What type of pesticide is primarily absorbed by plants?

The correct answer is systemic pesticide, which is designed to be absorbed by plants and distributed throughout their tissues. This absorption allows the pesticide to act internally on the target pest, providing effective control even if the pest is not directly contacted. Systemic pesticides can target a range of pests, including insects and certain diseases, by affecting physiological processes within the plant.

This characteristic makes systemic pesticides particularly valuable in situations where pests reside within the plant structure, such as sap-sucking insects or borers. Since they move through the plant's vascular system, they can provide prolonged protection as the pesticide remains present within the plant tissues.

While contact pesticides do affect pests upon direct application, their effectiveness diminishes quickly unless the pests are directly exposed. Biological pesticides involve natural organisms or substances to manage pests, which might not be absorbed in the same way. Herbicides are specifically focused on controlling unwanted plants and may not have the same internal absorption characteristics that systemic pesticides do.