New
New
Year 11
OCR
Higher

Plant defences, and identifying plant diseases

I can describe physical, chemical and mechanical plant defences against pathogens and pests, and can describe ways in which plant diseases can be identified.

New
New
Year 11
OCR
Higher

Plant defences, and identifying plant diseases

I can describe physical, chemical and mechanical plant defences against pathogens and pests, and can describe ways in which plant diseases can be identified.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Plants can be infected by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and fungi that cause diseases.
  2. Pests, including insects, can damage plants by feeding on them, and can spread pathogens that cause diseases.
  3. Plants have physical, chemical and mechanical defences against pathogens.
  4. Examples of physical, chemical and mechanical defences in plants.
  5. Ways to identify plant diseases and the pathogens that cause them.

Common misconception

Plants have no defence against pests or pathogens.

Plants have physical, chemical and mechanical defences against pathogens.

Keywords

  • Waxy cuticle - Waterproof coating on the surface of a leaf.

  • Cell wall - Structure made of cellulose that surrounds plant cells.

  • Antimicrobial - A substance that kills microorganisms or stops their growth.

  • Microscopy - Use of a microscope to observe a specimen such as a microorganism.

  • Antibody - Protein produced by white blood cells against a specific pathogen.

The lesson includes a video clip of the "sensitive plant" (Mimosa pudica) curling up, as an example of a mechanical defence. Demonstrating this effect in a real plant such as this one or any others that respond to touch can help to increase engagement and really bring the idea to life.
Teacher tip

Equipment

None required.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following can be pathogens?
plants
Correct answer: bacteria
Correct answer: fungi
Correct answer: viruses
antibiotics
Q2.
Pathogens can cause disease in plants.
Correct answer: True
False
Q3.
The image below shows the cross section of a leaf. What is being shown by label A?
An image in a quiz
palisade mesophyll cells
chlorophyll
Correct answer: waxy cuticle
epidermal cells
spongy mesophyll cells
Q4.
Label this plant cell.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:A,cell wall

cell wall

Correct Answer:B,cell membrane

cell membrane

Correct Answer:C,chloroplast

chloroplast

Correct Answer:D,vacuole

vacuole

Q5.
What are plant cell walls made from?
Correct Answer: Cellulose, cellulose
Q6.
Which organism in this food chain is a herbivore?
An image in a quiz
A
Correct answer: B
C
D
Q6 UYSEG

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the disease to the pathogen that causes it.
Correct Answer:TMV,virus

virus

Correct Answer:crown gall disease,bacteria

bacteria

Correct Answer:chalara ash dieback,fungus

fungus

Q2.
Which plants produce poisons that deter herbivores from eating them?
foxglove
Correct answer: clover
Correct answer: mint
stinging nettles
Q3.
What substance in the phloem of a plant do some insects feed upon?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: sap, cell sap
Q4.
Which of the following are physical defences?
Correct answer: tree bark
production of poisons
Correct answer: waxy cuticle
Correct answer: cell wall
production of antimicrobial substances
Q5.
Which of the following is not a method of identifying plant diseases and the pathogens that cause them?
culturing
microscopy
antibody testing
Correct answer: vaccination
Q6.
Which of the following are true about genetic testing?
DNA probes are double stranded.
Correct answer: DNA probes are single stranded.
Correct answer: A floresent marker is used.
Correct answer: A DNA probe is complementary to a base sequence in a pathogen’s genome.
A DNA probe is the same as a base sequence in a pathogen’s genome.