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Potato Cyst Namatodes

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fighting_cax Rising GMAT Star Default Avatar
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Potato Cyst Namatodes Post Sat May 16, 2009 2:07 am
Elapsed Time: 00:00
  • Lap #[LAPCOUNT] ([LAPTIME])
    Potato cyst nematodes are a pest of potato crops. The
    nematodes can lie dormant for several years in their
    cysts, which are protective capsules, and do not
    emerge except in the presence of chemicals emitted
    by potato roots. A company that has identified the
    relevant chemicals in planning to market them to
    potato farmers to spread on their fields when no
    potatoes are planted; any nematodes that emerge
    will soon starve to death.

    Which of the following, if true, best supports the
    claim that the company's plan will be successful?
    (A) Nematodes that have emerged from their cysts
    can be killed by ordinary pesticides.
    (B) The only part of a potato plant that a nematode
    eats is the roots.
    (C) Some bacteria commonly present in the roots of
    potatoes digest the chemicals that cause the
    nematodes to emerge from their cysts.
    (D) Trials have shown that spreading even minute
    quantities of the chemicals on potato fields
    caused nine-tenths of the nematodes present to
    emerge from their cysts.
    (E) the chemicals that cause the nematodes to
    emerge from their cysts are not emitted all the
    time the potato plant is growing.

    OA is D

    Please explain.

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    gmat740 MBA Student
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    Post Sat May 16, 2009 6:18 am
    Conclusion : nematodes come out of their cysts when no potatoes are there and starve to death.

    Reason : Because the chemical causes them to come out.

    Quote:
    A) Nematodes that have emerged from their cysts
    can be k!IIed by ordinary pesticides.
    To support the conclusion, the credit must go to the chemical company
    So this one is out

    Quote:
    (B) The only part of a potato plant that a nematode
    eats is the roots
    Does this support the conclusion?? Is it supporting the fact that chemicals caused some effect?? NO!!

    (
    Quote:
    C) Some bacteria commonly present in the roots of
    potatoes digest the chemicals that cause the
    nematodes to emerge from their cysts
    This one weakens the conclusion instead of supporting it!

    Quote:
    D) Trials have shown that spreading even minute
    quantities of the chemicals on potato fields
    caused nine-tenths of the nematodes present to
    emerge from their cysts
    Perfect answer!

    Quote:
    E) the chemicals that cause the nematodes to
    emerge from their cysts are not emitted all the
    time the potato plant is growing.
    Again faills to consider the chemicals made by company!

    Hope this helps

    sanp_l Really wants to Beat The GMAT! Default Avatar
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    Post Sat May 16, 2009 6:18 am
    D explains the degree to which the chemical might be successfull in drawing the pests out of their protective capsules. Hence D.

    B, C and E go way off to reason.

    A says about a way to kill the pests once they are out but doesn't say of a way that can help the marketing or sale of the chemical.

    Answer is D.

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    rahulg83 GMAT Destroyer!
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    Post Sun May 17, 2009 3:13 am
    i have a doubt here. If even minute quantities of the chemical is enough to kill N, then how come the farmers will buy more and more chemicals from the company? They instead will opt for very little amount of chemical and that will hurt company's plan to sell the chemicals..

    P.S. may be i am thinking oo much Smile

    fighting_cax Rising GMAT Star Default Avatar
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    Post Sun May 17, 2009 3:44 pm
    gmat740 wrote:
    Quote:
    (B) The only part of a potato plant that a nematode
    eats is the roots
    Does this support the conclusion?? Is it supporting the fact that chemicals caused some effect?? NO!!

    If the only part that the nematodes eat are the plant's roots, then spreading the chemical when no potatoes are plants (hence no potato roots will be present) will cause the nematodes to starve to death. Why can't B be the correct answer.

    Can you elaborate further?

    Musicolo Really wants to Beat The GMAT! Default Avatar
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    Post Mon May 18, 2009 1:44 am
    I found this question to be marketing concentrated. How best to know whether your business plan is going to succeed? you start with the trial and if it is a success, you go ahead with it. If D says that the trial was a success and it made the nematodes present to emerge from their cysts, which is the whole point, then this is the perfect answer.
    B cant be the right answer since yes nematodes eat only the root of the potato, but it does not say anything about the company's market plan-its irrelevant that namatodes only eat the root of the potato.

    goelmohit2002 GMAT Titan Default Avatar
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    Post Mon May 18, 2009 8:31 am
    Can some one please help me understand how "D" relates to this point in passage:

    "any nematodes that emerge will soon starve to Death"...

    How emergence as mentioned in "D" will lead to death... ? Can we assume that:

    1. They does not eat anything else except that find inside the earth.
    2. Once they emerge they will not go back....

    Basically what I have doubt is how are we saying that emergence will lead to ultimate demise....of pests.

    yogesh1984 Just gettin' started!
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    Post Sat Mar 17, 2012 8:33 am
    goelmohit2002 wrote:
    Can some one please help me understand how "D" relates to this point in passage:

    "any nematodes that emerge will soon starve to Death"...

    How emergence as mentioned in "D" will lead to death... ? Can we assume that:

    1. They does not eat anything else except that find inside the earth.
    2. Once they emerge they will not go back....

    Basically what I have doubt is how are we saying that emergence will lead to ultimate demise....of pests.
    Precisely the very same Q I also had...but on that count I don't see any answer choice fitting the bill..

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