Theobroma cacao (cacao) is the tree that produces seeds that are turned into chocolate. These trees provide many poor people in the tropics with some cash income. However, these farmers face many obstacles to production of their crop, including temperature and rainfall changes caused by atmospheric CO₂ increases, and many diseases and pests. Analysis of the cacao genome showed that there is some (but not a lot) of genetic variation in the 10 major varieties.
-Which of the following strategies would be most useful in the long-term in reducing pressures faced by cacao farmers?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Crossbreeding cacao strains that produce high-quality cacao beans and ones resistant to diseases would be the most useful strategy in the long-term as it would increase genetic diversity, leading to the development of new varieties that are better adapted to deal with climate changes and pests. Planting more trees in the temperate zone (A) may not be feasible or practical as cacao trees thrive in the tropics. Planting trees further apart (C) may not reduce disease transmission rates as some pests can travel long distances, and this strategy would reduce the plant density, leading to lower yields. Fertilizing the trees and using fungicides and pesticides (D) can have negative environmental impacts and can promote the development of pesticide-resistant pests and diseases.

Theobroma Cacao (Cacao) Is the Tree That Produces Seeds That