Which of the following is NOT a requirement for a pesticide?

Pesticides are formulated to manage pest populations effectively while minimizing harm to non-target organisms, including plants, animals, and humans. The primary requirements for a pesticide include its effectiveness against the target pest, safety for the environment, and compatibility with the equipment used for application.

The notion that a pesticide should injure the target plant contradicts the fundamental goal of pest management, which aims to control pests without causing unnecessary harm to the crops or desired plants. Effective pest control should ideally protect the health of the plants while managing pest populations, making it essential that the pesticide does not cause injury to the target plant itself.

Therefore, the requirement that a pesticide should not injure the target plant aligns with best practices in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which seeks to maintain plant health while effectively controlling pest problems. This rationale underscores why the correct choice emphasizes the absence of plant injury as a requirement for a pesticide.