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Cereal Yields in Select Regions (kilograms per hectare), 1961–1990

Region1961197019801990
East Asia1,2002,1003,1004,200
South Asia9501,2001,5002,000
Latin America1,3001,6002,0002,400

Which of the following mid-twentieth-century developments was most directly responsible for the increases in crop yields shown in the table?

  1. A
    The global growth of environmental movements advocating for organic farming and ecological preservation
  2. B
    The initial transfer of American food crops to Afro-Eurasia during the Columbian Exchange
  3. The spread of new agricultural technologies, such as chemical fertilizers and high-yielding seed varietiesAnswer
  4. D
    The introduction of steam-powered tractors and coal-fueled irrigation during the First Industrial Revolution

Answer

The spread of new agricultural technologies, such as chemical fertilizers and high-yielding seed varieties
The correct answer is correct because the data in the table displays the massive increase in agricultural yields characteristic of the Green Revolution. Starting in the mid-twentieth century, the Green Revolution transformed global agriculture by introducing high-yielding varieties of crops (particularly wheat and rice) along with chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, and expanded irrigation networks, resulting in rapid productivity gains in East Asia, South Asia, and Latin America.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the table data
Identify that cereal yields in East Asia, South Asia, and Latin America grew rapidly and continuously between 1961 and 1990.
Establishing the historical period and trend represented by the data.
2
Recall late-twentieth-century agricultural developments
Identify that the mid-to-late twentieth century was marked by the Green Revolution.
Linking the statistical increase in crop yields to the corresponding historical event.
3
Select the option that matches the technological causes of the Green Revolution
Confirm that synthetic chemical fertilizers and high-yielding hybrid seeds were the primary drivers of these yield increases, and rule out options from incorrect time periods or unrelated movements.
Applying historical knowledge to determine the correct cause of the trends shown in the data.

Key Concept

The Green Revolution and its technological innovations that increased global food production.
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