What is the primary purpose of a pesticide?

The primary purpose of a pesticide is to control, prevent, or eliminate pests. Pesticides are specifically designed chemical substances that target organisms such as insects, weeds, fungi, and rodents, with the aim of managing their populations to protect crops, structures, and human health. They serve critical roles in agriculture by enhancing crop yield and quality through pest management, and they also help in maintaining public health by minimizing disease-carrying pest populations.

In terms of the other choices, attracting pests would be counterproductive to the goal of pest management, while enhancing plant growth and fertilizing the soil pertain more to agriculture and horticulture practices rather than pest control specifically. While healthy plants can certainly improve resilience against pests, they are not the main intent of a pesticide's use. Thus, the focus of pesticides remains squarely on controlling pest populations to prevent damage and safeguard both human interests and ecological balance.