Which would be considered a preventative pest management strategy?

Choosing to plant weed and disease-free seed on an athletic field is indeed a preventative pest management strategy. This approach focuses on establishing conditions that reduce the likelihood of pests and diseases thriving in the environment from the outset. By selecting high-quality, disease-resistant seeds, you are laying a foundation for healthy plants that minimizes vulnerabilities to pests.

In contrast, using pesticides to eradicate existing pests is a reactive approach intended to address an existing problem rather than prevent it. Waiting to see if pests appear before taking action also leans toward a reactive strategy, as it involves monitoring and only responding after pest presence is confirmed. Constructing barriers around pest-prone areas does offer some preventive measure by physically blocking pests, but planting disease-free seeds specifically targets prevention by creating a healthy ecosystem in the first place.