What pest management practice aims to minimize the use of pesticides?

Monitoring and threshold-based management is a pest management practice that focuses on assessing pest populations and determining when they reach levels that could cause economic harm. This approach encourages the use of pesticides only when necessary, rather than applying them indiscriminately. By establishing action thresholds, pest management professionals can decide the optimal timing and method for intervention, thereby minimizing pesticide use and reducing potential negative impacts on non-target organisms and the environment. This method is a fundamental principle of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which emphasizes sustainable practices and the prudent use of chemicals.

In contrast, random spraying of chemicals does not take into account the actual pest population, leading to unnecessary pesticide applications. Frequent applications of fertilizers may inadvertently encourage pest populations without addressing the underlying pest management needs, while utilizing only mechanical controls could limit options and might not be effective against all pest species.