Virtual Lab: Dependent and Independent Variables

Worksheet

1. ECB refers to:

a. A genetically engineered plant that is resistant to insect pests
b. Edible corn byproducts
c. An insect pest that reduces corn yield
d. European corn borer Commented [LM1]:
e. c and d

2. How many days are required for a corn seed to become a mature plant with
maximum weight kernels ready to be harvested?
a. about 23
b. about 65
c. about 140
d. about 180

3. “BT Corn” refers to corn that:

a. Has been infested with insect pests
b. Has been infected with bacteria
c. Is resistant to ECB
d. Is not affected by pesticides

4. BT is:
a. A stomach poison produced by bacteria
b. A genetically engineered corn product
c. A bacterium carried by the European corn borer
d. A bacterium that has a gene for producing Cry proteins

5. Creation of BT corn requires genetic material from all of the following except:
a. European corn borer
b. Bacillus thuringiensis
c. a corn plant
d. all of the above contribute genetic material to the production of BT corn
Table 1: Average Yield for each seed variety at no, low, and high infestation levels

Seed Variety Level of Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Average

ECB Yield Yield Yield Yield
Infestation
BT 123 None 160.1 164.8 164.2 163.0

Low 164.0 162.6 168.3 164.9

High 155.1 163.0 163.9 160.6

BT 456 None 190.0 183.2 184.8 186.0

Low 178.8 172.6 179.6 177.0

High 157.3 157.0 159.0 157.7

Golden None 181.6 182.8 189.8 184.7

Low 177.9 171.2 170.6 173.2

High 135.4 139.6 138.3 137.7

Super Harvest None 164.1 164.3 161.9 163.4

Low 159.1 155.0 157.5 157.2

High 125.5 129.0 130.0 128.1

Table 2: % Reduction in yield for each seed variety at high levels of infestation
(transfer data on average yield with no infestation and high infestation from Table 1 to
Table 2)

Seed Variety Avg. Yield with Avg. Yield with % Reduction

No Infestation High Infestation In Yield
BT 123 163.0 160.6 1.5

BT 456 186.0 157.7 15.2

Golden 184.7 137.7 25.4

Super Harvest 163.4 128.1 21.6

6. For each seed variety, why did you need to collect data from 3 pots for each
infestation level to obtain reliable data?

We needed to collect data from all three pots in different infestations because we wanted
to determine what the “normal” yields are for all four seeds. We needed to track how
much of an impact the infestations caused, so we had to change up the independent
variable.

7. Which seed variety has the highest yield under conditions of no infestation?

Highest yield with no infestation goes to BT 456, at 186.0g.

8. Which transgenic seed variety was most resistant to the ECB at high infestation
levels?

Definitely BT 123 at 160.6g.

 9. Which non-transgenic seed variety was most resistant to the ECB at high
infestation levels?

Golden won the seed most resistant to high infestation at 137.7g.

10. Compare the yield of Super Harvest seeds and BT 123 seeds under conditions of
no infestation. Is there any difference in the avg. yield?

There is a difference, but not by much. Super Harvest is coming in at 163.4g, and BT 123
at 163.0g, only bringing in a difference of the yield at 0.4g.

11. If you compared one pot of Super Harvest and one pot of BT 123 with no
infestation, would you expect the yield of each pot to be within 0.5g? Explain
your answer.

Yes. As my answer stated in question 10, the only difference between these two are of
0.4. If we were to compare Table 1’s BT 123 and Super Harvest pot yields, you can see
that the yields range from 160g-165g. This is why it is crucial that there are multiple
trials done. The numbers do not range from 5.0g apart, and by average, I would definitely
expect the yield to be within .5g of each other.

12. A farmer decides to plant 90% of one field with BT 123 seeds and the remaining
10% of the field with a different seed variety. He hopes this will slow the
evolutionary development of BT resistant insects. Which seed variety should he use
the 10% of his field that is not planted with BT 123 seeds? Explain your answer.

The farmer should plant BT 456 seeds in the remaining 10% of his field. This seed
produced an average yield of 186.0g with no infestation, 177.0g average yield with low
infestation, and a 157.7g with a high infestation. Based on this farmer’s decision to plant
90% of the field with BT 123, he has a higher chance of producing more corn at a higher
rate, compared to the other options (Golden & Super Harvest).