Which statement about cultural control practices is true?

Cultural control practices are crucial components of integrated pest management (IPM) that focus on manipulating the environment, crop, or cultural practices to reduce pest populations. The statement that accurately describes cultural control practices is that they reduce pest establishment, reproduction, and survival.

Cultural controls may include practices such as crop rotation, selecting pest-resistant crop varieties, adjusting planting dates, and modifying irrigation strategies. These methods create unfavorable conditions for pests, reducing their ability to thrive and reproduce. By focusing on the environment and the management of agricultural practices rather than chemical means, cultural controls lead to sustainable pest management solutions that minimize reliance on pesticides.

The other options describe different pest management strategies or are inaccurate. For example, releasing foreign predators and parasites relates more to biological control than cultural control, while the use of chemicals does not align with the principles behind cultural practices.