What term describes the duration that a pesticide remains active to control pests?

The term that describes the duration that a pesticide remains active to control pests is persistence. Persistence refers to how long a pesticide can remain effective in the environment before it breaks down or loses its ability to control pests. This characteristic is crucial for determining the effectiveness of a pesticide in various applications, as longer persistence can lead to prolonged efficacy against targeted pests.

When considering the other terms: volatility refers to how easily a substance can vaporize, which impacts the pesticide's application and potential drift but does not relate directly to its duration of effectiveness. Degradation involves the breakdown process of a pesticide, indicating how it loses effectiveness over time rather than the time it remains effective. Stability refers to the ability of a pesticide to maintain its chemical structure and efficacy under various environmental conditions; while related, it does not specifically address the duration of pest control action. Therefore, persistence is the most appropriate term to describe how long a pesticide remains active.