Pests often develop resistance to repeated use of the same pesticide or pesticides from the same class.

Pests often develop resistance to repeated use of the same pesticide or pesticides from the same class.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes
• D. Not enough information

Answer: (A)

Pests can develop resistance to pesticides through repeated exposure. In any pest population there’s natural genetic variation, so some individuals naturally have traits that let them survive a given pesticide or a pesticide class. When treatment occurs, susceptible individuals die while the resistant ones survive and reproduce, increasing the frequency of resistance traits in the population. Over many generations, the population becomes harder to control with that same chemical or class. This is why rotating products with different modes of action and incorporating non-chemical controls are recommended to slow resistance. So, the statement is true.

Pests can develop resistance to pesticides through repeated exposure. In any pest population there’s natural genetic variation, so some individuals naturally have traits that let them survive a given pesticide or a pesticide class. When treatment occurs, susceptible individuals die while the resistant ones survive and reproduce, increasing the frequency of resistance traits in the population. Over many generations, the population becomes harder to control with that same chemical or class. This is why rotating products with different modes of action and incorporating non-chemical controls are recommended to slow resistance. So, the statement is true.