Name: Juliana Rae Contreras Date: January 23, 2020

Section: 12 St. Catherine Laboure

Mechanical Defenses
The first line of defense in plants is an intact and impenetrable barrier composed of bark and a
waxy cuticle. They discourage animals by causing physical damage or by inducing rashes and
allergic reactions. Examples of mechanical defenses include

1. Thorns on the leaf or stem

- Thorns make it difficult and painful for some potential predators to consume the plant.
- (ex. Cactus and rose)
2. Bark on a tree
- tree's essential living systems from temperature extremes and storms as well as from
attacks by diseases, animals and insects
- ex. White oak and acacia
3. Trichomes or barbs on the leaf
- trichomes develop to form a thick and dense surface around the leaves which serves to
protect leaves and the plant in general from harsh environmental conditions as well as
protection from pathogens.
- ex. Pineapple and sea buckthorn
4. Tough shell
- to protect its shell
- ex. Coconut and jackfruit
5. Waxy cuticles on their leaves
- protect against microorganisms and insects
- ex. Desert willow

Chemical Defenses
A plant’s exterior protection can be compromised by mechanical damage, which may provide an
entry point for pathogens. If the first line of defense is breached, the plant must resort to a different
set of defense mechanisms, such as toxins and enzymes. Secondary metabolites are compounds
that are not directly derived from photosynthesis and are not necessary for respiration or plant
growth and development.

1. Cyanogenic glycosides
- Breaks down into cyanide when ingested. Cyanide can stop cellular respiration by
blocking the electron transport chain.
- ex. Cassava (outer covering of the modified roots)
2. Conium maculatum
- Highly poisonous plant that could kill a person from 20 minutes to three hours after
ingestion of its extract.
- ex. Hemlock plant
3. Ricinus communis
- Six times more lethal than cyanide and twice lethal as the venom of cobra.
- ex. Castor beans
4. Allelopathy
- Minimizes shading and overcrowding among plants.
- ex. Black walnuts
5. Terpenoid
- Act like active compounds in resin or as volatiles, repellents, and toxins, or can modify
development in herbivores
- ex. cannabis