Question

The table shows the characteristics of a group of Vidalia onion plants grown on a farm in southern Georgia.

Onion Plant Flavor Number of Onions Per Plant Resistance to Insects
Plant 1 bitter 3 very resistant
Plant 2 sweet 4 very resistant
Plant 3 sweet 4 not resistant
Plant 4 sour 5 mildly resistant

A farmer wants to produce plants with the most desirable traits. Which plant from the table should the farmer breed? Why?

A.
plant 1 because it produces the least number of onions and has the greatest chance of being harvested

B.
plant 2 because it produces many onions with desired traits and has the greatest chance of being harvested

C.
plant 3 because it produces many onions with desired traits and has a lower chance of being harvested

D.
plant 4 because it produces the greatest number of onions and has a lower chance of being harvested

Answer 1

The best choice for the farmer to breed from the given options is:

**B. plant 2 because it produces many onions with desired traits and has the greatest chance of being harvested.**

**Reasoning:**
- Plant 2 has a "sweet" flavor, which is generally considered a desirable trait for onions.
- It produces 4 onions per plant, which is a good yield.
- Additionally, it has "very resistant" resistance to insects, which enhances the likelihood of successful harvests and reduces losses from pests.

In contrast:
- Plant 1 has a bitter taste, which is undesirable.
- Plant 3 has the same number of onions as plant 2 but lacks insect resistance.
- Plant 4 has the highest number of onions but a sour flavor, which is also not desirable.

Thus, plant 2 combines the desirable sweet flavor with a substantial yield and high resistance to insects, making it the best candidate for breeding.