WISCONSIN PESTICIDE APPLICATOR 2026 CORE
EXAMINATION SET QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE
A+
✔✔Ch.2 Explain the effects of soil texture, organic matter, and pH and herbicide
persistence on herbicide activity - ✔✔-Fine textured soils or soils with high organic
matter often require higher herbicide rates than soils with coarser texture or low organic
matter.
-Some herbicides prohibit product use on certain soils with a light texture, low organic
matter, or high pH to guard against excessive plant damage or herbicide persistence.
-Excessive leaching on sandy soils with shallow water tables may result in groundwater
contamination.
✔✔Ch.2 Describe how and when to make a basal-bark treatment - ✔✔-Apply spray to
lower 18 inches of stems
-Thoroughly wet stem, crown, and exposed roots
-Can make treatments throughout the year as long as the bark is not wet or when snow
or water prevent spraying to the ground
✔✔Ch.2 Describe how and when to make an effective cut-stump treatment - ✔✔-
Recommended for plants with thick bark or trunk is greater than 5 inches in diameter.
-Thoroughly wet plant so runoff covers barks, crown buds, exposed roots, root collar,
outer portion of cut surface.
-Should be applied to cut surface before exposed plant tissue dries, within 2-3 hours.
✔✔Ch.2 List steps to take when applying herbicides to minimize adverse effects in
urban areas - ✔✔-Prevent spray drift, drift of volatile products, runoff.
-Spray when weeds are most susceptible so the minimum amount of herbicide results in
maximum weed control.
-Use less volatile formations
-Apply on days when temps are less than 80 degrees F
-Avoid spraying during midsummer; garden plants and vegetables are more susceptible.
-Avoid applying herbicides on dry, compacted soils
-Keep pesticides off impermeable surfaces
✔✔Chapter 2 Know the Law - ✔✔State and local laws require landowners to control
certain weeds to prevent their spread and distribution
✔✔Ch.3 Define plant disease and what causes it - ✔✔Any harmful change in the
physiology and/or structure of a plant caused by some outside agent.
✔✔Ch.3 List examples of the major groups of plant pathogens (7) - ✔✔-Fungi (blights)
-Oomycetes (downy mildews) -Nematodes (root rot)
-Bacteria (fire blight
,-Phytoplasmas (corn stunts)
-Viruses (soybean mosaic)-Viroids (potato spindle tuber)
✔✔Ch.3 Describe how the major groups of plant pathogens are spread from plant to
plant - ✔✔-Fungi: wind, rain splash, insect vectors
-Oomycetes: wind, rain splash, transfer of infested soil
-Nematodes: transfer of infested soil, infested planting stock
-Bacteria: rain splash, insect vectors, tools
-Phytoplasmas: only by insect vectors
-Viruses: insect vectors, mechanical transmission, rubbing of infected leaf to another,
seed borne, vegetative propagation
-Viroids: mechanical transmission, vegetative propagation
✔✔Ch.3 List the four prerequisites for plant disease to occur - ✔✔1. A pathogen
population capable of causing disease
2. A host that is susceptible to infection by that pathogen population
3. Environmental conditions that favor disease development
4. Sufficient time for disease to actually develop
✔✔Ch.3 Describe clues that help you distinguish plant diseases from plant injury - ✔✔-
Disease: starts small, gradually increases in size and severity over several days.
-Injury: appears suddenly in a uniform pattern
✔✔Ch.3 List factors that call for using pesticides to control plant diseases (4) - ✔✔1.
Other control practices are unavailable or inadequate
2. The plant has high aesthetic value or its use allows little tolerance for disease
3. Quality is reduced by even a low level of disease
4. A sudden and unexpected disease outbreak occurs
✔✔Ch.3 List some of the uses and limitations of soil fungicides - ✔✔Uses: act as
protectants
Limitations: somewhat eradicative
✔✔Ch.3 Explain why you need full coverage when using a foliar fungicide, and how to
get such coverage - ✔✔Reduced rate/lower spray volumes may not be effective.
Requires saturation with multiple applications to get full coverage.
