The Ecke's Family Virtual Monopoly on Commercial Poinsettia Production by Grafting

The Ecke's family virtual monopoly on commercial poinsettia production by grafting together two varieties of the plant ended around 1996 when university researchers were able to independently make the same discovery.The Ecke family did not patent their grafting process.Would the Ecke's have been better off if they had patented their process of growing poinsettias?

A) Yes, it would have allowed them to earn economic profits indefinitely.
B) That depends on how long they had a monopoly before university researchers made the discovery. If the discovery was made after the period of time when patents expire, then the Ecke family is not any better off.
C) No, even with a patent protection, the Ecke family cannot prevent government-funded academic institutions from researching into plant breeding.
D) No, seeking patent protection necessitates divulging enough information that would enable others to information to discover ways of grafting poinsettias that were similar to the Ecke method but that did not violate the patent.