Question

Fusarium oxysporum is a fungus that attacks tomato plants, causing them to wilt and die. The fungus initially blocks the xylem and grows extensively within parenchyma. As the plant continues to wilt, the blockage of both xylem and phloem can be observed. The result is the suppression of both the xylem sap circulation in the plant and photosynthetic activity in the leaves. Based on these observations, explain how the fungus affects the role of both the xylem and the phloem.

Answer 1

Fusarium oxysporum is a fungus which obstructed lymphatic ducts in the tomato plant and causes necrosis in the phloem of the plant

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

Fusarium oxysporum is a fungus which obstructes xylematic ducts in the tomato plant and causes necrosis in the ploem of the plant.

Step-by-step explanation:

The xylem in a plant is made up of differentiated cells, this cell system performs apoptosis so that the dead cells form a structure called the xylematic ducts. And so it gives way to the creation of a system through which the absorption of water from the soil will be carried out until it reaches the leaves of the plant. What fusarium does when colonizing the xylematic ducts, is to cover them, obstruct them and in this way is that this fungus prevents the absorption of water for the leaves of the plant.

The ploem is another structure in the plant. The phloem has the function of transporting the nutrients made by photosynthesis to those parts of the plant that cannot perform this process that are usually located in the basal or underground part. this will generate that there is no adequate passage of nutrients for the whole plant and its subsequent wilting.