A certain bacterium infects a plant's upper leaves. A few days later, bacteria of the same species attempt to infect the same plant's roots but are unsuccessful. What process is responsible for the plant's ability to prevent this infection?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Systemic acquired resistance is the process by which a plant's entire system becomes more resistant to pathogen infection after an initial infection, thus preventing subsequent infections by the same pathogen. This process involves the production of various defense molecules throughout the plant, including hormones and enzymes, which are then transported throughout the plant to other tissues. In this case, the upper leaves experienced an initial infection, triggering the plant's systemic acquired resistance response and making it more resistant to the bacteria's attempt to infect the roots.

A Certain Bacterium Infects a Plant's Upper Leaves