A research station grows three batches of the same fruiting crop in separate glasshouse compartments.
The table compares each batch with healthy plants of the same crop.
| Batch | Appearance of leaves | Mean number of aphids per stem | Magnesium ions in soil in mg/kg | Rate of photosynthesis as a percentage of healthy plants | Sugar transported to developing fruit as a percentage of healthy plants | Mean mass of fruit per plant in kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy plants | green | 0 | 25 | 100 | 100 | 2.6 |
| A | pale mosaic pattern | 0 | 26 | 52 | 55 | 1.4 |
| B | green | 34 | 25 | 95 | 61 | 1.5 |
| C | yellow | 0 | 5 | 49 | 51 | 1.3 |
The research station can use these actions:
Explain which action should be used for each of batches A, B and C to protect the remaining plants and increase the mass of fruit produced in later harvests. Use the data and your knowledge.
133 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Biology 3.3 Plant disease, covering 3.3.1 Detection and identification of plant diseases and 3.3.2 Plant defence responses. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.