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.
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.
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.