These chemicals will continue to be an integral part of any IPM program. However, sole reliance on chemical control can no longer be justified because of rising chemical costs, increased resistance to pesticides, and environmental concerns.
Some pesticides can also enter surface or groundwater either from leaching or runoff.
The selection of pesticides to be used on the turf area should be based on many criteria including the pest to be controlled, the turfgrass species the pest is infesting, the season and growth stage of the pest, the level of control desired, the application method required for the pesticide, the duration of control from the pesticide, the possibility of environmental contamination, and the need for frequent rotation of pesticides of different modes of action for the targeted pest to discourage pesticide-resistant plants, insects, and diseases. After all factors are considered, there may be two or three possible choices of pesticides for the control of the pest. Trade names listed are examples and pesticides may be sold under other trade names. A pesticide with a low rating would be very unlikely to move into groundwater or surface waters. A pesticide with a high ranking may be easily transported offsite, leach into groundwater, or may persist long enough to allow it to enter surface or groundwaters even though it moves very slowly.