Turning up the plant alarm: How plant defenses supports biological control

Plants respond to herbivore attack by activating chemical “alarm” systems that reshape multitrophic interactions. Through jasmonic and salicylic acid signaling, plants alter volatile emissions, secondary metabolites, and tissue quality, influencing both herbivores and their natural enemies. Using network analysis, chemical profiling, and prey-quality assays, we show that induced defenses reorganize arthropod interaction networks, increase predator consumption, and modify the chemical landscape that guides foraging behavior. These changes enhance top-down control but also generate trade-offs by affecting prey nutritional and defensive traits. Together, our findings demonstrate how tuning plant defense signaling can amplify natural pest regulation and provide new strategies for ecologically based crop protection.