Indiana Pesticide Applicator Core Practice Exam

What term describes the ability of a pest to withstand a pesticide that previously controlled it?

1. Pesticide tolerance

2. Pesticide sensitivity

3. Pesticide resistance

4. Pesticide efficacy

The correct answer is: Pesticide resistance

The concept of pesticide resistance refers to the ability of a pest population to survive exposure to a pesticide that was once effective in controlling them. This can occur due to various factors, including genetic mutations within the pest population that confer a survival advantage when exposed to the chemical. Over time, as the previously susceptible individuals are killed off, the surviving pests reproduce, leading to a population that is increasingly resistant to the pesticide. Understanding pesticide resistance is crucial for pest management strategies because it highlights the need for diverse control methods and the importance of rotating pesticides with different modes of action. This approach helps to delay resistance development, ensuring that pest populations remain manageable and that the effectiveness of existing pesticides is maintained. Pesticide tolerance refers to a pest's ability to withstand higher levels of pesticide with little or no effect, while pesticide sensitivity would indicate a susceptibility to the pesticide. Pesticide efficacy measures how well a pesticide performs in controlling pests but does not describe the phenomenon of pests becoming resistant over time.