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Plants can perceive a wide range of biotic attackers and respond with targeted induced defenses. Specificity in plant non-self-recognition occurs either directly by perception of pest-derived elicitors or indirectly through resistance protein recognition of host targets that are inappropriately proteolyzed. Indirect plant perception can occur during interactions with pathogens, yet evidence for analogous events mediating the detection of insect herbivores remains elusive. Here we report indirect perception of herbivory in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) plants attacked by fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) larvae. We isolated and identified a disulfide-bridged peptide (⁺ICDINGVCVDA⁻), termed inceptin, from S. frugiperda larval oral secretions that promotes cowpea ethylene production at 1 fmol leaf⁻¹ and triggers increases in the defense-related phytohormones salicylic acid and jasmonic acid. Inceptins are proteolytic …