[Campbell Biology P.888] Which of the following statements about Bt maize, according to the ... | Practice Question

Which of the following statements about Bt maize, according to the provided text, is INCORRECT?

  • A: Bt maize (the transgenic variety with the Bt toxin) contains 90% less of a fungal toxin called fumonisin than non-Bt maize.
  • B: Fumonisin, a fungal toxin, is produced by Fusarium and can cause cancer and birth defects.
  • C: The cultivation of non-Bt maize and its associated chemical pesticide spraying is generally more harmful to monarch butterfly populations than Bt maize production.
  • D: A laboratory study conclusively proved that Bt maize pollen, when dusted on milkweed leaves, causes adverse effects and death in monarch butterfly larvae.

Explanation

The text explicitly states, "One laboratory study indicated that the larvae caterpillars of monarch butterflies responded adversely and even died after eating milkweed leaves their preferred food heavily dusted with pollen from transgenic Bt maize. This study has since been discredited, affording a good example of the self-correcting nature of science." It further clarifies that "it was these other floral parts, not the pollen, that contained Bt toxin in high concentrations." Therefore, option D is incorrect. Options A, B, and C are directly supported by the text in the "Issues of Human Health" and "Possible Effects on Nontarget Organisms" sections.