Tennessee Agricultural Pest Control Plant Category 1 Practice Exam 2025 - Free Pest Control Practice Questions and Study Guide

Cultural control practices focus on modifying the environment and management techniques to enhance plant health and reduce pest populations. The correct choice, which describes a cultural control practice, involves regular crop rotation and sanitation efforts.

Crop rotation is an effective strategy because it disrupts the life cycles of pests and diseases by changing the types of plants grown in specific areas from season to season. This variation can prevent pests that are adapted to specific crops from becoming established and multiplying. Additionally, sanitation efforts—such as removing debris and dead plant material—help eliminate potential habitats and food sources for pests.

In contrast, the use of synthetic pesticides is a form of chemical control, which does not fall under cultural practices. Biological control through natural predators focuses on using other living organisms to manage pests, while setting traps is more of a mechanical control method. All of these options serve to manage pests, but they do not align with the principles of cultural control, which emphasize prevention and management through an understanding of the ecosystem and agricultural practices.