Which one of the following groups of plants was domesticated in the 'New World' and introduced into the 'Old World'?

Explicitly states that tobacco is a native crop of America, giving an example of a New World origin for at least one of the three plants.

A student could combine this with basic historical knowledge of transatlantic contacts (Columbus/Portuguese/European expansion) to suspect tobacco was transferred to the Old World after contact.

Says Hevea brasiliensis (commercial rubber) had its original home in Brazil and was moved to Kew and then introduced to Peninsular Malaysia, showing a documented transfer from the New World to the Old World/Asia.

Using a world map and dates (seed transfer in 1877) a student can trace the pathway and timing of rubber's introduction outside its native range.

Records that tobacco was brought to India by the Portuguese in 1508, providing a concrete historical example of a New World crop introduced into the Old World/Asia.

A student could pair this date with knowledge of early Portuguese voyages to conclude tobacco spread to Old World regions after 1492.

Lists several crops (maize, tomatoes, potatoes, chillies, pineapple, papaya) that were introduced from the New World to India, illustrating the broader pattern of New World → Old World transfers (Columbian exchange).

A student can use this general pattern as a model to infer that other New World crops (e.g., cotton varieties) might also have been moved along similar routes after contact.

Notes cotton cultivation expanded worldwide to feed British textile mills, implying global dissemination of cotton cultivation and specialization during the 19th century.

A student could combine this with knowledge of cotton's pre-Columbian and Old World histories to investigate whether the cotton types used globally originated in the New World and were transferred to Old World plantations.

States that several specific crops (maize, tomatoes, potatoes, chillies, pineapple, papaya) were introduced into India from the New World in the seventeenth century, showing a pattern of New World → Old World crop transfer.

A student could use this pattern (Columbian-era transfers) plus a world map to check whether cotton, coffee or sugarcane are known New World crops or instead have different centers of origin.

Explicitly gives the origin of coffee as Ethiopia/Arabia and describes its later spread to Europe, East Indies, Brazil and Latin America — indicating coffee is Old World/African/Arabian in origin, not New World.

Combine this origin note with a map of coffee-growing regions to judge that coffee was not domesticated in the Americas and so was unlikely introduced from New to Old World.

Also states coffee originated in Ethiopia and Arabia and later became dominant in Brazil and Central America — reinforces that coffee is Old World/African in origin.

Use this corroboration to rule out a New World domestication for coffee when assessing the statement.

Notes that cotton and sugarcane were long-established and important crops in the Indian subcontinent (cotton widespread; Bengal famous for sugar) — implying these crops were present in the Old World before New World transfers.

A student could infer that if cotton and sugarcane were well-established in India historically, they likely have Old World/domestication histories rather than being New World imports.

Describes European establishment of tropical plantations (coffee, cotton, sugarcane) in colonies like West Africa, East Indies and the West Indies — showing Europeans moved crops and cultivation systems across hemispheres.

Use this pattern of Europeans relocating crops and setting up plantations to investigate directionality for each crop (did Europeans carry them from Old to New World or vice versa?) by checking each crop's origin.

States Hevea brasiliensis (commercial rubber) had its original home in Brazil and was moved to Kew Gardens then introduced into Peninsular Malaysia.

A student could combine this with a world map and history of plant transfers to infer rubber is New World in origin and was introduced into Old World/Asia by Europeans.

Reports diffusion patterns: rubber and cinchona diffused from South America to south-east Asia; wheat came from south-west Asia to the Americas and Europe.

Use these origin–diffusion patterns to judge that rubber is New World in origin but wheat is Old World (SW Asia) and not a New World domesticate.

States coffee originated in Kaffa (Ethiopia) and was spread by Arabs and Europeans to the East Indies and later to the Americas.

Combine this origin note with basic geography to conclude coffee is Old World (Africa/Arabia) in origin, not domesticated in the New World.

Also notes coffee originated in Ethiopia/Arabia while Brazil now produces much of the global supply, implying later transfer from Old World to New World.

A student can use this to infer coffee’s origin is Old World and that high New World production reflects post-contact introductions, not New World domestication.

Explains that many foods were introduced into Europe and Asia after the discovery of the Americas, illustrating the general pattern of New World→Old World transfers.

Apply this general Columbian-exchange pattern cautiously: it supports that some New World crops did move to the Old World, but each crop’s origin must be checked individually.