accumulating salts.
  • Their presence in non-halophytic species suggests additional, unexplored functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential defensive role of salt bladders against insect herbivores.
  • To test the hypothesis that salt bladders provide a defense mechanism beyond salt tolerance.

Main Methods:

  • Choice, no-choice, and field tests were conducted using generalist insect herbivores.
  • Herbivore feeding preferences were assessed on leaves with and without salt bladders.
  • The effect of bladder-derived solutions on herbivore deterrence was evaluated.

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Main Results:

  • Insect herbivores showed a preference for leaves lacking salt bladders in choice tests.
  • Significantly less leaf matter was consumed from bladdered leaves in no-choice tests.
  • Field tests confirmed reduced herbivory on leaves with intact bladders compared to those with bladders removed.

Conclusions:

  • The salt bladder system in Chenopodiaceae confers a defensive function against insect herbivory.
  • This defense appears to involve both structural deterrence and a water-soluble chemical component.
  • Salt bladders represent a multi-functional adaptation in plants, serving roles in salt tolerance and defense.