Which of the following is NOT listed as a factor influencing economic thresholds?

• A. The current value of the product being produced.
• B. The stage of development of the product.
• C. The color of the product.
• D. The anticipated yield.

Answer: (C)

Economic thresholds are set by weighing the potential economic impact of pest damage against the cost of control. The current value of the crop influences this because a higher-value crop makes even small losses more costly, leading to a lower threshold for action. The stage of development matters since plants at different growth stages have different vulnerability and potential yield loss from damage, so the threshold shifts with growth stage. Anticipated yield affects how much damage you’re willing to tolerate; if yield potential is high, the economic incentive to control pests sooner is greater, lowering the threshold.

The color of the product isn’t used to determine when to apply control—color doesn’t provide a quantitative measure of economic impact or pest pressure, so it isn’t a listed factor.