WISCONSIN PESTICIDE APPLICATOR EXAM REVIEW TURF &
LANDSCAPE
1. Ch.1 List the general kinds of damage insect pests can cause:
-Chew onseeds, roots, leaves, stems, & fruits
-Tunnel in roots, stems, & leaves
-Suck plant juices
-Promote gall formation and other malformations
-Inject toxins into plants -Transmit diseases to plants
-Create a nuisance for people
2. Ch.1 Describe the structural features of insects: Insects have: body form has 3 regions: head,
thorax, abdomen; 3 pairs of legs attached to thorax; 0, 1, or 2 pairs of wings attached to thorax;
1 pair of antennae
3. Ch.1 Explain how to distinguish insects from other arthropods: Arthropodshave:
exoskeleton; body form has 2 regions: head & abdomen; usually 4 pairs of legs attached to
head; no wings; no antennae
4. Ch.1 Contrast the difference between simple and complete metamorphosis-
: -Simple: "Incomplete Metamorphosis"; 3 stages: egg, nymph, & adult
-Complete: 4 distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, & adult
5. Ch.1 Explain how temperature and humidity affect insect development: -
*Temperature & humidity preferences vary for each insect.
*Combined effect of both on reproduction & development is more dramaticallydifferent than
the effect of either alone.
-Temperature: development is faster with heat & slower with cold temps; insects dieat the high
levels of developmental threshold temps and become inactive at low levels
-Humidity: effects insect diseases; effects moisture levels required for survival
6. Ch.1 List the advantages and disadvantages of using insecticides: Advantages:
-Effective against economically damaging pests
-Can combine 1 or 2 insecticides to combat several pests
-They act quickly to control pests before reaching damaging levels
-For new pests, there are many compounds that have been proven effective
-Effective insecticides, suitable formulations, & application equipment are normallyavailable
Disadvantages:
,-Often eliminate beneficial insects, allowing target organisms to rebound quickly
-Repeated exposure can lead to resistance in a pest population
-Yearly dependence on applications is an added cost
-Always a potential for drift, residues, and damage
7. Ch.2 Explain what determines whether a given plant is a weed: Weeds areunwanted plants
8. Ch.2 List the two main goals of weed management: 1. Minimize weed competition
2. Limit the weed's reproduction so that you can still manage the weed populationin future
years
9. Ch.2 Describe ways that weeds can pose problems in turf and landscapes(7): -Interfere with
management practices
-Produce chemical inhibitors that directly retard the growth of desirable plants(allelopathy)
-Create a poor impression on customers
-Interferes with pesticide applications
-Support insect pests and plant diseases or provide cover for rodents
-Are poisonous, allergenic, or irritating to people or pets
-Dry out or die and become fire hazards
10. Ch.2 Distinguish grasses from broadleaf plants and woody from herba- ceous plants: -
Grasses (Monocots): most common weeds; have a single seed leaf(cotyledon) when they
germinate; narrow leaves with parallel viens
-Broadleaves (Dicots): have 2 seed leaves when they germinate; veins form a net-like or
branching pattern; can be broken down into Woody and Herbaceousplants
--> Woody: have thickened outer layer on stems (bark)
--> Herbaceous: lacks bark
11. Ch. 2 Describe the life cycles and propagation of annual, biennial, and perennial plants: -
Annuals: live less than 12 months; most seeds germinate thefollowing year, some are dormant
taking several years; prolific seed producers.
--> Summer Annuals: germinate from seed in spring, flower/produce seeds insummer, die in
late summer/early fall.
--> Winter Annuals: germinate from seed in fall, overwinter as low-growing plants,
flower/produce seeds in spring, then die.
-Biennials: live for 2 growing seasons; germinate from seeds in spring or summerand produce
a rosette of leaves, overwinter in rosette stage, flower the following year, produce seed, and
die.
,-Perennials: live for at least 2 years, sometimes longer; may reproduce by seed orspread
vegetatively (stolons, rhizomes, spreading roots, tubers, bulbs)
12. Ch.2 Outline what is needed to kill annual, biennial, and perennial weedsand when it is
easiest to do so: -Annuals: kill the whole shoot by tillage or with herbicides during seeding
stage.
--> Summer Annuals: kill with tillage or herbicides during seeding stage.
