What harmful effects can ozone cause in plants?

Ozone can have significant harmful effects on plants, and the correct answer highlights several of these specific manifestations. Ozone is a reactive oxygen species that can penetrate leaf surfaces and cause cellular damage. This leads to symptoms such as bleaching, where the chlorophyll in leaves is degraded, resulting in a loss of green color.

Additionally, frecks and stipple describe the appearance of damaged leaf tissue, characterized by small spots or lesions that develop as a response to ozone exposure. This foliar damage interferes with the plant's ability to photosynthesize effectively and can lead to growth suppression, where the overall development of the plant is stunted due to the damage sustained.

Other choices, while related to plant health, do not directly correlate with the specific impact of ozone. Leaf drop and wilting, for instance, may occur due to a variety of stressors, not exclusively ozone exposure. Fungal infections and root rot are typically associated with other environmental or biological factors rather than direct ozone effects. Thus, option B provides the most accurate representation of the adverse effects of ozone on plant life.