Unit-2: Sustainable farming and nutrition Flashcards
What is a pest?
Any organism judged as a threat to human beings or their interests.
What are two main causes of pest outbreaks?
Environmental change and the introduction of non-native pests.
Name one factor that can lead to pest population resistance.
Development of resistance through exposure to selective pressures like insecticides.
What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?
A pest management approach using a combination of methods to minimize harm to people, property, and the environment.
What are three methods of pest control in IPM?
Host plant resistance, biological control, and cultural control.
What is host plant resistance?
The use of plants bred to resist pests through antibiosis, antixenosis, or tolerance.
Define antibiosis in plant resistance.
The production of compounds by plants that negatively affect pests’ growth, reproduction, or physiology.
What is cultural control?
Modifying a pest’s environment or habitat through practices like crop rotation or intercropping.
What is the sterile insect technique?
Releasing sterilized males to compete with wild males, leading to a population decrease.
What are microbial control agents?
Bacteria, fungi, or viruses used to control insect populations, like Bacillus thuringiensis.
Name two types of insect viruses used for pest control.
Nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) and granulosis virus (GV).
How does crop rotation aid in pest control?
It disrupts the life cycle of pests by alternating crops, which starves pests with narrow host ranges.
What is mechanical control in pest management?
Hands-on techniques like handpicking or water sprays to physically remove pests.
What is the role of insecticides in pest control?
Chemicals used to kill or disrupt the life cycle of pests, with types like organophosphates or pyrethroids.
What are insect growth regulators (IGRs)?
Chemicals that interfere with the development of insects by inhibiting molting or juvenile hormone activity.
