Question

A particular plant species can reproduce both sexually and asexually. When samples of this plant are grown in an environment where a harmful bacterial pathogen is abundant, the plants that survive are likely to have been produced primarily through what type of reproduction? See Section 13.4 (Page 285) .

Answer 1

Answer:

Sexual reproduction

Explanation:

In asexual reproduction, the same genes are transferred to the next generation because there is no combination of genes takes place so the rate of variation is very less in asexual reproduction and in sexual reproduction combination of different genes from two different parents occurs which give rise to genetic variation.

So when the plant is put in an environment where harmful bacteria are present then it will prefer sexual reproduction to bring variation in its genome so that it can get the ability to fight against these pathogenic bacteria.  

The plants that reproduced asexually will be eradicated by pathogens because they can not get the new genes to fight against the pathogen due to lack of appropriate variation in their gene.