The poster ‘The Never-Ending Battle for Fortress Plant’ illustrates ideas about plant defences against pathogens. It depicts the plant as a fortress which is defended against invading pathogens. The poster is accompanied by a presentation, which can be used as a step-by-step walk-through of the ideas in the poster.

Also provided is a student sheet with questions that will provide evidence of learning. Later questions require students to draw in ideas from other parts of the GCSE Biology curriculum, including ideas about the inputs and outputs of photosynthesis, transpiration, food chains, the interdependence of organisms and ecosystem services.

Ideas about communicable diseases in plants are included in the updated programmes of study for Key Stage 4 biology published in December 2014. These ideas will be included in GCSE science courses from 2016 (for first assessment in summer 2018).

This bundle of resources will help develop the following learning outcomes at KS4:

• describe physical plant defences
• describe chemical plant defence responses.

Note that these learning outcomes are required by GCSE Biology, but are not required by GCSE Combined Science.