Organism

Aphids

TL;DR

Small sap-sucking insects that attack plants, triggering underground alarm signaling through mycorrhizal networks.

Insect

Small sap-sucking insects that attack plants, triggering underground alarm signaling through mycorrhizal networks. When aphids attack tomato plants, the plants release chemical stress signals into their roots that propagate through fungal networks to warn neighboring plants, which activate defenses preemptively.

Notable Traits of Aphids

  • Herbivore triggering mycorrhizal alarm signaling
  • Attack prompts plant chemical signaling through root networks

Related Mechanisms for Aphids

Related Research for Aphids