What is defined as the point in pest population development that warrants control measures?

The economic threshold is the specific point in pest population development that indicates when control measures should be implemented to prevent unacceptable damage or economic loss. This threshold considers the balance between the potential damage caused by the pests and the cost of control measures. When pest populations exceed this threshold, the economic risk of not acting becomes greater than the costs associated with controlling the pest, making it essential to initiate control efforts.

In contrast, other terms such as pest population threshold generally refer to levels of pest presence that can be considered when managing pests, but do not specifically take into account economic factors. Critical control point pertains to food safety and processing rather than pest management, while damage threshold indicates the level of pest presence that causes unacceptable damage without the economic focus.