Which of the following controls is least likely to be classified as biological control in IPM?

The classification of control methods in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) relies on understanding the different approaches utilized to manage pest populations. Biological control specifically involves using living organisms to suppress pest populations.

Introducing a new insecticide does not fit within the framework of biological control because insecticides are chemical agents specifically designed to kill or inhibit the growth of pests, rather than harnessing natural predation or parasitism to provide pest control. This method focuses on chemical intervention rather than leveraging ecological relationships.

In contrast, using ladybugs to control aphids, utilizing nematodes to suppress soil pests, and encouraging natural predator habitats all incorporate living organisms to manage pest populations and thus fall under biological control measures.