Bitter Cassava Is Often Preferred as a Crop Over Sweet

question 17

Multiple Choice

Bitter cassava is often preferred as a crop over sweet cassava because it produces higher yields (more pounds of cassava per hectare planted) in the presence of herbivores. Which of the following statements poses a hypothetical link (relationship) between the ability to make chemical deterrents and higher yields?

• A)Plants produce chemicals to deter herbivores. Bitter cassava stores toxic compounds in its tissues. Bitter cassava should incur less damage, and therefore have higher yields.
• B)Plants produce chemicals to deter herbivores. Bitter cassava stores toxic compounds in its roots. Because they are below ground, the roots are not eaten and the presence of toxic compounds does not contribute to higher yields.
• C)Plants produce chemicals to deter herbivores. Bitter cassava expends energy producing toxic compounds. The more toxic compounds a plant produces, the lower its yields.
• D)Plants produce chemicals to deter herbivores. Bitter cassava requires additional nitrogen to make these compounds. The additional nitrogen that is used reduces the amount of nitrogen available for plant growth and decreases yields.

---

Definitions:

Public Bureaucracies

Organizations within the public sector governed by a fixed set of rules and structured hierarchically, tasked with implementing government policies.

Public Choice Theorists

Economists and political scientists who study how public decisions are made, applying theories and methods of economics to analyze political behavior and decision-making.

Market System Failure

An economic situation where the allocation of goods and services by a free market is not efficient, often justifying government intervention.

Unfunded Liability

A future government spending commitment (liability) for which the government has not legislated an offsetting revenue source.