DDT was once considered a "silver bullet" that would permanently eradicate insect pests. Today, instead, DDT is largely useless against many insects. Which of these would have been required for this pest eradication effort to be successful in the long run?
A) Larger doses of DDT should have been applied.
B) All habitats should have received applications of DDT at about the same time.
C) The frequency of DDT application should have been higher.
D) None of the individual insects should have possessed genomes that made them resistant to DDT.
E) DDT application should have been continual.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The emergence of resistance to DDT in insect populations was the main factor in the failure of DDT to permanently eradicate insect pests. Therefore, the only solution that would have made the eradication effort successful in the long run would have been if none of the individual insects possessed genomes that made them resistant to DDT.

DDT Was Once Considered a "Silver Bullet" That Would Permanently