What does pesticide resistance indicate about a pest population?

Pesticide resistance indicates that a pest population has developed the ability to tolerate a specific pesticide that was previously effective in controlling it. When a population exhibits resistance, it means that some individuals have genetic traits that enable them to survive exposure to the pesticide. Over time, these resistant individuals continue to reproduce, leading to a population that has a higher proportion of resistant individuals.

This phenomenon often occurs due to the selective pressure imposed by the use of pesticides, where those pests that are affected by the pesticide die off, while the resistant individuals persist and reproduce. As a result, the effectiveness of the pesticide diminishes, leading to challenges in pest management. Understanding pesticide resistance is crucial for developing effective control strategies and for preventing the emergence of resistant pest populations in the future.