Why are resistant crop varieties significant in pest management?

Resistant crop varieties play a crucial role in pest management by enhancing the health and yield of crops while minimizing the impact of pest populations. These varieties have been bred or genetically modified to withstand specific pests or diseases, which means that they inherently possess traits that deter or reduce the effectiveness of pests.

When crops are resistant to pests, the overall incidence of pest damage is significantly lowered, allowing plants to grow more robustly and produce better yields. This reduction in pest-related damage directly translates into healthier crops, which not only maximizes farmer output but can also lead to higher profitability. Moreover, by cultivating resistant varieties, farmers might reduce the reliance on chemical pest control methods, leading to a more sustainable approach to agriculture.

The other choices do not reflect the primary benefits of resistant crop varieties. While they may reduce the need for pest control, they do not completely eliminate it, as pests can still manage to affect resistant varieties under high-pressure infestations. Additionally, resistant varieties might not necessarily be cheaper to cultivate, and in some cases, they could even require more sophisticated management strategies. Frequent pesticide applications would be counterproductive and in opposition to the primary intention of resistant varieties, which is to reduce dependency on such chemicals.