LANDSCAPE
MAINTENANCE/ORNAMENTAL AND
TURF (2022) QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) - Correct Answer - The primary agency
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regulating pesticides in Texas.
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The Texas Structural Pest Control Service (SPCS) - Correct Answer - Also licenses
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people to apply pesticides to lawns, ornamental plants, and weeds to control landscape
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pests.
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - Correct Answer - You need to take a
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dcomprehensive approach that uses biological, cultural, physical, and chemical controls
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din a careful, environmentally sound manner. The terms for this approach is .....
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Natural Factors - Correct Answer - ....influence pests include climate, natural barriers
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and enemies, population developmnt and dynamics, and the availability of shelter, food,
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and water. These XXXXX factors may cause pest populations to increase or decrease
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without influence from humans.
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Biological Control - Correct Answer - ....involves manipulating the natural enemies of
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pests-those that kill and eat pests (predators), those that feed on but do not necessarily
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
kill pests (parasites), or those that cause diseases in pests (pathogens). You can
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encourage and maintain high population levels of these natural enemies by using
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pesticides carefully or by releasing a pest's enemies into the target area.
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Cultural Control - Correct Answer - ....methods are the activities involved in taking care
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of the plants, such as site selection and watering practices. These techniques can alter
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the environment around the plants to affect the pests that could be attacking them.
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Mechanical Control - Correct Answer - ....involves the use of equipment or manual
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operations to keep out or disrupt the life cycle of pests. Barriers that exclude pests
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include fencing, plastic mulches, and row covers.
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Host Plant Resistance - Correct Answer - ....Some plants can tolerate damage from
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certain pests or are unsuitable for pest development; this trait is known as xxxxxxxx.
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For example, the St. Augustine grass variety 'Floratam' is resistant to chinch bugs.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
, Chemical Control - Correct Answer - ....involves the use of pesticides to destroy pests,
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
control their activity, or prevent them from causing damage. Chemical pesticides are
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often the quickest way to control pests and, in some cases, the only alternative.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
Plant Selection - Correct Answer - A critical step in pest control is to choose the proper
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
plant or variety for the landscape. Choose all landscape plants according to their water
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
requirements, shade tolerance, and susceptibility to pests.
d d d d d d d
Water - Correct Answer - Too much or too little xxxxx can damage or kill plants. Lack of
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
water causes leaves to wilt, droop and drop. Excess water in the soil forces out the
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
oxygen that plant roots need to survive.
d d d d d d d
Fertilization - Correct Answer - Plants need 16 elements, which in horticulture are called
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plant nutrients. The soil usually contains enough of these nutrients for normal plant
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
growth. Nitrogen is normally the most limiting plant nutrient. It constitutes the foundation
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
of most common fertilizers. The elements needed in tiny amounts are called
d d d d d d d d d d d d
micronutrients. The best way to determine how much and what kind of fertilizer that a
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
landscape needs is to take a soil sample.
d d d d d d d d
Mowing - Correct Answer - The primary cultural practice in turf management is xxxxx.
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Good xxxxxxx practices enhance turf and can significantly help you manage pests. It
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can improve turf color, density, root development, texture, and wear tolerance.
d d d d d d d d d d d
Thatch - Correct Answer - Thatch is the layer of undecayed grass between the soil and
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
green leaves of a turf plant. As old turf plants age and die, they decompose into finely
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
textured humus that becomes a part of the soil surface.
d d d d d d d d d d
Pruning - Correct Answer - A primary technique for producing a specimen plant is
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xxxxxx. xxxxxx prevents and treats some diseases and helps keep some ornamental
d d d d d d d d d d d d
plants attractive. You must prune properly to prevent or minimize insect and disease
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
invasion. Do not make the cuts flush with a trunk or main branch. Instead, prune the
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
limb outside the collar, which is the section of the branch where it joins to the trunk or
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
main stem.
d d
Preventive Applications - Correct Answer - Involve applying a pesticide before the
d d d d d d d d d d d
problem appears.
d d
Reactive, or Curative Treatments - Correct Answer - Occur after you notice the pest or
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
its damage. Then you can apply a pesticide that targets that specific problem.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
Protecting Water Resources - Correct Answer - Do not use more pesticide than the
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
label directs.
