Period 6 Lesson 3: Plant Defence Responses

Plants have evolved some very effective defences against the attacks of micro-organisms, insects and even larger
herbivores. Plants have evolved both physical and chemical defences against pathogenic microorganisms.

Watch this video and then answer the following questions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hja0SLs2kus
The amazing ways plants defend themselves - Valentin Hammoudi

1. How do aphids kill plants like tomato plants?

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2. Name some organisms that plants are under attack from.

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3. Why do organisms eat plants?

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4. Why is bark an excellent defence mechanism for plants?

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5. What physical defence mechanism do leaves have all over their surface?

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6. Name 3 different types of ‘sharp’ defences that plants have to help prevent them being eaten by herbivores.

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7. What are trichomes and how do these defend plants against being eaten?

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8. Which chemical do nettles released when touched? What happens to skin when herbivores come into contact
with this chemical?

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9. What are raphides?

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10. Name some plants that produce raphides.

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11. Other than toxins what other organisms can get into the tiny wounds produced by raphides once they have
pierced the insides of an animals mouth?

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12. What happens to the cell wall and waxy cuticles of plants that detect when they are being invaded by
pathogens?

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13. Why do plant cells ‘self-destruct’ areas of themselves if they detect they are being invaded by pathogenic
microbes?

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14. When under ‘attack’ by caterpillars, why do cotton plants release a chemical that attracts parasitic wasps?

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Look at the PowerPoint presentation and answer the following questions

15. Name 4 physical barriers to pathogens and briefly describe how they work

Physical Barrier How it has its effect

16. Which tissue do you think aphids push their stylet mouthparts into (think about the tissue that the plant uses to
transport its sugars in)?

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17. Once the aphids have punctured to cellulose cell wall with their mouthparts, name some microorganisms which
can then enter through the ‘wound’.

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18. Why do you think some plants produce chemicals and poisons which are now being researched for medicinal
use? What use are these chemicals actually do the plant?

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19. Why don’t you think thorns are likely to deter insects and stop them from eating the plants?

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20. Give some examples of how plants use mimicry to deter herbivores.

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Now do the quiz to double check your understanding of this topic.