Which of the following is NOT a method of pest control used in Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a holistic approach to managing pests that combines multiple strategies to minimize pest populations while reducing risks to human health and the environment. This method incorporates several recognized techniques including cultural control, biological control, and chemical control.

Cultural control involves modifying farming practices or habitat management to make the environment less conducive to pest infestations. Biological control uses natural predators or parasites to manage pest populations. Chemical control refers to the application of pesticides to directly reduce pest numbers.

Genetic modification, while it can play a role in biotechnology and crop development, is not categorized as a traditional method of pest control within the IPM framework. It involves altering the genetic material of organisms to produce desired traits, such as pest resistance, but it is not an active strategy employed in IPM for managing existing pest populations. Instead, IPM prioritizes methods that directly address pest issues without relying solely on genetic alteration.