Why does classifying organisms HELP in agriculture?
AUnderstanding relationships among plants helps farmers identify resilient varieties (drought-tolerant, pest-resistant), promote crop diversity, and reduce risk of crop failure
BClassification creates new plants
CClassification removes pests
DClassification is purely academic — no practical use
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Understanding relationships among plants helps farmers identify resilient varieties (drought-tolerant, pest-resistant), promote crop diversity, and reduce risk of crop failure
Classification reveals evolutionary and functional relationships among plants. Farmers (and agricultural scientists) use this knowledge to: (1) find pest-resistant or drought-tolerant relatives of crop species (e.g. wild rice for genetic breeding), (2) plan crop rotations that don't share pests, (3) diversify crops to reduce risk. The chapter explicitly mentions diversity strengthening 'food security' — classification underpins this.
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