Final answer:
The three basic rules of an IPM program are Identification, Prevention, and Maintenance, which focus on understanding pests, preventing their establishment and spread, and maintaining their populations below damaging levels with the least environmental impact.
Step-by-step explanation:
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a sustainable, environmentally friendly approach to managing pests. The three basic rules of an IPM program are Identification, Prevention, and Maintenance. These rules focus on:
- Identification of pests to understand their behaviors, lifecycles, and the level of threat they pose.
- Prevention through various methods such as crop rotation, use of resistant cultivars, and habitat manipulation to reduce the chances of pest establishment and spread.
- Maintenance by monitoring pest populations and taking action when necessary, using the least disruptive methods including mechanical, biological, and as a last resort, chemical controls.
These rules aim to manage pest populations below economically damaging levels, with minimal use of synthetic chemicals, prioritizing ecological solutions and creating a balance between pest control needs and environmental health.
The correct answer to the question is B) Identification, Prevention, and Maintenance.