What is most likely to happen?

Question

A biotechnology laboratory is conducting a research on a corn variety that has been genetically modified for insect resistance. this insect resistance results from the insertion of a gene that produces protein which interrupts the life cycle of the insect and causes its death......

what is most likely to happen if farmers decided to only grow insect-resistant corn variety.

a. decrease in harvest yields

b. decrease in biology diversity

c. increase in agricultural pest populations

d. increase in soil nutrients fields

this is for my homework...can anyone help me? plz

Answer 1

decrease in biological diversity due to growth of corn only. nutrients can be depleted , so rotation of crops can be practised.

Answer 2

The answer is b. (decrease in biological diversity), but not necessarily because the corn is GMO, but because of the word "only".  Since the farmer is "only" growing this one variety, this will represent a decrease in biological diversity for the corn, but also for the insect that will likely decrease in abundance.

Answer 3

a. decrease in harvest yields - wouldn't they increase?

b. decrease in biology diversity - this makes since because in order to use only the changed plants, you'd have to start with a limited variety of seeds. I would assume this process is expensive right?

c. increase in agricultural pest populations - obviously this isn't going to happen

d. increase in soil nutrients fields - if corn is likely to grow more, there would be less nutrients since the corn is pulling them out.