Directions: Select the most appropriate word to fill in the blank in the sentence below.

The botanist had to _____________ the diseased plants from the greenhouse to prevent the blight from spreading.

The correct answer is eradicate.

Step-by-step Explanation:
The given sentence reads: "The botanist had to _____________ the diseased plants from the greenhouse to prevent the blight from spreading."

The context involves stopping a plant disease (blight) from infecting other plants in a greenhouse. To successfully contain an infectious disease, the diseased plants must be completely removed or eliminated.

Let us evaluate the options provided:
• Tolerate: Means to allow or endure. Allowing diseased plants to remain would cause the blight to spread.
• Replicate: Means to duplicate or reproduce. Reproducing infected plants would increase the infection.
• Nourish: Means to feed and encourage growth. Nourishing diseased plants would sustain the blight.
• Eradicate: Means to completely remove, destroy, or put an end to. Completely destroying or removing the diseased plants effectively prevents the blight from spreading.
• Cultivate: Means to foster and grow plants. Cultivating infected plants would not halt the disease.

Therefore, eradicate is the most contextually and grammatically appropriate word to complete the sentence.