Pesticide resistance occurs through natural selection. When a pesticide is applied, it kills susceptible individuals, but some individuals with resistance genes survive. These survivors reproduce, passing on their resistance. Over time, the population becomes dominated by resistant individuals. This renders the original pesticide ineffective at its previous dose, requiring higher doses or the use of different, often stronger, pesticides to achieve control. This escalating use of pesticides is the "treadmill".
Pesticide treadmill refers to :
Asked in UPSC CAPF 2014 · Topic: Pollution (Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Heavy Metal Pollution: Characteristics, sources, biomagnification, effects, relevant conventions.)
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Answer: B. Increase in doses of pesticides to prevent the resurgence of pests that were being controlled
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