3. Researchers were interested in the effects of water stress on lemon catmint (Nepeta
cataria), a plant cultivated for its fragrance. They conducted a study to measure the
impacts of drought on leaf concentrations of lemon catmint oil, which is the secondary
metabolite responsible for the fragrance. Drought treatments were:
• Extreme drought (very little water provided, plants barely survived);
• Moderate drought (some water provided, but plants were stressed);
• Low drought (plenty of water provided, plants were not stressed).
The results are presented in the figure below; however, the figure is missing treatment
labels on the x-axis.
Lemon catmint oil (µl per leaf)
100
75
50
25
0
A
B
C
Drought treatments
Based on your knowledge of environmental effects on secondary metabolite
concentration, indicate the bar (A, B, C) that presents lemon catmint oil for plants
subjected to moderate drought.
A. A is the moderate drought treatment
B. B is the moderate drought treatment
C. C is the moderate drought treatment
