A plant pathogen that is dispersed by wind to unaffected plants is said to move by which mechanism?

The mechanism referred to in this scenario is passive movement. This term describes how pathogens, such as fungi, bacteria, or viruses, are spread without the active engagement of the organisms themselves. When airborne pathogens are carried by the wind, they rely on natural elements to travel from one location to another, reaching unaffected plants.

Unlike active movement, which would involve an organism directly transporting itself or another organism (for example, insects or animals moving to a new plant), passive movement relies on external factors such as air currents for dispersal. This is a common way for pathogens to spread across great distances, especially in crops, where wind can blow spores over large areas, potentially leading to widespread infection.

The other options, regarding water dispersal and soil contact, imply different mechanisms of pathogen transfer, such as through irrigation systems or soil, which do not involve wind as a carrier. Active movement would suggest a more direct or deliberate action taken by an organism to spread the pathogen, which is not the case in this instance where the wind is the driving force behind the dispersal.