Given a context passage, generate a question from the passage such that its answer is shortest continous span from the passage.
One example: In 1582 the united provinces invited francis, duke of anjou to lead them; but after a failed attempt to take antwerp in 1583, the duke left the netherlands again. after the assassination of william of orange (10 july 1584), both henry iii of france and elizabeth i of england declined the offer of sovereignty. however, the latter agreed to turn the united provinces into a protectorate of england (treaty of nonsuch, 1585), and sent the earl of leicester as governor-general. this was unsuccessful and in 1588 the provinces became a confederacy. the union of utrecht is regarded as the foundation of the republic of the seven united provinces, which was not recognized by the spanish empire until the peace of westphalia in 1648.
Solution is here: In what year did francis, duke of anjou leave the netherlands?
Explanation: The generated question is perfect. Because the question is based on second sentence of the input passage and its answer is 1583.

Now, solve this: During 1970 and 1971, I discovered that a devastating disease of potato plants is not caused by a virus, as had been assumed, but by a new type of subviral pathogen, the viroid. Viroids are so small--one fiftieth of the size of the smallest viruses--that many scientists initially doubted their existence. We now know that viroids cause many damaging diseases of crop plants. Fortunately, new methods that are based on the unique properties of viroids now promise effective control.
Solution:
Which are the smallest known subviral pathogens of plants?