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Plant Defences

Plants have lots of defences against infections and harm from other organisms. They include:

Physical defences

Physical defences

  • Bark is made of dead cells that acts as a barrier of protection for the stem against pathogens and pests (like aphids).
  • Waxy cuticle is a barrier on the surface of leaves and stems to stop pathogens invading leaf tissue.
  • Cell walls, which are made of cellulose, are a physical barrier to stop pathogens entering cells.
Chemical defences

Chemical defences

  • Antibacterial chemicals are produced by some plants, such as mint, garlic and witch hazel. They work like antibiotics to stop populations of bacteria from growing.
  • Poisons are produced by many plants, including foxglove and deadly nightshade, to deter (put off) herbivores.
Mechanical defences

Mechanical defences

  • Thorns or hairs stop animals eating the plants.
  • Leaves that close up rapidly when touched decrease the surface area available to herbivores. They may also dislodge smaller herbivores already on the plant.
  • Some plants use mimicry (copying) to trick animals.
    • An example is a pattern on leaves that resembles the presence of insect eggs. Insects avoid laying their eggs on them in order to avoid competition.
Jump to other topics
1

Cell Biology

1.1

What's in Cells?

1.2

Cell Division

1.3

Transport in Cells

2

Organisation

2.1

Principles of Organisation

2.2

Enzymes

2.3

Circulatory System

2.4

Non-Communicable Diseases

2.5

Plant Tissues, Organs & Systems

3

Infection & Response

4

Bioenergetics

5

Homeostasis & Response

5.1

Homeostasis

5.2

The Human Nervous System

5.3

Hormonal Coordination in Humans

5.4

Plant Hormones

6

Inheritance, Variation & Evolution

6.1

Reproduction

6.2

Variation & Evolution

6.3

Genetics & Evolution

6.4

Classification

7

Ecology

7.1

Adaptations & Interdependence

7.2

Organisation of Ecosystems

7.3

Biodiversity

7.4

Trophic Levels

7.5

Food Production

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