Which term describes pesticides that rapidly break down in the environment and become ineffective?

• A. Non-Residual Pesticides
• B. Persistent Pesticides
• C. Residual Pesticides
• D. Systemic Pesticides

Answer: (A)

Non-residual pesticides are designed to degrade quickly in the environment, so they lose their effectiveness after a short time and leave little to no residue. This rapid breakdown reduces long-term environmental impact and minimizes residues on crops, soil, or water. The other terms describe different ideas: persistent pesticides linger and remain active for a long period; residual pesticides refer to leftover residues after application; systemic pesticides describe how the chemical moves inside a plant, not how long it lasts in the environment. So, for pesticides that rapidly break down and become ineffective, the term that fits is non-residual pesticides.