Domesticated crop plants rarely become aggressive weeds, becausea)They...
Both domesticated crops and agricultural weeds have arisen from wild plants, but domesticated crops are different, as they are mostly human inventions selected for certain traits through thousands of years. We will first describe the crop domestication process and the evolution of agricultural weeds in general, contrasting “domestication” with “weediness” traits acquired during the dedomestication or ferality process, including a review of their genetic basis. Then for a select group of crop plants we will examine the degree of inferred domestication (ratio of domestic acquired to retained weediness traits).
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Domesticated crop plants rarely become aggressive weeds, becausea)They...
C) They possess traits with low survival value in the wild.
Explanation:
Domesticated crop plants have undergone extensive selection and breeding by humans to enhance specific desirable traits such as yield, taste, and appearance. These traits are often not advantageous in the wild, leading to low survival value for domesticated crops when they escape cultivation and become weeds.
Key points:
- Traits with low survival value: Domesticated crop plants have been bred to have traits that are advantageous for human cultivation and harvest, but these traits may not confer an advantage in the wild. For example, crop plants may have reduced competitive ability, weak defenses against herbivory, or reliance on human intervention for pollination or seed dispersal. These traits make them less likely to become aggressive weeds.
- Lack of competitive ability: Domesticated crop plants are typically grown in carefully managed agricultural systems with controlled spacing, fertilization, and pest control. They may not possess the traits necessary to compete successfully with other plant species in natural habitats, where resources may be limited and competition for light, water, and nutrients is intense.
- Weak defenses against herbivory: Domesticated crop plants are often selected for reduced chemical defenses against herbivores, as these defenses can affect taste and marketability. In the wild, however, these plants may be more susceptible to damage from herbivores, reducing their chances of survival and establishment as aggressive weeds.
- Human reliance for pollination and seed dispersal: Some domesticated crop plants depend on human intervention for pollination or seed dispersal, such as through the use of honeybees or mechanical harvesting. In the absence of human intervention, these plants may struggle to reproduce successfully in the wild, limiting their potential as aggressive weeds.
- Genetic uniformity: Domesticated crop plants are often grown from genetically uniform varieties, which may limit their ability to adapt to diverse environmental conditions and compete with other plant species in the wild.
In summary, domesticated crop plants possess traits that have low survival value in the wild, including reduced competitive ability, weak defenses against herbivory, reliance on human intervention for pollination and seed dispersal, and genetic uniformity. These factors contribute to the rarity of domesticated crop plants becoming aggressive weeds in natural habitats.