Which is an example of a selective pesticide?

• A. Broad leaf herbicides
• B. Nonselective insecticides
• C. Pre-plant fungicides
• D. Systemic herbicides

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is selectivity: pesticides that target a specific group of pests or plants while sparing others. Broad leaf herbicides are a classic example because they are designed to kill broadleaf weeds—things like dandelions and clover—without harming grasses. This makes them useful in lawns and turf where you want to remove broadleaf weeds but keep the existing grass healthy. In contrast, nonselective insecticides attack a wide range of insects, not just a target pest; pre-plant fungicides are applied for disease prevention rather than selective pest control, and systemic herbicides describe how the chemical moves inside a plant and can be either selective or nonselective depending on formulation and use. So the best example of a selective pesticide here is the broad leaf herbicides.