Nhận biết (M1)

Polyethylene (PE) plastic sheeting is used as agricultural mulch because it is effective at reducing the propagation of weeds. Seeking a biodegradable alternative, Waqas Ahmad and colleagues tended otherwise equivalent plots of strawberries mulched with PE sheeting or one of several newsprint pulp–based alternatives: just newsprint pulp (NP), pulp bound with guar gum (GG), or pulp bound with psyllium husk (PH). The graph represents strawberry plots for which all emerging weeds were left in place throughout the experiment. Once the fruit was harvested, the weeds were removed, dried, and weighed for dry biomass. Based on the results, there was not a predictable association between treatment effectiveness and fruit yield.

Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to support the underlined claim?

• A.

  While the psyllium husk treatment was associated with a higher weed biomass than the guar gum treatment was, the guar gum treatment was associated with a higher fruit yield than the psyllium husk treatment was.

• B.

  While the guar gum and polyethylene treatments were associated with the lowest weed biomasses, the guar gum treatment was associated with the highest fruit yield and the polyethylene treatment was associated with the lowest fruit yield.

• C.

  The treatment with just newsprint pulp was associated with the highest weed biomass and was not one of the two treatments associated with the highest fruit yields.

• D.

  The psyllium husk and guar gum treatments were associated with lower weed biomasses and higher fruit yields than the treatment with just newsprint pulp was.