How can environmental stress manifest in nursery plants?

Environmental stress in nursery plants often manifests through visible symptoms such as wilting and discoloration. When plants experience stress due to factors like drought, excessive moisture, nutrient deficiencies, or extreme temperatures, their physiological functions can be disrupted. This leads to a reduction in turgor pressure within cells, causing wilting. Additionally, discoloration may occur, often presenting as yellowing leaves or browning edges, which indicates that the plant is struggling to maintain healthy growth due to the adverse environmental conditions. Recognizing these symptoms is crucial for nursery technicians, as it signals the need for intervention and proper care to help the plants recover.

The other choices suggest positive growth and development characteristics, which do not typically result from environmental stress. Stronger growth, vibrant colors, thicker stems, and premature fruiting might be associated with ideal growing conditions rather than stress. Thus, the symptoms that indicate distress are the key indicators nursery technicians must watch for to ensure the health of the plants.