What practice helps determine if a pest has caused crop injury?

• A. Using weather forecasts
• B. Applying pesticide immediately
• C. Scouting regularly
• D. Ignoring scouting

Answer: (C)

Regular scouting means going into the field on a planned schedule to look for pests and, crucially, signs of crop injury. By observing actual damage on leaves, stems, or ears and comparing it with pest activity and the crop’s growth stage, you can determine whether the pest population is causing harm and whether control is really needed. Simply seeing pests or relying on forecasts doesn’t prove injury, and spraying immediately without evidence can waste resources and harm beneficial insects. Skipping scouting leaves you blind to whether injury is actually occurring, so you can’t make informed treatment decisions.