Question

Given below are two statements :
Statement (I) : Uredospores are motile.
Statement (II) : Viruses are motile.
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below.

• A. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are correct.
• B. Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are incorrect.
• C. Statement (I) is correct but Statement (II) is incorrect.
• D. Statement (I) is incorrect but Statement (II) is correct.

Hint:

The only group of fungi-like pathogens that produce truly motile spores are the Oomycetes (such as *Pythium* and *Phytophthora*), which release biflagellated zoospores that swim through water.
True fungal spores (like uredospores, conidia, and ascospores) and plant viruses are completely non-motile.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Biological motility refers to the active ability of an organism or its reproductive spores to move on their own, usually using specialized structures like flagella or cilia.
Many plant pathogens produce non-motile structures that rely completely on wind, water-splash, or vectors for dispersal.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze both statements individually:
Statement (I): "Uredospores are motile."
This statement is incorrect.
Urediniospores (commonly called uredospores) are dikaryotic asexual spores produced by rust fungi (*Puccinia* species).
They are single-celled, non-motile structures with thick, spiny, pigmented walls.
They do not possess flagella or any other active structures for self-propulsion.
Instead, they are adapted for passive wind-borne dispersal, allowing them to travel long distances through air currents.
Statement (II): "Viruses are motile."
This statement is incorrect.
Viruses are non-cellular, obligate intracellular molecular entities composed of nucleic acids enclosed in a protein coat (capsid).
They lack any structures for self-propulsion (such as flagella) and cannot move on their own.
They rely entirely on external forces, such as insect vectors (aphids, leafhoppers), nematodes, fungi, or mechanical contact, to transfer them from one host plant to another.
Once inside the host, they move passively from cell to cell through plasmodesmata using the plant's internal transport systems.
Both statements are incorrect.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are incorrect.
This corresponds to Option (B).