A plant described as chlorotic is experiencing:

• A. Chlorosis
• B. Wilting
• C. Necrosis
• D. Turgor loss

Answer: (A)

Chlorosis means yellowing of the plant tissue due to a reduction or loss of chlorophyll, the pigment needed for photosynthesis. When a plant is chlorotic, its leaves turn pale or yellow rather than green because chlorophyll isn’t being produced or is being degraded. This is different from wilting, which is drooping from water stress and loss of cell turgor; necrosis, which is dead, brown tissue; and turgor loss, which is the inability of cells to hold water causing wilting. In turf, chlorosis often points to nutrient problems (like iron deficiency in alkaline soils) that limit chlorophyll synthesis, so the remedy typically involves correcting nutrient availability and soil pH and ensuring proper irrigation.