Question

When pathogenic fungi are found growing on the roots of grape vines, grape farmers sometimes respond by covering the ground around their vines with plastic sheeting and pumping a gaseous fungicide into the soil. The most important concern of grape farmers who engage in this practice should be that the ________.

Answer 1

The question is incomplete as it does not have the options which are:

A) lichens growing on the vines' branches are not harmed.

B) fungicide might also kill mycorrhizae.

C) fungicide might also kill the native yeasts residing on the surfaces of the grapes.

D) sheeting is transparent so that photosynthesis can continue.

Answer:

B) fungicide might also kill mycorrhizae.

Explanation:

The plant roots form associated with the plant roots which prove beneficial to plants and the association is known as a mycorrhizal association. There are other species of fungi which do not prove beneficial and are pathogenic to the plant.

The farmer to control the effect of pathogenicity of fungi will affect the growth of the fungi and the fungi will be killed.

But the farmer before using the fungicide will be concerned about the beneficial fungal relationship with the plants that are mycorrhizal association.

Thus, Option-B is correct.