Which is considered a preventive pest management strategy?

• A. A large-scale eradication effort
• B. Planting weed-free seeds
• C. Releasing natural enemies
• D. Trapping

Answer: (B)

Preventive pest management starts by stopping pests before they can establish themselves. Planting weed-free seeds does just that: it removes a potential source of pests and diseases at the very start, reducing the initial pest pressure in the field. By starting with clean seed, you limit reservoirs of pests, early host plants, and seedborne problems that could help pests get a foothold and multiply.

The other ideas describe actions taken after pests are already present or intensifying control rather than preventing entry. A large-scale eradication effort is an extreme, reactive step aimed at eliminating pests after they have become established and spread. Releasing natural enemies and trapping are commonly used as biological or physical control measures to reduce pest populations once pests are present, rather than to prevent their arrival.