Which action would be considered part of an Integrated Pest Management approach?

• A. Economic thresholds
• B. Apply pesticides on a fixed calendar
• C. Ignore pest monitoring results
• D. Use only high-toxicity products

Answer: (A)

Integrated Pest Management relies on pest monitoring and making treatment decisions based on economic thresholds—the pest density at which the expected cost of damage would exceed the cost of control. Acting at this point targets interventions when they’ll be cost-effective, reducing unnecessary pesticide use and helping protect beneficial organisms. The other options don’t fit IPM: applying pesticides on a fixed calendar ignores current pest levels; ignoring monitoring results defeats the data-driven approach; and relying only on high-toxicity products increases risk and goes against minimizing environmental impact. So, using the economic threshold to guide action best embodies IPM.