A tobacco farmer is walking through her fields. On a tobacco plant leaf, she notices several small brown spots surrounded by what appears to be necrotic or dying tissue. What likely caused these spots and necrotic patches?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The small brown spots surrounded by necrotic tissue are likely a result of a hypersensitive response in the plant. This is a common reaction of plants to pathogens or other stressors, where the plant sacrifices a small area of its tissue to prevent the spread of the pathogen or limit the damage caused by the stressor.

A Tobacco Farmer Is Walking Through Her Fields