In an agricultural trial, tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) are infected with the vascular wilt bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum. The bacteria multiply rapidly, clogging the xylem vessels with extracellular polysaccharides (slime) and releasing enzymes that destroy the neighboring phloem tissue in the stem.
Explain how the blockage of xylem vessels and the destruction of phloem tissue cause the tomato plant to die.
13 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Biology 2.3 Plant tissues, organs and systems, covering 2.3.1 Plant tissues and 2.3.2 Plant organ system. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.