--> Winter Annuals: kill with tillage or herbicides during seeding stage.
-Biennials: best controlled with herbicides during rosette stage.
Perennials: controlled by repeatedly tilling or with herbicides that translocates to allplant parts.
13. Ch.2 Distinguish the difference between preplant, preemergence, andpostemergence
herbicide applications: -Preplant: done before planting.
-Preemergence: usually (not always) done after planting but before plants/weedsemerge.
-Postemergence: done selectively after plants/weeds emerge; timing is important; ifthe
desirable plant is smaller or larger than the growth stage listed on the label, it may be
damaged by the herbicide.
14. Ch.2 Explain the effects of soil texture, organic matter, and pH and her- bicide
persistence on herbicide activity: -Fine textured soils or soils with high organic matter often
require higher herbicide rates than soils with coarser texture orlow 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 herbicidepersistence.
-Excessive leaching on sandy soils with shallow water tables may result in ground-water
contamination.
15. Ch.2 Describe how and when to make a basal-bark treatment: -Apply sprayto 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 whensnow or water
prevent spraying to the ground
16. 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 indiameter.
-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.
17. Ch.2 List steps to take when applying herbicides to minimize adverseeffects in urban
areas: -Prevent spray drift, drift of volatile products, runoff.
-Spray when weeds are most susceptible so the minimum amount of herbicideresults 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 suscep-tible.
-Avoid applying herbicides on dry, compacted soils
-Keep pesticides off impermeable surfaces
18. Chapter 2 Know the Law: State and local laws require landowners to controlcertain weeds
to prevent their spread and distribution
19. Ch.3 Define plant disease and what causes it: Any harmful change in thephysiology
and/or structure of a plant caused by some outside agent.
20. 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)
21. Ch.3 Describe how the major groups of plant pathogens are spread fromplant 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 anoth-er, seed
borne, vegetative propagation
-Viroids: mechanical transmission, vegetative propagation
22. Ch.3 List the four prerequisites for plant disease to occur: 1. A pathogenpopulation
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
23. Ch.3 Describe clues that help you distinguish plant diseases from plant injury: -Disease:
starts small, gradually increases in size and severity over severaldays.
LANDSCAPE
1. Ch.1 List the general kinds of damage insect pests can cause:
-Chew onseeds, roots, leaves, stems, & fruits
-Tunnel in roots, stems, & leaves
-Suck plant juices
-Promote gall formation and other malformations
-Inject toxins into plants -Transmit diseases to plants
-Create a nuisance for people
2. Ch.1 Describe the structural features of insects: Insects have: body form has 3 regions: head,
thorax, abdomen; 3 pairs of legs attached to thorax; 0, 1, or 2 pairs of wings attached to thorax;
1 pair of antennae
3. Ch.1 Explain how to distinguish insects from other arthropods: Arthropodshave:
exoskeleton; body form has 2 regions: head & abdomen; usually 4 pairs of legs attached to
head; no wings; no antennae
4. Ch.1 Contrast the difference between simple and complete metamorphosis-
: -Simple: "Incomplete Metamorphosis"; 3 stages: egg, nymph, & adult
-Complete: 4 distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, & adult
5. Ch.1 Explain how temperature and humidity affect insect development: -
*Temperature & humidity preferences vary for each insect.
*Combined effect of both on reproduction & development is more dramaticallydifferent than
the effect of either alone.
