What are the components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a comprehensive approach that combines various management strategies and practices to control pests in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner. The components of IPM typically include monitoring and identifying pests to understand their lifecycle and the specific threats they pose. This knowledge helps in preventing pest outbreaks through cultural and mechanical controls, such as crop rotation, sanitation, and habitat manipulation, as well as the use of biological controls.

Management strategies in IPM often involve selecting appropriate, targeted treatments that may include chemical applications, but only as a last resort after other methods have been exhausted. This approach minimizes the ecological impact and the chances of pests developing resistance to chemical controls. By encompassing these elements—monitoring, identification, prevention, and varied management strategies—IPM promotes a balanced and sustainable way to address pest issues in agriculture.

The other options are either incomplete in addressing the full scope and principles of IPM or focus too narrowly on isolated practices without integrating them into a broader, strategic management framework.