When might a farmer choose to use transgenic crops?

Farmers often opt for transgenic crops primarily to improve pest resistance or herbicide tolerance. Transgenic crops are genetically modified to express specific traits that make them more resilient to pests, thereby reducing the need for chemical pesticides and mitigating crop losses due to pest damage. This trait not only helps in maintaining higher yields but also allows for easier management of pest populations.

Additionally, herbicide tolerance is another significant advantage of genetically modified crops. These crops can withstand the application of certain herbicides that would typically kill non-transgenic plants. This capability allows farmers to control weeds more effectively and can lead to more straightforward crop management practices.

The other options, while they may have some relevance to agricultural practices, do not directly relate to the primary motivations behind the use of transgenic crops. For instance, increasing soil fertility and improving seed germination rates are not typically outcomes of genetic modification, and while transgenic crops can indirectly influence labor costs through increased efficiency, that is not the main reason for their adoption.