What term refers to a microscopic, single-celled organism that reproduces by dividing in half and can cause plant diseases?

What term refers to a microscopic, single-celled organism that reproduces by dividing in half and can cause plant diseases?

• A. Fungus
• B. Virus
• C. Bacterium
• D. Alga

Answer: (C)

Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms that reproduce by dividing in half (binary fission). This mode of reproduction—splitting into two identical cells—is a defining trait of bacteria and helps explain why they fit the description. Bacteria can beplant pathogens, causing diseases by invading tissues and releasing compounds that damage plant cells. Fungi, on the other hand, are often multicellular (though some yeasts are unicellular) and typically reproduce by spores or budding rather than splitting in two. Viruses aren’t cells at all and don’t reproduce by dividing; they require a host cell to replicate. Algae can be single-celled or multicellular and are mainly photosynthetic, with various reproduction methods that don’t hinge on binary fission in the same way as bacteria. So the term that best matches a microscopic, single-celled organism that reproduces by dividing in half and can cause plant diseases is bacterium.

Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms that reproduce by dividing in half (binary fission). This mode of reproduction—splitting into two identical cells—is a defining trait of bacteria and helps explain why they fit the description. Bacteria can beplant pathogens, causing diseases by invading tissues and releasing compounds that damage plant cells.

Fungi, on the other hand, are often multicellular (though some yeasts are unicellular) and typically reproduce by spores or budding rather than splitting in two. Viruses aren’t cells at all and don’t reproduce by dividing; they require a host cell to replicate. Algae can be single-celled or multicellular and are mainly photosynthetic, with various reproduction methods that don’t hinge on binary fission in the same way as bacteria.

So the term that best matches a microscopic, single-celled organism that reproduces by dividing in half and can cause plant diseases is bacterium.