Question

Resistance to jassids in cotton plants and to cereal leaf beetle in the wheat plant is due to
A. Biochemical characters
B. Physiological characters
C. Morphological characters
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: Wheat is one of the main sources of cereal in India and cotton is a cash crop, so both crops are important for us. Wheat leaves have hair on the surface and cotton leaves also have a hair-like structure. Hair-like structures on leaves provide protection from pests.

Complete answer:
Amrasca biguttula is a type of leafhopper popularly known as cotton jassids. Cotton jassids are common pests in Southern Asia. Not only for cotton but also for okra and sunflower cotton jassids is the main problem. Due to cotton jassids, infection on cotton leaves the leaves to become yellowish, then brownish, and start curling, in the end, they fall. The turning of infected leaves starts from the margin and travels through the midrib.
As cereal beetle names indicate, these beetles like cereal but wheat leaves are the favorites for cereal beetles. Not only cereals, but cereal beetles also infect sorghum, grasses, and corn. The upper epidermis of the leaves is the main target for the larvae of cereal beetles. Larvae of cereal beetles eat the upper epidermis of leaves. Wheat also has hair on its leaves. These hairs protect the wheat from cereal beetles.
Morphological character means the physical structure of plants. Morphology deals with the study of forms and features of flowering plants. The hair on leaves is the morphological structure that prevents wheat and cotton jassids from cereal beetles and cotton jassids.
So the correct option is (C).

Note: Cotton jassids not only infect leaves but also infect plant fruiting capacity. But some cotton leaves have hair on their surface that works as a shield and protect them from cotton jassids. Mainly cereal beetles come out in spring.