✔✔Ch.3 List examples of abiotic agents that induce plant injury - ✔✔Temperature
extremes; Soil moisture extremes; Reduced oxygen levels; Unfavorable light conditions;
Naturally occurring toxic chemicals; Salt; Soil compaction; Deficiency, excess, or
imbalance of soil nutrients; Pollutants
✔✔Ch.4 Describe factors that complicate management of pest mammals (5) -
✔✔Mobility, Unpredictability, Public Perception, Legal Status, Management Techniques
, ✔✔Ch.4 Explain the regulations regarding the use of pesticides to control mammals -
✔✔Using pesticides to control mammals and birds is strictly regulated and often
involves obtaining special permits from the WI Dept of Ag, Trade, and Consumer
Protection (DATCP) and/or the WI DNR
✔✔Ch.4 Describe the damage that pests discussed in this chapter can cause to turf and
landscapes - ✔✔-Meadow Mice: girdle roots, kill/injure trees and shrubs.
-Rabbits: browse on bark and branches of trees and shrubs.
-Moles: tunnels interfere with mowing, expose roots to air killing grass/other plants.
-Ground Squirrels: problem in gardens and lawns.
-Skunks: mostly beneficial, disliked because of stink
-Deer: damage woody plants by feeding on buds and young branches, rubbing,
trampling.
✔✔Ch.4 Outline your management options for controlling the pests discussed in this
chapter - ✔✔-Meadow Mice: rodenticide baits
-Rabbits: no lethal pesticides; virtually impossible to eliminate.
-Moles: poison baits with food.
-Ground Squirrels: toxic bait or rodenticides for large areas.
-Skunks: no lethal pesticides; trapping or habitat destruction.
-Deer: repellents, scare devices, fencing
✔✔Chapter 4 Know the Law - ✔✔You need a use permit to use any pesticide for the
control of mammals (other than rats and mice) or to use strychnine or 1080
✔✔Ch.5 Define the word pesticide and explain how the word differs from specific types
of pesticides - ✔✔Any substance used to directly control pest populations or to prevent
or reduce pest damage
✔✔Ch.5 Contrast the difference between organic, inorganic, and microbial pesticides -
✔✔-Organic: the compound contains the element carbon; some derived from plant
extracts; some synthetic.
-Inorganic: derived from minerals that occur in nature; toxic to many organisms; less
effective than organic compounds.
-Microbial: are bacteria, fungi, viruses that cause disease.
✔✔Ch.5 Explain the difference between the different types of pesticide names (3) -
✔✔1. Chemical Names: given to each active ingredient; name is long, hard to
pronounce, difficult to use.
2. Common Names: refers to an active ingredient, regardless of
manufacturer/formulator.
3. Trade Names: manufacturer specific name for each formulation of an active
ingredient.
EXAMINATION SET QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE
A+
✔✔Ch.2 Explain the effects of soil texture, organic matter, and pH and herbicide
persistence on herbicide activity - ✔✔-Fine textured soils or soils with high organic
matter often require higher herbicide rates than soils with coarser texture or low organic
matter.
-Some herbicides prohibit product use on certain soils with a light texture, low organic
matter, or high pH to guard against excessive plant damage or herbicide persistence.
-Excessive leaching on sandy soils with shallow water tables may result in groundwater
contamination.
✔✔Ch.2 Describe how and when to make a basal-bark treatment - ✔✔-Apply spray to
lower 18 inches of stems
-Thoroughly wet stem, crown, and exposed roots
-Can make treatments throughout the year as long as the bark is not wet or when snow
or water prevent spraying to the ground
✔✔Ch.2 Describe how and when to make an effective cut-stump treatment - ✔✔-
Recommended for plants with thick bark or trunk is greater than 5 inches in diameter.
-Thoroughly wet plant so runoff covers barks, crown buds, exposed roots, root collar,
outer portion of cut surface.
-Should be applied to cut surface before exposed plant tissue dries, within 2-3 hours.
✔✔Ch.2 List steps to take when applying herbicides to minimize adverse effects in
urban areas - ✔✔-Prevent spray drift, drift of volatile products, runoff.
-Spray when weeds are most susceptible so the minimum amount of herbicide results in
maximum weed control.
-Use less volatile formations
-Apply on days when temps are less than 80 degrees F
-Avoid spraying during midsummer; garden plants and vegetables are more susceptible.
-Avoid applying herbicides on dry, compacted soils
-Keep pesticides off impermeable surfaces
✔✔Chapter 2 Know the Law - ✔✔State and local laws require landowners to control
certain weeds to prevent their spread and distribution
✔✔Ch.3 Define plant disease and what causes it - ✔✔Any harmful change in the
physiology and/or structure of a plant caused by some outside agent.
