Consider the following kinds of organisms: 1. Bacteria 2. Fungi 3. Flowering plants Some species of which of the above kinds of organisms are employed as biopesticides?
- A1 only
- B2 and 3 only
- C1 and 3 only
- D1, 2 and 3Correct
Explanation
The correct answer is D because species from all three categories are used as biopesticides.
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Bacteria: The most famous example is Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which produces proteins toxic to specific insects. It is widely used in organic farming and genetic engineering.
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Fungi: Several fungi act as bio-insecticides or bio-herbicides. For example, Beauveria bassiana is used to control termites, thrips, and whiteflies by infecting their bodies.
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Flowering plants: Many plants contain natural chemicals that repel or kill pests. Neem (Azadirachta indica) is a well-known example used to produce botanical pesticides. Pyrethrum, derived from certain chrysanthemum flowers, is another common plant-based pesticide.
Since some species from all three groups serve this purpose, option D is the correct choice.
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