• HOME
  • CURRENT RESEARCH
  • PAST RESEARCH
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • MEDIA / GALLERY
  • CONTACT
  • RESEARCH BLOG
  • Facebook - White Circle
  • Twitter - White Circle
  • Instagram - White Circle
  • Google Places - White Circle

Dr James Ryalls

Research

Featured Posts
Silicon defence extends up the food chain

Silicon defence extends up the food chain

A Cultural Evolution

A Cultural Evolution

Herbivore interactions in grass–legume mixtures

Herbivore interactions in grass–legume mixtures

Climate change, amino acids and aphids

Climate change, amino acids and aphids

Recent Posts
Silicon defence extends up the food chain

Silicon defence extends up the food chain

A Cultural Evolution

A Cultural Evolution

A fo(u)r Alfalfa, Aphids and Amino Acids

A fo(u)r Alfalfa, Aphids and Amino Acids

Herbivore interactions in grass–legume mixtures

Herbivore interactions in grass–legume mixtures

Climate change, amino acids and aphids

Climate change, amino acids and aphids

Elevated temperatures negate CO2 effects on legume nodulation and weevils

Elevated temperatures negate CO2 effects on legume nodulation and weevils

Biology and trophic interactions of lucerne aphids review

Biology and trophic interactions of lucerne aphids review

Determinants of tree mallow invasiveness

Determinants of tree mallow invasiveness

Archive
  • March 2017 (1) 1 post
  • October 2016 (2) 2 posts
  • March 2016 (1) 1 post
  • November 2014 (1) 1 post
  • November 2013 (1) 1 post
  • August 2013 (1) 1 post
  • August 2011 (1) 1 post
Silicon defence extends up the food chain

Silicon defence extends up the food chain

You are what you eat it seems – at least for carnivorous insects. Emerging evidence suggests that a lot of plants, especially grasses, acquire silicon from soil to defend themselves from insect herbivores. Grasses deposit silicon on their leaf surfaces, which the unlucky herbivores find difficult to digest –a bit like dropping your ice lolly at the beach and taking a mouthful. It doesn’t end there though; this study showed how carnivorous insects eating these insect herbivore
CONTACT

 

J.Ryalls@reading.ac.uk

0118 378 8578

​

​

Centre for Agri-Environmental Research

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

University of Reading

Reading, RG6 6AR

United Kingdom