plumiPlant defences: OCR A‑Level Biology A questions
OCR A-Level Biology A past-paper questions on 4.1.1.2 Plant defences, 2016–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q7(c)
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All 12 questions on Plant defences, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q7(c) (3 marks): Plants lack immune cells, but they have other defences against pathogenic infection. The sentences describe one form of plant defence against pathogens. Complet
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q15 (1 mark): Plant defences can be described as chemical or physical. Which of the following results in a physical defence against a pathogen? A Plants produce hormones, whi
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q5 (1 mark): What chemical is produced by plants in response to attack by pathogens? A Amylopectin B Amylose C Callose D Cellulose Your answer [1]
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q3(b) (6 marks): Callose is a polysaccharide produced by plants. (b)* Plants produce callose in response to pathogenic infection, injury and changes in environmental temperature
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q6 (1 mark): Plants can produce a variety of chemicals in response to pathogens. 6 Which of the following, A to D, is produced by plants in response to pathogens? A antibact
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q5(b)(i) (2 marks): What additional information do the scientists need to confirm their hypothesis? [2]
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q5(b)(ii) (1 mark): Suggest one valid conclusion it is possible for the scientists to draw from the results in Fig. 5.1. [1]
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q5(b)(iii) (1 mark): The scientists also recorded the level of cannibalism amongst the beet armyworm larvae. Cannibalism was measured as the number of beet armyworm larvae eaten by
- June 2019, AS Paper 2, Q6(a)(i) (1 mark): It is difficult for the virus to enter the sweet potato cell. Suggest a barrier that makes it difficult for potyviruses to enter the sweet potato cell. [1]
- June 2019, AS Paper 2, Q6(b)(i) (2 marks): The nucleic acid in potyviruses is RNA. Suggest why this mechanism in sweet potato cells is able to counteract infection by a potyvirus. [2]
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q16 (1 mark): Plants such as the soybean have a number of defence strategies to prevent infection by pathogens. Which of the following strategies is a chemical defence agains
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q14 (1 mark): The commercially grown tobacco plant, Nicotiana rustica, has many pests. One such insect pest is Manduca sexta, which causes damage to the stems and leaves of N
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