Which statement best describes a systemic fungicide?

Which statement best describes a systemic fungicide?

• A. Acts like an exterior shield that protects the plant from certain fungi or bacteria.
• B. Fungicides that are absorbed and move within the plant from the site of application to other tissues.
• C. Chemical that is absorbed into the immediate area of application but does not travel far from the uptake site.
• D. Once applied as a systemic, these chemicals control fungi that have already entered the plant.

Answer: (B)

Systemic fungicides are absorbed by the plant and then move through its tissues to other parts of the plant after uptake. This internal movement means protection isn’t limited to the sprayed site; new growth and distant tissues can be safeguarded as the chemical travels via the plant’s vascular system. This property makes them different from fungicides that stay on the surface and act only as a protective barrier, or from products that remain near the uptake site with little to no movement. Some systemic products can provide curative or internal protection against pathogens, but the defining feature is their ability to be absorbed and translocated within the plant to reach multiple tissues.

Systemic fungicides are absorbed by the plant and then move through its tissues to other parts of the plant after uptake. This internal movement means protection isn’t limited to the sprayed site; new growth and distant tissues can be safeguarded as the chemical travels via the plant’s vascular system. This property makes them different from fungicides that stay on the surface and act only as a protective barrier, or from products that remain near the uptake site with little to no movement. Some systemic products can provide curative or internal protection against pathogens, but the defining feature is their ability to be absorbed and translocated within the plant to reach multiple tissues.