WISCONSIN PESTICIDE APPLICATOR ACTUAL FINAL PAPER
2025/2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔Ch.3 List the four prerequisites for plant disease to occur - ✔✔1. A pathogen
population 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
✔✔Ch.3 Describe clues that help you distinguish plant diseases from plant injury - ✔✔-
Disease: starts small, gradually increases in size and severity over several days.
-Injury: appears suddenly in a uniform pattern
✔✔Ch.3 List factors that call for using pesticides to control plant diseases (4) - ✔✔1.
Other control practices are unavailable or inadequate
2. The plant has high aesthetic value or its use allows little tolerance for disease
3. Quality is reduced by even a low level of disease
4. A sudden and unexpected disease outbreak occurs
✔✔Ch.3 List some of the uses and limitations of soil fungicides - ✔✔Uses: act as
protectants
Limitations: somewhat eradicative
✔✔Ch.3 Explain why you need full coverage when using a foliar fungicide, and how to
get such coverage - ✔✔Reduced rate/lower spray volumes may not be effective.
Requires saturation with multiple applications to get full coverage.
✔✔Ch.3 List examples of abiotic agents that induce plant injury - ✔✔Temperature
extremes; Soil moisture extremes; Reduced oxygen levels; Unfavorable light conditions;
Naturally occurring toxic chemicals; Salt; Soil compaction; Deficiency, excess, or
imbalance of soil nutrients; Pollutants
✔✔Ch.4 Describe factors that complicate management of pest mammals (5) -
✔✔Mobility, Unpredictability, Public Perception, Legal Status, Management Techniques
✔✔Ch.4 Explain the regulations regarding the use of pesticides to control mammals -
✔✔Using pesticides to control mammals and birds is strictly regulated and often
involves obtaining special permits from the WI Dept of Ag, Trade, and Consumer
Protection (DATCP) and/or the WI DNR
✔✔Ch.4 Describe the damage that pests discussed in this chapter can cause to turf and
landscapes - ✔✔-Meadow Mice: girdle roots, kill/injure trees and shrubs.
-Rabbits: browse on bark and branches of trees and shrubs.
-Moles: tunnels interfere with mowing, expose roots to air killing grass/other plants.
,-Ground Squirrels: problem in gardens and lawns.
-Skunks: mostly beneficial, disliked because of stink
-Deer: damage woody plants by feeding on buds and young branches, rubbing,
trampling.
✔✔Ch.4 Outline your management options for controlling the pests discussed in this
chapter - ✔✔-Meadow Mice: rodenticide baits
-Rabbits: no lethal pesticides; virtually impossible to eliminate.
-Moles: poison baits with food.
-Ground Squirrels: toxic bait or rodenticides for large areas.
-Skunks: no lethal pesticides; trapping or habitat destruction.
-Deer: repellents, scare devices, fencing
✔✔Chapter 4 Know the Law - ✔✔You need a use permit to use any pesticide for the
control of mammals (other than rats and mice) or to use strychnine or 1080
✔✔Ch.5 Define the word pesticide and explain how the word differs from specific types
of pesticides - ✔✔Any substance used to directly control pest populations or to prevent
or reduce pest damage
✔✔Ch.5 Contrast the difference between organic, inorganic, and microbial pesticides -
✔✔-Organic: the compound contains the element carbon; some derived from plant
extracts; some synthetic.
-Inorganic: derived from minerals that occur in nature; toxic to many organisms; less
effective than organic compounds.
-Microbial: are bacteria, fungi, viruses that cause disease.
✔✔Ch.5 Explain the difference between the different types of pesticide names (3) -
✔✔1. Chemical Names: given to each active ingredient; name is long, hard to
pronounce, difficult to use.
2. Common Names: refers to an active ingredient, regardless of
manufacturer/formulator.
3. Trade Names: manufacturer specific name for each formulation of an active
ingredient.
✔✔Ch.5 Explain the difference between contact and systemic insecticides - ✔✔-
Contact: not absorbed by treated plants; pesticides must directly touch the pest or pest
site to be effective.
-Systemic: absorbed through leaves or roots of treated plants; translocated within plant
✔✔Ch.5 Outline the characteristics of the insecticide groups discussed in this chapter
(5) - ✔✔1. Synthetic Organic Insecticides: most widely used group; manufactured.
