w6 Flashcards
(48 cards)
What is the apoplast, and why is it important in plants?
The apoplast is the space outside the plasma membrane, allowing free movement of materials like water and solutes. It is crucial for diffusion across tissues or organs.
What are Casparian bands, and how do they function in plant defense?
Casparian bands are cork-like structures in vascular tissues that create a waterproof barrier, preventing bacterial invasion.
How do rhizobium bacteria benefit plants?
Rhizobium bacteria form symbiotic relationships with plants by fixing atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by the plant, aiding growth.
Why do some plants reject their own pollen?
Some plants prevent self-pollination at the stigma to encourage genetic diversity and reduce inbreeding.
What chemicals do plants produce to combat environmental stresses?
Plants excrete various chemicals to counteract stresses like drought, heat, and insect attacks, improving their adaptability.
they can detect species of animal that are eating them
What is a bacterioid, and what role does it play in nitrogen fixation?
A bacterioid is a transformed bacterium in nitrogen-fixing plants, adapted to facilitate nitrogen fixation in anaerobic conditions.
they cant live without their host
What is leghemoglobin, and why is it significant?
Leghemoglobin removes oxygen to maintain the anaerobic conditions needed for nitrogen fixation in plant root nodules.
How do endomycorrhiza and ectomycorrhiza differ?
Endomycorrhiza penetrates plant cell walls without entering cell membranes, while ectomycorrhiza forms external interactions.
What are biotrophs, and how do they differ from necrotrophs?
Biotrophs feed on living cells and are highly specialized, while necrotrophs kill plant cells and feed on dead tissue.
What is a hemi-biotroph?
A hemi-biotroph exhibits a lifestyle that starts with biotrophy (feeding on living cells) and transitions to necrotrophy (feeding on dead cells).
What role do nematodes play in plant root systems?
Nematodes signal for cell growth in vascular tissues and extract nutrients, often causing damage to the plant.
they remain dormant in the soil until they sense a root
What distinguishes oömycetes from fungi?
Oömycetes are protists with fungal-like characteristics but lack hyphal septa (seperating parts of the hypha with cell walls), being unicellular instead.
What determines a plant’s susceptibility to pathogens?
being susceptable means a pathogen can affect the plant in some direct negative way. non susceptable means it cant even detect the plant as a soure of food.
What are resistance genes (R-genes) in plants?
R-genes enable plants to recognize specific pathogen effectors and trigger defense mechanisms to combat infection.
How do effectors suppress plant defenses?
Effectors are pathogen-produced molecules that disrupt the plant’s defense response by suppressing crucial steps. they can make it so the plant feeds the pathogen.
What is phytoalexin, and how does it aid plants?
Phytoalexin is an antibacterial compound produced by plants to resist bacterial infections.
How do plants detect fungal infections?
Plants detect fungal infections by recognizing chitin, a structural component in fungal cell walls, triggering defense responses.
chitin
What is the significance of the nitrogen cycle in plants?
The nitrogen cycle provides plants with essential nitrogen in usable forms like nitrate or ammonium, crucial for growth.
you need nitrogen to make proteins and dna
What is mycorrhiza symbiosis?
Mycorrhiza is a mutualistic relationship where fungi assist plants in nutrient uptake (like phosphorus), and plants provide carbohydrates in return.
What are the two types of mycorrhiza?
The two types are endomycorrhiza, which penetrates cell walls, and ectomycorrhiza, which forms external associations.
How do plants resist necrotrophic pathogens?
Plants produce defensive chemicals and strengthen their cell walls to limit pathogen spread and damage.
they can also kill off any infected parts to save the rest
What is the role of appressoria in fungal infections?
Appressoria are specialized fungal structures used to penetrate plant tissues by generating high turgor pressure.
What is a haustorium, and which pathogens use it?
A haustorium is a structure formed by biotrophic pathogens to extract nutrients from living plant cells without killing them.
What is RNA interference (RNAi) in plants?
RNAi is a defense mechanism where plants degrade double-stranded RNA from viruses to prevent infection.