How do systemic treatments enhance crop protection?

Systemic treatments enhance crop protection primarily by inhibiting or killing harmful organisms. These treatments, often taken up by the plant through its roots or foliage, travel within the plant to provide protection against pests and diseases. This ability allows them to target harmful organisms that may not be easily affected by contact treatments, which only act on the surface of the plant.

When systemic treatments are applied, they create a protective barrier within the plant tissues. This internal defense mechanism enables the plant to fend off infections or reduce pest populations effectively. As a result, systemic treatments can lead to improved plant health and yield, as they work from within to provide a more thorough and lasting form of protection against a variety of biotic stresses.

While repelling pests and promoting soil health are important aspects of an integrated crop management approach, they do not encapsulate the primary mechanism of action for systemic treatments in the way that inhibiting or killing harmful organisms does. Similarly, increasing seed size is not a direct function of systemic treatments, which are focused on enhancing the plant's defense mechanisms.