Texas Pesticide Applicator Practice Exam

Diseases in pest management are caused by biological agents known as what?

1. Eliminators

2. Parasites

3. Pathogens

4. Infestants

The correct answer is: Pathogens

In pest management, diseases caused by biological agents are referred to as pathogens. Pathogens are microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites that can invade and disrupt the normal functioning of host organisms, leading to disease. These agents play a crucial role in biological control strategies, where they are leveraged to manage pest populations by inducing diseases that reduce their numbers. The other terms mentioned do not accurately describe the biological agents responsible for diseases in this context. Eliminators are not a recognized category in pest management terminology; they suggest the removal of pests rather than the introduction of disease-causing agents. Parasites do contribute to the ecological dynamics of pest populations, but they specifically indicate organisms that live on or in a host and typically do not cause disease in the way pathogens do. Infestants generally refer to pests that overpopulate or invade an area, but this term does not specifically denote the disease-causing aspect. Thus, pathogens is the most appropriate term to describe those biological agents responsible for diseases in pest management.