The manner in which a pesticide destroys or controls a pest is called?

• A. Mechanism of Action
• B. Mode of Action
• C. Site of Action
• D. Target Site

Answer: (B)

The term describing how a pesticide controls a pest is its mode of action. This refers to the general process the chemical uses to affect the pest—what physiological system or function it disrupts, such as the nervous system, growth and development, or metabolism. The site of action (or target site) is the specific location within the pest where the chemical acts, like an enzyme or receptor, which is a more precise detail than the overall method of control. The mechanism of action is sometimes used interchangeably, but in pesticide terminology the standard, exam-friendly term for the broad manner of effect is mode of action. For example, organophosphates and carbamates share a mode of action by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, while pyrethroids affect sodium channels; insect growth regulators interfere with development.