Ace the Georgia Pesticide Applicators Exam 2025 – Cultivate Your Success and Protect the Peach State!

Pests can develop resistance to pesticides primarily through the overuse of a pesticide. This occurs because repeated exposure to the same pesticide can lead to selective pressure on a pest population. When a pesticide is applied frequently, some individuals within the pest population may possess or acquire genetic traits that make them less susceptible to the effects of that pesticide. These resistant individuals survive and reproduce, passing their resistant genes to the next generation. Over time, this results in a population of pests that are increasingly resistant to the pesticide, making it less effective or even ineffective.

The process of resistance can be exacerbated by using the same type of pesticide repeatedly, which does not allow time for the susceptible individuals to survive and reproduce, thereby diminishing the effectiveness of the control measures. Implementing integrated pest management strategies, including rotation of different modes of action and using combination products, can help mitigate the risk of resistance developing in pest populations.