Which pest management approach involves altering the cropping system or environment to reduce pest pressure?

• A. Cultural control
• B. Genetic modification
• C. Chemical control
• D. Biological control

Answer: (A)

Altering the cropping system or environment to reduce pest pressure is cultural control. This approach uses farming practices to make conditions less favorable for pests and to disrupt their life cycles, without relying on pesticides. Examples include crop rotation to break pest habitats, intercropping to reduce pest spread, field sanitation to remove pest habitats, adjusting planting or harvest times to dodge peak pest activity, and managing irrigation or fertilization to avoid creating favorable conditions for pests. Cultural control is typically preventive and can be used alone or as part of an integrated pest management plan to lower pesticide use.

The other options focus on different methods: genetic modification changes plant genetics to resist pests, rather than changing the environment; chemical control relies on applying pesticides; biological control uses natural enemies like predators or parasitoids.