A scientist discovers a diseased tomato plant where a disease has caused discolouration in the leaves due to a decrease in chlorophyll. Explain why this tomato plant produces far less tomatoes and is much smaller than a healthy tomato plant.

The decrease in chlorophyll in the diseased plant leaves means the light energy cannot be used to make glucose via photosynthesis in the chloroplasts. Tomatoes store a lot of glucose therefore with less glucose, less tomatoes can be produced. Glucose is also required for respiration which provides energy for plants to grow. Therefore with less glucose the diseased plant will be smaller.

PS
Answered by Phoebe S. Biology tutor

2879 Views

See similar Biology GCSE tutors

Related Biology GCSE answers

All answers ▸

What is the difference between meiosis and mitosis?


Explain the process of evolution by natural selection


Photosynthesis occurs in the guard cells but not the epidermal cells. Explain why this is important in the control of the rate of transpiration in the plant


Panama is a strip of land that has separated the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea for the past 3 million years. Explain how two different species of pistol shrimp could have developed from an ancestral species of shrimp


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning