Virginia Commercial Pesticide Applicators CORE Exam

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a comprehensive approach to managing pests that emphasizes the use of a variety of methods to control pest populations while minimizing impact on human health, the environment, and non-target organisms.

In IPM, several key components are recognized, including host resistance, cultural control, and biological control. Host resistance refers to the ability of certain plant varieties to withstand or repel pest attacks. Cultural control involves practices such as crop rotation, proper sanitation, and habitat management to reduce pest populations. Biological control uses natural enemies, like predators or parasites, to manage pest populations.

Thermal control, while it may involve methods such as using temperature changes to manage pests, is not a widely recognized or standard component of IPM. Instead, IPM focuses on integrating strategies that are environmentally sound and which encompass a more holistic view of pest management rather than relying extensively on temperature manipulation.