Ergot is a fungus that can infest the seed heads of any grain crop but is common only on rye. Ergot contains chemicals poisonous to humans. Rye was introduced in Europe in the Middle Ages as a crop for land too poor and damp for wheat to grow well. Thus, rye tended to be the staple of the poorer peasants. Which of the following hypotheses is best supported by the information above?

Question

Accepted Answer

সঠিক উত্তর: । ব্যাখ্যা: (D) Since rye, the crop most commonly infested by the poisonous ergot fungus, was the staple food of the poorer peasants (due to the land it grew on), it is reasonable to hypothesize that poor people were at a higher risk of ergot poisoning than prosperous people who could afford wheat (which was less commonly infested).