When should you apply a pesticide?

When should you apply a pesticide?

• A. As soon as any pest is seen.
• B. When pests are abundant enough to cause unacceptable damage.
• C. Only after harvest.
• D. When beneficial insects are present.

Answer: (B)

Pesticide use should be guided by pest monitoring and an action threshold, not by the mere presence of bugs. You apply when pest densities reach a level that could cause damage you consider unacceptable, so the cost of control is justified. This threshold-based approach helps protect beneficial insects, reduce costs, and prevent resistance from overuse. Spraying at the first sight of any pest leads to unnecessary applications, waiting until harvest is too late, and spraying when beneficial insects are present can disrupt natural control. In practice, scout regularly, determine the appropriate threshold for the pest and crop, and treat only when that threshold is reached.

Pesticide use should be guided by pest monitoring and an action threshold, not by the mere presence of bugs. You apply when pest densities reach a level that could cause damage you consider unacceptable, so the cost of control is justified. This threshold-based approach helps protect beneficial insects, reduce costs, and prevent resistance from overuse. Spraying at the first sight of any pest leads to unnecessary applications, waiting until harvest is too late, and spraying when beneficial insects are present can disrupt natural control. In practice, scout regularly, determine the appropriate threshold for the pest and crop, and treat only when that threshold is reached.