Which control method includes government-directed quarantine or eradication programs?

The correct answer is regulatory control because this method encompasses actions directed by government entities aimed at managing pest populations through established legal frameworks. Regulatory control often includes the implementation of quarantine measures to prevent the spread of invasive species or pests, as well as eradication programs that may require the removal of harmful pests or plants from certain areas.

Such initiatives are essential for safeguarding public health, agriculture, and natural resources, ensuring that pest-related issues are addressed in a structured manner that can have broader societal benefits. By regulating the movement of potentially harmful organisms and establishing guidelines for pest management, regulatory control helps maintain ecological balance and protects agricultural productivity.

In contrast, biological control relies on natural predators or diseases to manage pest populations, mechanical control utilizes physical methods to eliminate or deter pests, and environmental control focuses on modifying the environment to make it less conducive to pest survival and reproduction. Each of these methods has its place in integrated pest management but does not specifically involve the legal and organized approaches found in regulatory control.