Virginia Commercial Applicator Category 3B Turf Pest Control Key Terms

Calibrate - Answer- To measure the delivery rate and distribution of application equipment; to adjust application equipment so the desired amount of pesticide is applied evenly to a given area. Disease - Answer- An abnormal, unhealthy condition. Turf diseases may be caused by abiotic or biotic factors. However, they are typically due to infectious organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Exclusion - Answer- Using some sort of barrier to keep a pest out of an area. Exposure - Answer- Coming in contact with a pesticide either by ingestion (oral), inhalation, or absorption through the skin (dermal). Habitat - Answer- A specific area or environment in which an organism normally lives. Insect - Answer- An arthropod with three body regions: a head (front), a thorax (middle), and an abdomen (rear). Most insects have one pair of antennae on the head, two pairs of Wings, and three pairs of legs on the thorax. Most have complex mouthparts adapted for a special type of feeding. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - Answer- VA management system that uses all appropriate pest control strategies to reduce pest populations to an acceptable level. IPM uses an ecological approach to pest management. Life Cycle - Answer- An 0rganism's progression through developmental stages. As some organisms go through their life cycle, they change in body form and habits. Mite - Answer- A small arachnid with eight legs in the adult stage. Mites have a single body region, which seems to lack segmentation. Some mites are plant pests. Mollusk - Answer- A soft-bodied animal. A mollusk does not have a backbone. Mollusks have a hard calcium-based shell covering its body. Clams, snails, and slugs are mollusks. Monitoring - Answer- The process of assessing-"keeping tabs on"—the size and distribution of a pest population in an area. Natural Controls - Answer- Natural forces that affect pest populations. Examples include climate, natural enemies, natural barriers, and the availability of food, water, and shelter. These natural forces act independently and may either help or hinder human attempts to control pests. Nematode - Answer- A small, unsegmented roundworm. Most nematodes are so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Leaching - Answer- Movement of a substance (such as a pesticide) in solution downward through soil. Nematicide - Answer- A pesticide that controls nematodes. Parasite - Answer- An organism that obtains its food from another living thing, and in so doing, harms that organism (its host). The disease organism is the parasite, and the infected organism is the host. Perennial - Answer- A plant that lives for more than two growing seasons. Pesticide - Answer- Any substance used to control or repel a pest, or to reduce the unwanted or harmful effects of a pest. Phloem - Answer- A specialized plant tissue, that conducts food. Phytotoxicity - Answer- Injury or damage to a sensitive plant caused by a chemical exposure. Poling - Answer- Brushing the surface of a turf stand with long, limber bamboo poles. This practice helps remove water from leaves. Poling bermudagrass golf greens in early morning helps to get rid of dew. Predator - Answer- An animal which hunts and kills other animals for food. Relative Humidity (RH) - Answer- A temperature-specific measure of the amount of moisture held in the air. RH is the ratio of the amount of water vapor in air at a specific temperature to the amount of Water vapor required for saturation at that temperature. Resistance - Answer- The ability of a plant to withstand infection or attack by a pest. There are levels of resistance. For example, some plant strains may be susceptible, weakly resistant, or strongly resistant to a specific type of pest. Total resistance is "immunity." Saprophyte - Answer- An organism that obtains its nutrition from dead or decaying organic matter. Aqueous Spray - Answer- An application in which the pesticide product is diluted with Water and applied as a liquid spray. Backpack Sprayer - Answer- A hand-pumped sprayer carried on the back of the operator. Backpack sprayers are usually used for treating small areas and for making spot treatments. Back Siphoning - Answer- Movement of liquid from the application equipment back into the Water source. Calibration - Answer- The process of measuring and adjusting the amount of pesticide a piece of equipment applies to a target. Density - Answer- Mass per unit volume. Fog - Answer- Small droplets (10 to 60 microns) produced when an oil-base preparation is dispensed through a special device that uses heat to vaporize the pesticide. Absorption - Answer- The process of taking in (soaking up) a substance. Adsorption - Answer- The process of adhering and holding (binding) something to a surface. Some pesticides adhere (bind) to surfaces of mineral or soil particles and/or to organic matter, such as thatch. Drift - Answer- Pesticide moving away from the release site in the air. Leaching - Answer- Movement of pesticide in water or other solvent downward through soil or other planting medium. Particle Drift - Answer- Drift of particles, usually spray droplets. Runoff - Answer- Movement of pesticide in water or other liquid moving horizontally; across the surface of a treated area. Vapor Drift (Volatility) - Answer- Drift in vapor form. In some cases, volatile pesticides applied in liquid form evaporate back to the air before they have time to be absorbed by treated plants. In other cases, pesticides applied in gaseous form (ex. fumigants) escape and are carried away from the application site. Volatile - Answer- A substance that evaporates (vaporizes) readily. Synergism - Answer- Increased activity resulting from the interaction of two or more active ingredients in a pesticide formulation. Tiller - Answer- A shoot growing from the base (crown) of a grass plant. Tillering - Answer- In grasses, producing shoots. Translocation - Answer- The internal transport of food, water, herbicides, or other materials throughout a plant. Xylem - Answer- The term for a specialized plant tissue that conducts water in plants. Movement of fluids in xylem is from base to tip. Xylem tissue also supports the plant. Pesticide - Answer- Any substance used to control or repel a pest or to reduce the unwanted or harmful effects of a pest. Residue - Answer- The part of a pesticide that remains in the environment or on a surface for a period of time following an application or spill. Sanitation - Answer- A pest management practice of re