Passage - It is hard to predict how changes in the climate and the atmosphere's chemistry will affect the prevalence and virulence agricultural diseases. But there is a risk that such changes will make some plant infections more common in all climatic zones, perhaps catastrophically so. Part of the problem is that centuries of selective breeding have refined the genomes of most high-value crops. They are spectacular at growing in today's conditions but genetic variations that are not immediately useful to them have been bred out. This is good for yields but bad for coping with changes. A minor disease or even an unknown one could suddenly rampage through a genetically honed crop.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea conveyed by the passage?
The passage primarily conveys that centuries of selective breeding have resulted in genetically refined crops that, while optimized for current conditions, possess reduced genetic diversity. This lack of variation makes them highly susceptible to new or evolving agricultural diseases, especially under changing climatic and atmospheric conditions. The central concern articulated is that a heavy reliance on such genetically uniform crops introduces a significant risk of widespread crop failure, thereby threatening food security. Option 2 directly captures this core idea by linking the dependence on genetically honed crops to the potential for food insecurity.
Option 1: While the passage acknowledges that global climate change can adversely affect crops, its central idea is more specific. It focuses on the mechanism of impact, specifically the heightened vulnerability of genetically honed crops to diseases due to their lack of genetic diversity, rather than a general statement about productivity decline.
Option 3: The passage discusses the vulnerabilities within agricultural practices, particularly concerning genetically honed crops. It does not broaden the scope to suggest that food security strategies should extend beyond agricultural productivity or diversify into non-agricultural domains.
Option 4: The passage highlights the risks associated with genetically honed crops due to their limited genetic variation. However, it does not advocate for their complete replacement with wild varieties. It merely points out the inherent vulnerability and the potential for catastrophic outcomes.