Question

Fungi can be beneficial or destructive. One type of fungi, the smuts, attacks grain plants, like corn and wheat, that are grown throughout the United States. The smut diseases will MOST likely result in
A) huge crop losses.
B) greater crop yields.
C) more grain produced.
D) a shorter growing season.

Answer 1

The correct answer choice is A.) Huge crop losses. B and C would be beneficial, and as such would not negatively harm farmers and grain plants. D would be the only other logical answer choice, but a shorter growing season could just as easily be caused due to other external forces as well, such as weather conditions, average temperatures, the demand for grain products, and other diseases or pests. Hope this helped!

Answer 2

The smut 'whip' is a curved black structure which emerges from the leaf whorl, and which aids in the spreading of the disease.
It is a disease that can destroy a large proportion of crop. Smut causes significant losses to the economic value of crops.
Therefore, the correct answer is A).