In integrated pest management, which statement is true?

• A. The goal is to prevent pests from reaching damaging levels.
• B. Eradication is never the goal of the IPM program.
• C. Non-chemical methods are short-term solutions to control pests.
• D. Pesticide use should be minimized whenever possible.

Answer: (A)

The central idea is to keep pest populations from reaching levels that cause damage by using a mix of preventive measures and targeted controls. In IPM, actions are guided by monitoring and economic or damage thresholds, so interventions are applied before pests reach damaging levels. This focus on prevention and suppression means eradication isn’t the default aim, and controls are chosen to minimize environmental and economic impact. Non-chemical methods are typically used as part of ongoing management, not just short-term fixes, and pesticides are used only when necessary and kept to a minimum. So the statement that best captures IPM is that the goal is to prevent pests from reaching damaging levels.