What condition describes the flagging of new shoots due to a bacterial infection?

The condition that describes the flagging of new shoots due to a bacterial infection is shoot blight. This term refers specifically to the symptoms caused by bacterial pathogens that affect the growing tips of plants, leading to the wilting, browning, or death of newly developing shoots. These symptoms often resemble drought stress but are actually a result of bacterial infection disrupting normal plant physiology.

Shoot blight specifically targets young, actively growing tissues, which is why it is identified by the flagging of new shoots. In contrast, other options like root rot pertain to the decay of root systems often caused by pathogens in the soil, leaf curl typically describes distortion of leaves due to environmental stress or pest activity rather than direct bacterial infection, and stem girdling is an injury that occurs around the stem that disrupts the flow of nutrients and water, often from physical damage or pests rather than a specific bacterial infection.