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When possible, mix and load pesticides at least 100 feet from surface water or a direct
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
link (such as a well) to groundwater.
d d d d d d d
Prevent pesticides from back-siphoning into your water source.
d d d d d d d
Delay application if heavy rain is imminent.
d d d d d d
MAINTENANCE/ORNAMENTAL AND
TURF (2022) QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) - Correct Answer - The primary agency
d d d d d d d d d d d
regulating pesticides in Texas.
d d d d
The Texas Structural Pest Control Service (SPCS) - Correct Answer - Also licenses
d d d d d d d d d d d d
people to apply pesticides to lawns, ornamental plants, and weeds to control landscape
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
pests.
d
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - Correct Answer - You need to take a
d d d d d d d d d d d d
dcomprehensive approach that uses biological, cultural, physical, and chemical controls
d d d d d d d d d
din a careful, environmentally sound manner. The terms for this approach is .....
d d d d d d d d d d d d
Natural Factors - Correct Answer - ....influence pests include climate, natural barriers
d d d d d d d d d d d
and enemies, population developmnt and dynamics, and the availability of shelter, food,
d d d d d d d d d d d d
and water. These XXXXX factors may cause pest populations to increase or decrease
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
without influence from humans.
d d d d
Biological Control - Correct Answer - ....involves manipulating the natural enemies of
d d d d d d d d d d d
pests-those that kill and eat pests (predators), those that feed on but do not necessarily
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
kill pests (parasites), or those that cause diseases in pests (pathogens). You can
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
encourage and maintain high population levels of these natural enemies by using
d d d d d d d d d d d d
pesticides carefully or by releasing a pest's enemies into the target area.
d d d d d d d d d d d d
Cultural Control - Correct Answer - ....methods are the activities involved in taking care
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
of the plants, such as site selection and watering practices. These techniques can alter
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
the environment around the plants to affect the pests that could be attacking them.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
Mechanical Control - Correct Answer - ....involves the use of equipment or manual
d d d d d d d d d d d d
operations to keep out or disrupt the life cycle of pests. Barriers that exclude pests
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
include fencing, plastic mulches, and row covers.
d d d d d d d
Host Plant Resistance - Correct Answer - ....Some plants can tolerate damage from
d d d d d d d d d d d d
certain pests or are unsuitable for pest development; this trait is known as xxxxxxxx.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
For example, the St. Augustine grass variety 'Floratam' is resistant to chinch bugs.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
, Chemical Control - Correct Answer - ....involves the use of pesticides to destroy pests,
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
control their activity, or prevent them from causing damage. Chemical pesticides are
d d d d d d d d d d d d
often the quickest way to control pests and, in some cases, the only alternative.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
Plant Selection - Correct Answer - A critical step in pest control is to choose the proper
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
plant or variety for the landscape. Choose all landscape plants according to their water
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
requirements, shade tolerance, and susceptibility to pests.
d d d d d d d
Water - Correct Answer - Too much or too little xxxxx can damage or kill plants. Lack of
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
water causes leaves to wilt, droop and drop. Excess water in the soil forces out the
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
oxygen that plant roots need to survive.
d d d d d d d
Fertilization - Correct Answer - Plants need 16 elements, which in horticulture are called
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
plant nutrients. The soil usually contains enough of these nutrients for normal plant
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
growth. Nitrogen is normally the most limiting plant nutrient. It constitutes the foundation
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
of most common fertilizers. The elements needed in tiny amounts are called
d d d d d d d d d d d d
micronutrients. The best way to determine how much and what kind of fertilizer that a
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
landscape needs is to take a soil sample.
d d d d d d d d
Mowing - Correct Answer - The primary cultural practice in turf management is xxxxx.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
Good xxxxxxx practices enhance turf and can significantly help you manage pests. It
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
can improve turf color, density, root development, texture, and wear tolerance.
d d d d d d d d d d d
Thatch - Correct Answer - Thatch is the layer of undecayed grass between the soil and
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
green leaves of a turf plant. As old turf plants age and die, they decompose into finely
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
textured humus that becomes a part of the soil surface.
d d d d d d d d d d
Pruning - Correct Answer - A primary technique for producing a specimen plant is
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
xxxxxx. xxxxxx prevents and treats some diseases and helps keep some ornamental
d d d d d d d d d d d d
plants attractive. You must prune properly to prevent or minimize insect and disease
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
invasion. Do not make the cuts flush with a trunk or main branch. Instead, prune the
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
limb outside the collar, which is the section of the branch where it joins to the trunk or
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
main stem.
d d
Preventive Applications - Correct Answer - Involve applying a pesticide before the
d d d d d d d d d d d
problem appears.
d d
Reactive, or Curative Treatments - Correct Answer - Occur after you notice the pest or
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
its damage. Then you can apply a pesticide that targets that specific problem.
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
Protecting Water Resources - Correct Answer - Do not use more pesticide than the
d d d d d d d d d d d d d
label directs.
d d
When possible, mix and load pesticides at least 100 feet from surface water or a direct
d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d
link (such as a well) to groundwater.
d d d d d d d
Prevent pesticides from back-siphoning into your water source.
d d d d d d d
Delay application if heavy rain is imminent.
d d d d d d
