Estimating economic thresholds for pest control: An alternative procedure

An alternative methodology to determine profit maximizing economic threshol ds is developed and illustrated. An optimization problem based on the main biological and economic relations involved in determining a profit maximizi ng economic threshold is first advanced. From it, a more manageable model o f 2 nonsimultaneous reduced-from equations is derived, which represents a s impler but conceptually and statistically sound alternative. The model reco gnizes that yields and pest control costs are a function of the economic th reshold used. Higher (less strict) economic thresholds can result in lower yields and, therefore, a lower gross income from the sale of the product, b ut could also be less costly to maintain. The highest possible profits will be obtained by using the economic threshold that results in a maximum diff erence between gross income and pest control cost functions.