section_path: Plants/Differences from wild plants
section_name: Differences from wild plants
paragraph_text: Differences from wild plants
  
  Domesticated plants differ from their wild relatives in many ways, including
  
  Plant defenses against herbivory, such as thorns, spines, and prickles, poison, protective coverings, and sturdiness may have been reduced in domesticated plants. This would make them more likely to be eaten by herbivores unless protected by humans, but there is only weak support for most of this. Farmers did select for reduced bitterness and lower toxicity and for food quality, which likely increased crop palatability to herbivores as to humans. However, a survey of 29 plant domestications found that crops were as well-defended against two major insect pests (beet armyworm and green peach aphid) both chemically (e.g. with bitter substances) and morphologically (e.g. with toughness) as their wild ancestors.