✔✔Ch.3 List examples of the major groups of plant pathogens (7) - ✔✔-Fungi (blights)
-Oomycetes (downy mildews) -Nematodes (root rot)
-Bacteria (fire blight
,-Phytoplasmas (corn stunts)
-Viruses (soybean mosaic)-Viroids (potato spindle tuber)
✔✔Ch.3 Describe how the major groups of plant pathogens are spread from plant to
plant - ✔✔-Fungi: wind, rain splash, insect vectors
-Oomycetes: wind, rain splash, transfer of infested soil
-Nematodes: transfer of infested soil, infested planting stock
-Bacteria: rain splash, insect vectors, tools
-Phytoplasmas: only by insect vectors
-Viruses: insect vectors, mechanical transmission, rubbing of infected leaf to another,
seed borne, vegetative propagation
-Viroids: mechanical transmission, vegetative propagation
✔✔Ch.3 List the four prerequisites for plant disease to occur - ✔✔1. A pathogen
population capable of causing disease
2. A host that is susceptible to infection by that pathogen population
3. Environmental conditions that favor disease development
4. Sufficient time for disease to actually develop
✔✔Ch.3 Describe clues that help you distinguish plant diseases from plant injury - ✔✔-
Disease: starts small, gradually increases in size and severity over several days.
-Injury: appears suddenly in a uniform pattern
✔✔Ch.3 List factors that call for using pesticides to control plant diseases (4) - ✔✔1.
Other control practices are unavailable or inadequate
2. The plant has high aesthetic value or its use allows little tolerance for disease
3. Quality is reduced by even a low level of disease
4. A sudden and unexpected disease outbreak occurs
✔✔Ch.3 List some of the uses and limitations of soil fungicides - ✔✔Uses: act as
protectants
Limitations: somewhat eradicative
✔✔Ch.3 Explain why you need full coverage when using a foliar fungicide, and how to
get such coverage - ✔✔Reduced rate/lower spray volumes may not be effective.
Requires saturation with multiple applications to get full coverage.
✔✔Ch.3 List examples of abiotic agents that induce plant injury - ✔✔Temperature
extremes; Soil moisture extremes; Reduced oxygen levels; Unfavorable light conditions;
Naturally occurring toxic chemicals; Salt; Soil compaction; Deficiency, excess, or
imbalance of soil nutrients; Pollutants
✔✔Ch.4 Describe factors that complicate management of pest mammals (5) -
✔✔Mobility, Unpredictability, Public Perception, Legal Status, Management Techniques
, ✔✔Ch.4 Explain the regulations regarding the use of pesticides to control mammals -
✔✔Using pesticides to control mammals and birds is strictly regulated and often
involves obtaining special permits from the WI Dept of Ag, Trade, and Consumer
Protection (DATCP) and/or the WI DNR
✔✔Ch.4 Describe the damage that pests discussed in this chapter can cause to turf and
landscapes - ✔✔-Meadow Mice: girdle roots, kill/injure trees and shrubs.
-Rabbits: browse on bark and branches of trees and shrubs.
-Moles: tunnels interfere with mowing, expose roots to air killing grass/other plants.
-Ground Squirrels: problem in gardens and lawns.
-Skunks: mostly beneficial, disliked because of stink
-Deer: damage woody plants by feeding on buds and young branches, rubbing,
trampling.
✔✔Ch.4 Outline your management options for controlling the pests discussed in this
chapter - ✔✔-Meadow Mice: rodenticide baits
-Rabbits: no lethal pesticides; virtually impossible to eliminate.
-Moles: poison baits with food.
-Ground Squirrels: toxic bait or rodenticides for large areas.
-Skunks: no lethal pesticides; trapping or habitat destruction.
-Deer: repellents, scare devices, fencing
✔✔Chapter 4 Know the Law - ✔✔You need a use permit to use any pesticide for the
control of mammals (other than rats and mice) or to use strychnine or 1080
✔✔Ch.5 Define the word pesticide and explain how the word differs from specific types
of pesticides - ✔✔Any substance used to directly control pest populations or to prevent
or reduce pest damage
✔✔Ch.5 Contrast the difference between organic, inorganic, and microbial pesticides -
✔✔-Organic: the compound contains the element carbon; some derived from plant
extracts; some synthetic.
-Inorganic: derived from minerals that occur in nature; toxic to many organisms; less
effective than organic compounds.
-Microbial: are bacteria, fungi, viruses that cause disease.
✔✔Ch.5 Explain the difference between the different types of pesticide names (3) -
✔✔1. Chemical Names: given to each active ingredient; name is long, hard to
pronounce, difficult to use.
2. Common Names: refers to an active ingredient, regardless of
manufacturer/formulator.
3. Trade Names: manufacturer specific name for each formulation of an active
ingredient.
