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Life Sciences Commons

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Plant Biology

2016

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Lima bean -- Reproduction

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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Is Protection Against Florivory Consistent With The Optimal Defense Hypothesis?, Adrienne L. Godschalx, Lauren Stady, Benjamin Watzig, Daniel J. Ballhorn Jan 2016

Is Protection Against Florivory Consistent With The Optimal Defense Hypothesis?, Adrienne L. Godschalx, Lauren Stady, Benjamin Watzig, Daniel J. Ballhorn

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Plant defense traits require resources and energy that plants may otherwise use for growth and reproduction. In order to most efficiently protect plant tissues from herbivory, one widely accepted assumption of the optimal defense hypothesis states that plants protect tissues most relevant to fitness. Reproductive organs directly determining plant fitness, including flowers and immature fruit, as well as young, productive leaf tissue thus should be particularly well-defended. To test this hypothesis, we quantified the cyanogenic potential (HCNp)—a direct, chemical defense—systemically expressed in vegetative and reproductive organs in lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), and we tested susceptibility of these …