A pest feeding by piercing and sucking can cause which leaf symptom?

A pest feeding by piercing and sucking can cause which leaf symptom?

• A. Yellowed leaves
• B. Notched leaves
• C. Girdled stems
• D. Rust spots

Answer: (A)

Piercing and sucking pests remove sap from plant cells, which disrupts chlorophyll production and leaf function. This loss of photosynthetic capacity leads to chlorosis, so leaves turn yellow. The effect is a hallmark of this feeding method, since the pests drain nutrients rather than chew tissue. In contrast, notched leaves come from chewing insects that remove edge portions of the leaf; girdled stems indicate vascular disruption around a stem; rust spots are caused by fungal pathogens creating rust-colored pustules. So yellowed leaves best reflect sap-sucking damage.

Piercing and sucking pests remove sap from plant cells, which disrupts chlorophyll production and leaf function. This loss of photosynthetic capacity leads to chlorosis, so leaves turn yellow. The effect is a hallmark of this feeding method, since the pests drain nutrients rather than chew tissue. In contrast, notched leaves come from chewing insects that remove edge portions of the leaf; girdled stems indicate vascular disruption around a stem; rust spots are caused by fungal pathogens creating rust-colored pustules. So yellowed leaves best reflect sap-sucking damage.