ALABAMA OTPC EXAM QUESTIONS
COMPLETE WITH 100% VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. What is one of the three main ways a plant responds to infection by a plant
disease agent?
A) Increased seed production
B) Overdevelopment of tissue
C) Faster maturation
D) Chlorophyll doubling
Explanation: Plants may respond to infection by producing galls, swellings, or
abnormal growth (overdevelopment) due to hormonal imbalances caused by
pathogens.
2. Which vertebrate animal is listed as a possible pest?
A) Snakes
B) Earthworms
C) Reptiles
D) Ladybugs
Explanation: Reptiles such as certain lizards or snakes can occasionally become
pests in agricultural settings, though less common than birds or mammals.
3. In the gradual (simple) life cycle, which stage comes immediately after eggs?
A) Larva
B) Pupa
C) Nymph
D) Imago
,Explanation: Gradual metamorphosis proceeds from egg → nymph → adult, with
nymphs resembling small adults but lacking fully developed wings and
reproductive organs.
4. Which characteristic applies to herbaceous grasses?
A) Two leaves as they emerge
B) Net-like leaf veins
C) Taproot system
D) Fibrous root system
Explanation: Grasses have fibrous roots (many thin roots) rather than a taproot,
which helps with soil stabilization and erosion control.
5. Which type of organism that causes plant diseases is neither a fungus nor a
bacterium?
A) Nematode
B) Virus
C) Protozoan
D) Alga
Explanation: Viruses are submicroscopic infectious agents that require living host
cells to replicate, causing diseases like mosaic or leaf curl.
6. How many jointed legs do mites, ticks, and spiders have?
A) Six
B) Eight
C) Ten
D) Four
Explanation: They are arachnids, distinguished from insects (6 legs) by having 8
jointed legs and two body regions.
,7. Define weeds.
A) Plants that only grow in winter
B) Poisonous plants only
C) Plants growing where they are not wanted or in a way that is not desirable
D) Plants without flowers
Explanation: The definition is based on human perspective and location — a plant
is a weed if it interferes with human goals, regardless of its botanical type.
8. What is a characteristic of herbaceous broadleaves when they first emerge?
A) One leaf
B) Two leaves
C) Three leaves
D) No leaves
Explanation: Broadleaves are dicots, producing two cotyledons (seed leaves) upon
germination.
9. Which animal group is explicitly listed as a type of vertebrate pest?
A) Fish
B) Spiders
C) Insects
D) Crustaceans
Explanation: Fish can be pests in aquaculture or when invasive species disrupt
native ecosystems, though less common than rodents or birds.
10. In complete metamorphosis, which stage follows the larva?
A) Egg
B) Nymph
C) Pupa
D) Adult
, Explanation: Complete metamorphosis proceeds egg → larva → pupa → adult,
with the pupa being a resting/transforming stage.
11. What is another main way plants respond to infection by a plant disease
agent?
A) Overproduction of fruit
B) Underdevelopment of tissue
C) Accelerated flowering
D) Root lengthening
Explanation: Pathogens can cause stunting, reduced leaf size, or incomplete organ
formation (underdevelopment).
12. Which of the following is a characteristic of mites, ticks, and spiders?
A) Six legs
B) Wings
C) Two body regions
D) Antennae
Explanation: Arachnids have two body regions (cephalothorax and abdomen),
unlike insects which have three.
13. What type of plant disease agent includes organisms like rusts and smuts?
A) Bacteria
B) Viruses
C) Fungi
D) Nematodes
Explanation: Fungi are a major group of plant pathogens causing rusts, smuts,
mildews, and blights.
COMPLETE WITH 100% VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. What is one of the three main ways a plant responds to infection by a plant
disease agent?
A) Increased seed production
B) Overdevelopment of tissue
C) Faster maturation
D) Chlorophyll doubling
Explanation: Plants may respond to infection by producing galls, swellings, or
abnormal growth (overdevelopment) due to hormonal imbalances caused by
pathogens.
2. Which vertebrate animal is listed as a possible pest?
A) Snakes
B) Earthworms
C) Reptiles
D) Ladybugs
Explanation: Reptiles such as certain lizards or snakes can occasionally become
pests in agricultural settings, though less common than birds or mammals.
3. In the gradual (simple) life cycle, which stage comes immediately after eggs?
A) Larva
B) Pupa
C) Nymph
D) Imago
,Explanation: Gradual metamorphosis proceeds from egg → nymph → adult, with
nymphs resembling small adults but lacking fully developed wings and
reproductive organs.
4. Which characteristic applies to herbaceous grasses?
A) Two leaves as they emerge
B) Net-like leaf veins
C) Taproot system
D) Fibrous root system
Explanation: Grasses have fibrous roots (many thin roots) rather than a taproot,
which helps with soil stabilization and erosion control.
5. Which type of organism that causes plant diseases is neither a fungus nor a
bacterium?
A) Nematode
B) Virus
C) Protozoan
D) Alga
Explanation: Viruses are submicroscopic infectious agents that require living host
cells to replicate, causing diseases like mosaic or leaf curl.
6. How many jointed legs do mites, ticks, and spiders have?
A) Six
B) Eight
C) Ten
D) Four
Explanation: They are arachnids, distinguished from insects (6 legs) by having 8
jointed legs and two body regions.
,7. Define weeds.
A) Plants that only grow in winter
B) Poisonous plants only
C) Plants growing where they are not wanted or in a way that is not desirable
D) Plants without flowers
Explanation: The definition is based on human perspective and location — a plant
is a weed if it interferes with human goals, regardless of its botanical type.
8. What is a characteristic of herbaceous broadleaves when they first emerge?
A) One leaf
B) Two leaves
C) Three leaves
D) No leaves
Explanation: Broadleaves are dicots, producing two cotyledons (seed leaves) upon
germination.
9. Which animal group is explicitly listed as a type of vertebrate pest?
A) Fish
B) Spiders
C) Insects
D) Crustaceans
Explanation: Fish can be pests in aquaculture or when invasive species disrupt
native ecosystems, though less common than rodents or birds.
10. In complete metamorphosis, which stage follows the larva?
A) Egg
B) Nymph
C) Pupa
D) Adult
, Explanation: Complete metamorphosis proceeds egg → larva → pupa → adult,
with the pupa being a resting/transforming stage.
11. What is another main way plants respond to infection by a plant disease
agent?
A) Overproduction of fruit
B) Underdevelopment of tissue
C) Accelerated flowering
D) Root lengthening
Explanation: Pathogens can cause stunting, reduced leaf size, or incomplete organ
formation (underdevelopment).
12. Which of the following is a characteristic of mites, ticks, and spiders?
A) Six legs
B) Wings
C) Two body regions
D) Antennae
Explanation: Arachnids have two body regions (cephalothorax and abdomen),
unlike insects which have three.
13. What type of plant disease agent includes organisms like rusts and smuts?
A) Bacteria
B) Viruses
C) Fungi
D) Nematodes
Explanation: Fungi are a major group of plant pathogens causing rusts, smuts,
mildews, and blights.