-Temperature: development is faster with heat & slower with cold temps; insects dieat the high
levels of developmental threshold temps and become inactive at low levels
-Humidity: effects insect diseases; effects moisture levels required for survival
6. Ch.1 List the advantages and disadvantages of using insecticides: Advantages:
-Effective against economically damaging pests
-Can combine 1 or 2 insecticides to combat several pests
-They act quickly to control pests before reaching damaging levels
-For new pests, there are many compounds that have been proven effective
-Effective insecticides, suitable formulations, & application equipment are normallyavailable
Disadvantages:
,-Often eliminate beneficial insects, allowing target organisms to rebound quickly
-Repeated exposure can lead to resistance in a pest population
-Yearly dependence on applications is an added cost
-Always a potential for drift, residues, and damage
7. Ch.2 Explain what determines whether a given plant is a weed: Weeds areunwanted plants
8. Ch.2 List the two main goals of weed management: 1. Minimize weed competition
2. Limit the weed's reproduction so that you can still manage the weed populationin future
years
9. Ch.2 Describe ways that weeds can pose problems in turf and landscapes(7): -Interfere with
management practices
-Produce chemical inhibitors that directly retard the growth of desirable plants(allelopathy)
-Create a poor impression on customers
-Interferes with pesticide applications
-Support insect pests and plant diseases or provide cover for rodents
-Are poisonous, allergenic, or irritating to people or pets
-Dry out or die and become fire hazards
10. Ch.2 Distinguish grasses from broadleaf plants and woody from herba- ceous plants: -
Grasses (Monocots): most common weeds; have a single seed leaf(cotyledon) when they
germinate; narrow leaves with parallel viens
-Broadleaves (Dicots): have 2 seed leaves when they germinate; veins form a net-like or
branching pattern; can be broken down into Woody and Herbaceousplants
--> Woody: have thickened outer layer on stems (bark)
--> Herbaceous: lacks bark
11. Ch. 2 Describe the life cycles and propagation of annual, biennial, and perennial plants: -
Annuals: live less than 12 months; most seeds germinate thefollowing year, some are dormant
taking several years; prolific seed producers.
--> Summer Annuals: germinate from seed in spring, flower/produce seeds insummer, die in
late summer/early fall.
--> Winter Annuals: germinate from seed in fall, overwinter as low-growing plants,
flower/produce seeds in spring, then die.
-Biennials: live for 2 growing seasons; germinate from seeds in spring or summerand produce
a rosette of leaves, overwinter in rosette stage, flower the following year, produce seed, and
die.
,-Perennials: live for at least 2 years, sometimes longer; may reproduce by seed orspread
vegetatively (stolons, rhizomes, spreading roots, tubers, bulbs)
12. Ch.2 Outline what is needed to kill annual, biennial, and perennial weedsand when it is
easiest to do so: -Annuals: kill the whole shoot by tillage or with herbicides during seeding
stage.
--> Summer Annuals: kill with tillage or herbicides during seeding stage.
--> Winter Annuals: kill with tillage or herbicides during seeding stage.
-Biennials: best controlled with herbicides during rosette stage.
Perennials: controlled by repeatedly tilling or with herbicides that translocates to allplant parts.
13. Ch.2 Distinguish the difference between preplant, preemergence, andpostemergence
herbicide applications: -Preplant: done before planting.
-Preemergence: usually (not always) done after planting but before plants/weedsemerge.
-Postemergence: done selectively after plants/weeds emerge; timing is important; ifthe
desirable plant is smaller or larger than the growth stage listed on the label, it may be
damaged by the herbicide.
14. Ch.2 Explain the effects of soil texture, organic matter, and pH and her- bicide
persistence on herbicide activity: -Fine textured soils or soils with high organic matter often
require higher herbicide rates than soils with coarser texture orlow 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 herbicidepersistence.
-Excessive leaching on sandy soils with shallow water tables may result in ground-water
contamination.
15. Ch.2 Describe how and when to make a basal-bark treatment: -Apply sprayto 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 whensnow or water
prevent spraying to the ground
16. 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 indiameter.
-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.
17. Ch.2 List steps to take when applying herbicides to minimize adverseeffects in urban
areas: -Prevent spray drift, drift of volatile products, runoff.
-Spray when weeds are most susceptible so the minimum amount of herbicideresults 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 suscep-tible.
-Avoid applying herbicides on dry, compacted soils
-Keep pesticides off impermeable surfaces
18. Chapter 2 Know the Law: State and local laws require landowners to controlcertain weeds
to prevent their spread and distribution
19. Ch.3 Define plant disease and what causes it: Any harmful change in thephysiology
and/or structure of a plant caused by some outside agent.
20. 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)
21. Ch.3 Describe how the major groups of plant pathogens are spread fromplant 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 anoth-er, seed
borne, vegetative propagation
-Viroids: mechanical transmission, vegetative propagation
22. Ch.3 List the four prerequisites for plant disease to occur: 1. A pathogenpopulation
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
23. Ch.3 Describe clues that help you distinguish plant diseases from plant injury: -Disease:
starts small, gradually increases in size and severity over severaldays.
