A plant with galls, rust spots, or nodes, may be affected by _____.

A plant with galls, rust spots, or nodes, may be affected by _____.

• A. An arboreal fungus
• B. A pest with chewing mouth parts
• C. A disease caused by bacteria
• D. A pest with piercing-sucking mouth parts

Answer: (D)

Galls, rust-like spots, or swollen nodes are clues that the damage is coming from pests that feed by piercing-sucking mouthparts. These pests insert needle-like mouthparts into plant tissues to suck out sap, and the feeding plus their saliva disrupts cell function, triggering abnormal growth in the surrounding tissue. That response can manifest as galls (tumor-like growths), rust-colored or russet spots on leaves, or swelling at nodes. Because the injury comes from sap withdrawal and saliva rather than chewing, you’ll see stippling, discoloration, and tissue distortion rather than holes or tattered leaves. Examples include mites and other sap-sucking insects. Other types of damage from chewing pests, or diseases caused by fungi or bacteria, don’t typically produce this same pattern of galls and russety spots.

Galls, rust-like spots, or swollen nodes are clues that the damage is coming from pests that feed by piercing-sucking mouthparts. These pests insert needle-like mouthparts into plant tissues to suck out sap, and the feeding plus their saliva disrupts cell function, triggering abnormal growth in the surrounding tissue. That response can manifest as galls (tumor-like growths), rust-colored or russet spots on leaves, or swelling at nodes. Because the injury comes from sap withdrawal and saliva rather than chewing, you’ll see stippling, discoloration, and tissue distortion rather than holes or tattered leaves. Examples include mites and other sap-sucking insects. Other types of damage from chewing pests, or diseases caused by fungi or bacteria, don’t typically produce this same pattern of galls and russety spots.