The level of pest damage that, to be reduced further, would require an application of pesticides that is more costly than the economic damage caused by the pests.

the pest density at which controls should be employed to prevent the population from causing economic injury

a pest density that, if the alfalfa is left unsprayed, will cause yield loss greater than the cost of an insecticide treatment

The level of pest damage at which the cost of controlling the pest is equal to the value of the crop yield gained by doing so.

Point at which the economic loss caused by pest damage outweighs the cost of applying a pesticide.

The number of pests in a given crop unit sufficient to cause crop loss greater than the cost of control.

A pest density at which control measures should be applied to prevent an increasing pest population from reaching the economic injury level. (Pest control is used only when the benefits of control exceed (or are equal to) the costs of control.)