Which term describes the capacity of a pesticide to cause either short-term or long-term injury?

The capacity of a pesticide to cause either short-term or long-term injury is known as toxicity. Toxicity refers to the degree to which a substance can harm living organisms. This concept encompasses both acute toxicity, which is the ability to cause harmful effects shortly after exposure, and chronic toxicity, which relates to the potential for harm to occur after prolonged or repeated exposure over time. Understanding toxicity is essential for evaluating the safety and risks associated with pesticide use, allowing for proper management practices to minimize harm to humans, animals, and the environment. Other terms like efficacy, resistance, and potency have different meanings; efficacy pertains to a pesticide's effectiveness in controlling pests, resistance involves the ability of pests to withstand a pesticide's effects, and potency refers to the amount needed to produce a specific effect, which does not directly relate to the potential for injury.