Texas Department of Agriculture
Pesticide Applicator's Study Guide with
Complete Solutions
Among insects, what are key pests, occasional pests and secondary pests? -
ANSWER-Key pests: cause constant economic loss almost annually
Occasional pests: infrequently cause economic loss, generally under certain weather or
cropping conditions
Secondary pests: occasional pests or non-pests which cause economic losses due to
human disruption
As defined by law, what is a private pesticide applicator? - ANSWER-A person who
uses or supervises the use of a restricted-use or state-limited use pesticide or a
regulated herbicide for the purpose producing an agricultural commodity.
As humidity increases from 0 to 100%, more herbicide is absorbed by the leave surface:
- ANSWER-this is talking about UPTAKE (absorption) not activation
Before beginning any wildlife damage control program, what should you do? -
ANSWER-Check on the legal status of the target animal and current laws dealing with
wildlife protection.
Besides chemical control, what methods may be used to prevent plant disease from
occurring? - ANSWER-Cultural practices such as crop rotation; planting disease-
resistant varieties; certain land preparation practices.
Cleaning Up Pesticide Spills-- The three 'C's of spill managment: - ANSWER-1. Control
2. Contain
3. Clean up
Cleaning up. When washing contaminated work clothes, follow these washing
procedures: - ANSWER-1. Keep work clothes separate from other laundry.
2. Wash only a few items at a time.
3. Use the highest water level.
4. Use heavy-duty detergent and hot water.
, 5. Use two rinse cycles and use warm water if possible for rinse cycles.
6. Use two complete washer cycles for items moderately to heavily contaminated.
7. Hang washed work clothes outside.
8. Run washer without clothes for one additional cycle using hot water and detergent to
clean machine.
9. Try NOT to use a dryer; or use highest setting.
-when clothing is heavily contaminated it should be destroyed.
Compare the terms "Agricultural Employer" and "Handler Employer" as used in the
WPS. - ANSWER-When reading the WPS Laws and Regs the term "Agricultural
Employer" is used when they discuss the employer of "workers" and the term "Handler
Employer" is used when they discuss employees of the "handlers". These two people
may well be the same person so don't let the terminology confuse you.
Components of IPM - ANSWER-1. Pest identification
2. Monitoring
3. Use of natural enemies (biological control)
4. Pest-resistant plants
5. Cultural and structural changes
6. Judicious use of least toxic pesticides
Define "economic threshold" (note this may apply to both plants and animals) -
ANSWER-A point in the development of a pest population or the damage level caused
by a pest which warrants application of a control measure; the largest number of insects
or amount of damage that can be tolerated before economic injury occurs.
Define IPM - ANSWER-1. a pest population management system that anticipates and
prevents pests from causing damage.
2. an ecological approach to pest control.
Describe the life cycles of annual, biennial and perennial weeds- give examples of each:
- ANSWER-Annuals- 1 year life cycle -winter varieties germinate in the fall (henbit,
sowthistle); Summer varieties germinate in the spring (goosegrass, barnyardgrass)
Biennials 2 year life cycle- form basal leaves and tap root first year, flowers, matures,
and dies the second year (common mullein)
Perennials: live for many years - divided into simple (dandelion) and creeping varieties
(purple nutsedge)
Pesticide Applicator's Study Guide with
Complete Solutions
Among insects, what are key pests, occasional pests and secondary pests? -
ANSWER-Key pests: cause constant economic loss almost annually
Occasional pests: infrequently cause economic loss, generally under certain weather or
cropping conditions
Secondary pests: occasional pests or non-pests which cause economic losses due to
human disruption
As defined by law, what is a private pesticide applicator? - ANSWER-A person who
uses or supervises the use of a restricted-use or state-limited use pesticide or a
regulated herbicide for the purpose producing an agricultural commodity.
As humidity increases from 0 to 100%, more herbicide is absorbed by the leave surface:
- ANSWER-this is talking about UPTAKE (absorption) not activation
Before beginning any wildlife damage control program, what should you do? -
ANSWER-Check on the legal status of the target animal and current laws dealing with
wildlife protection.
Besides chemical control, what methods may be used to prevent plant disease from
occurring? - ANSWER-Cultural practices such as crop rotation; planting disease-
resistant varieties; certain land preparation practices.
Cleaning Up Pesticide Spills-- The three 'C's of spill managment: - ANSWER-1. Control
2. Contain
3. Clean up
Cleaning up. When washing contaminated work clothes, follow these washing
procedures: - ANSWER-1. Keep work clothes separate from other laundry.
2. Wash only a few items at a time.
3. Use the highest water level.
4. Use heavy-duty detergent and hot water.
, 5. Use two rinse cycles and use warm water if possible for rinse cycles.
6. Use two complete washer cycles for items moderately to heavily contaminated.
7. Hang washed work clothes outside.
8. Run washer without clothes for one additional cycle using hot water and detergent to
clean machine.
9. Try NOT to use a dryer; or use highest setting.
-when clothing is heavily contaminated it should be destroyed.
Compare the terms "Agricultural Employer" and "Handler Employer" as used in the
WPS. - ANSWER-When reading the WPS Laws and Regs the term "Agricultural
Employer" is used when they discuss the employer of "workers" and the term "Handler
Employer" is used when they discuss employees of the "handlers". These two people
may well be the same person so don't let the terminology confuse you.
Components of IPM - ANSWER-1. Pest identification
2. Monitoring
3. Use of natural enemies (biological control)
4. Pest-resistant plants
5. Cultural and structural changes
6. Judicious use of least toxic pesticides
Define "economic threshold" (note this may apply to both plants and animals) -
ANSWER-A point in the development of a pest population or the damage level caused
by a pest which warrants application of a control measure; the largest number of insects
or amount of damage that can be tolerated before economic injury occurs.
Define IPM - ANSWER-1. a pest population management system that anticipates and
prevents pests from causing damage.
2. an ecological approach to pest control.
Describe the life cycles of annual, biennial and perennial weeds- give examples of each:
- ANSWER-Annuals- 1 year life cycle -winter varieties germinate in the fall (henbit,
sowthistle); Summer varieties germinate in the spring (goosegrass, barnyardgrass)
Biennials 2 year life cycle- form basal leaves and tap root first year, flowers, matures,
and dies the second year (common mullein)
Perennials: live for many years - divided into simple (dandelion) and creeping varieties
(purple nutsedge)