2. Botanicals: plant-derived; nonpersistent; can be very toxic to humans.
3. Oils: derived from crude petroleum oil; suffocates pests; requires thorough coverage.
, 4. Insecticidal Soaps: fats; disrupt the respiratory system and cell membranes; coverage
is critical.
5. Microbial Insecticides:
--> Bt: naturally occurring bacteria; targets caterpillar pests.
--> Milky Spore Powders: bacterium; causes milky spore disease in Japanese Beetles
✔✔Ch.5 Compare selective and nonselective herbicides - ✔✔-Selective: control certain
weeds without damaging desirable plants.
-Nonselective: toxic to most or all plants.
✔✔Ch.5 Outline the uses and characteristics of contact and systemic herbicides - ✔✔-
Contact: kill the parts of the plant they actually touch.
-Systemic: absorbed through leaves/roots and translocated within the plant.
✔✔Ch5. Contrast protectant and post-infection fungicides and explain how each are
used - ✔✔-Protectant: applied before disease develops to protect plant; apply
repeatedly during growing season.
-Post-Infection: kill/inhibit growth/development of fungus after it has been established;
mostly effective in first 48 hours.
✔✔Ch.5 Describe the type of rodenticides used to control rats and mice -
✔✔Anticoagulants or Acute Compounds: after being ingested, damages capillaries and
reduces the ability of the blood to clot, dies from internal bleeding
✔✔Ch.6 Describe the function of inert ingredients - ✔✔-Do not posses pesticidal activity
-Added to improve application effectiveness, safety, handling, storage, other
characteristics of the final product
✔✔Ch.6 Explain why there are different kinds of formulations and what items you need
to consider when selecting one - ✔✔1. The chemistry of the active ingredient itself
dictates what formulations are possible.
2. Different formulations offer different advantages.
*Considerations:
-Different formulations of an active ingredient may be less effective than another in a
given situation.
-One formulation of an active ingredient may be less effective than another in a given
situation.
-The price per pound of active ingredient may differ among formulations.
-You can measure liquid formulations more easily than dry ones.
-Formulations vary in characteristics such as ability to remain in suspension or solution
and the tendency to damage sprayer components.
-You don't need to dilute pesticides that are applied as solids, however it is often difficult
to apply them uniformly.
-Dry formulations are easier to clean up than liquid ones when spilled.
-In general, freezing temps in the storage area affect dry formulations less than liquids.
2025/2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔Ch.3 List the four prerequisites for plant disease to occur - ✔✔1. A pathogen
population 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
✔✔Ch.3 Describe clues that help you distinguish plant diseases from plant injury - ✔✔-
Disease: starts small, gradually increases in size and severity over several days.
-Injury: appears suddenly in a uniform pattern
✔✔Ch.3 List factors that call for using pesticides to control plant diseases (4) - ✔✔1.
Other control practices are unavailable or inadequate
2. The plant has high aesthetic value or its use allows little tolerance for disease
3. Quality is reduced by even a low level of disease
4. A sudden and unexpected disease outbreak occurs
✔✔Ch.3 List some of the uses and limitations of soil fungicides - ✔✔Uses: act as
protectants
Limitations: somewhat eradicative
✔✔Ch.3 Explain why you need full coverage when using a foliar fungicide, and how to
get such coverage - ✔✔Reduced rate/lower spray volumes may not be effective.
Requires saturation with multiple applications to get full coverage.
✔✔Ch.3 List examples of abiotic agents that induce plant injury - ✔✔Temperature
extremes; Soil moisture extremes; Reduced oxygen levels; Unfavorable light conditions;
Naturally occurring toxic chemicals; Salt; Soil compaction; Deficiency, excess, or
imbalance of soil nutrients; Pollutants
✔✔Ch.4 Describe factors that complicate management of pest mammals (5) -
✔✔Mobility, Unpredictability, Public Perception, Legal Status, Management Techniques
✔✔Ch.4 Explain the regulations regarding the use of pesticides to control mammals -
✔✔Using pesticides to control mammals and birds is strictly regulated and often
involves obtaining special permits from the WI Dept of Ag, Trade, and Consumer
Protection (DATCP) and/or the WI DNR
✔✔Ch.4 Describe the damage that pests discussed in this chapter can cause to turf and
landscapes - ✔✔-Meadow Mice: girdle roots, kill/injure trees and shrubs.
-Rabbits: browse on bark and branches of trees and shrubs.
-Moles: tunnels interfere with mowing, expose roots to air killing grass/other plants.
,-Ground Squirrels: problem in gardens and lawns.
