Which type of pesticide is absorbed through leaves or roots and transported within the plant?

Systemic pesticides are designed to be absorbed by the plant through its leaves, stems, or roots, and then they are transported throughout the plant's vascular system. This characteristic allows systemic pesticides to provide internal control of pests that feed on the plant, such as sap-sucking insects or certain types of fungus.

These pesticides become part of the plant's tissues, offering protection not only to the areas that were directly treated but also to new growth as the active ingredient is translocated within the plant. This makes them particularly effective against pests that might otherwise evade contact pesticides, which only kill pests upon direct contact and have limited residual activity.

In contrast, contact pesticides need to physically touch the pest to be effective and do not move within the plant. Residual pesticides focus more on remaining active on surfaces for a period of time after application, while granular pesticides are formulated to release active ingredients slowly, often through either soil moisture or an effect of water, but still do not imply transport within the plant like systemics do.