What is Economic Threshold (ET)?

What is Economic Threshold (ET)?

• A. The cost of control.
• B. Pest level where action is needed.
• C. Below which pests are beneficial.
• D. Level of pest causing maximum yield.

Answer: (B)

Economic Threshold is the pest density at which management actions should be taken to prevent the pest population from reaching the level that would cause economic damage. It’s a decision point that balances the cost of control with the potential crop losses, and is set low enough to allow time to apply treatment before damage becomes costly. This is why the correct concept is the pest level where action is needed. The other ideas describe costs alone, pests being beneficial, or the level that causes maximum yield, none of which define when to act based on economic considerations.

Economic Threshold is the pest density at which management actions should be taken to prevent the pest population from reaching the level that would cause economic damage. It’s a decision point that balances the cost of control with the potential crop losses, and is set low enough to allow time to apply treatment before damage becomes costly. This is why the correct concept is the pest level where action is needed. The other ideas describe costs alone, pests being beneficial, or the level that causes maximum yield, none of which define when to act based on economic considerations.