-Skunks: mostly beneficial, disliked because of stink
-Deer: damage woody plants by feeding on buds and young branches, rubbing,
trampling.
✔✔Ch.4 Outline your management options for controlling the pests discussed in this
chapter - ✔✔-Meadow Mice: rodenticide baits
-Rabbits: no lethal pesticides; virtually impossible to eliminate.
-Moles: poison baits with food.
-Ground Squirrels: toxic bait or rodenticides for large areas.
-Skunks: no lethal pesticides; trapping or habitat destruction.
-Deer: repellents, scare devices, fencing
✔✔Chapter 4 Know the Law - ✔✔You need a use permit to use any pesticide for the
control of mammals (other than rats and mice) or to use strychnine or 1080
✔✔Ch.5 Define the word pesticide and explain how the word differs from specific types
of pesticides - ✔✔Any substance used to directly control pest populations or to prevent
or reduce pest damage
✔✔Ch.5 Contrast the difference between organic, inorganic, and microbial pesticides -
✔✔-Organic: the compound contains the element carbon; some derived from plant
extracts; some synthetic.
-Inorganic: derived from minerals that occur in nature; toxic to many organisms; less
effective than organic compounds.
-Microbial: are bacteria, fungi, viruses that cause disease.
✔✔Ch.5 Explain the difference between the different types of pesticide names (3) -
✔✔1. Chemical Names: given to each active ingredient; name is long, hard to
pronounce, difficult to use.
2. Common Names: refers to an active ingredient, regardless of
manufacturer/formulator.
3. Trade Names: manufacturer specific name for each formulation of an active
ingredient.
✔✔Ch.5 Explain the difference between contact and systemic insecticides - ✔✔-
Contact: not absorbed by treated plants; pesticides must directly touch the pest or pest
site to be effective.
-Systemic: absorbed through leaves or roots of treated plants; translocated within plant
✔✔Ch.5 Outline the characteristics of the insecticide groups discussed in this chapter
(5) - ✔✔1. Synthetic Organic Insecticides: most widely used group; manufactured.
2. Botanicals: plant-derived; nonpersistent; can be very toxic to humans.
3. Oils: derived from crude petroleum oil; suffocates pests; requires thorough coverage.
, 4. Insecticidal Soaps: fats; disrupt the respiratory system and cell membranes; coverage
is critical.
5. Microbial Insecticides:
--> Bt: naturally occurring bacteria; targets caterpillar pests.
--> Milky Spore Powders: bacterium; causes milky spore disease in Japanese Beetles
✔✔Ch.5 Compare selective and nonselective herbicides - ✔✔-Selective: control certain
weeds without damaging desirable plants.
-Nonselective: toxic to most or all plants.
✔✔Ch.5 Outline the uses and characteristics of contact and systemic herbicides - ✔✔-
Contact: kill the parts of the plant they actually touch.
-Systemic: absorbed through leaves/roots and translocated within the plant.
✔✔Ch5. Contrast protectant and post-infection fungicides and explain how each are
used - ✔✔-Protectant: applied before disease develops to protect plant; apply
repeatedly during growing season.
-Post-Infection: kill/inhibit growth/development of fungus after it has been established;
mostly effective in first 48 hours.
✔✔Ch.5 Describe the type of rodenticides used to control rats and mice -
✔✔Anticoagulants or Acute Compounds: after being ingested, damages capillaries and
reduces the ability of the blood to clot, dies from internal bleeding
✔✔Ch.6 Describe the function of inert ingredients - ✔✔-Do not posses pesticidal activity
-Added to improve application effectiveness, safety, handling, storage, other
characteristics of the final product
✔✔Ch.6 Explain why there are different kinds of formulations and what items you need
to consider when selecting one - ✔✔1. The chemistry of the active ingredient itself
dictates what formulations are possible.
2. Different formulations offer different advantages.
*Considerations:
-Different formulations of an active ingredient may be less effective than another in a
given situation.
-One formulation of an active ingredient may be less effective than another in a given
situation.
-The price per pound of active ingredient may differ among formulations.
-You can measure liquid formulations more easily than dry ones.
-Formulations vary in characteristics such as ability to remain in suspension or solution
and the tendency to damage sprayer components.
-You don't need to dilute pesticides that are applied as solids, however it is often difficult
to apply them uniformly.
-Dry formulations are easier to clean up than liquid ones when spilled.
-In general, freezing temps in the storage area affect dry formulations less than liquids.
