WISCONSIN PESTICIDE APPLICATOR
EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2025 | TURF &
LANDSCAPE | COMPLETE VERSION
(ALL CHAPTERS) | GRADED A+ \\\\
WISCONSIN PESTICIDE APPLICATOR
What determines whether a given plant is a weed? -ANSWER-.....A weed is
any unwanted plant
What are the two main goals of weed management? -ANSWER-.....The
primary goal is to minimize weed competition and the other main goal is to
limit the weed's reproduction in order to manage the weed population in
years to come.
,Distinguish grasses from broadleaf plants and herbaceous from woody plants
-ANSWER-.....Grasses are considered monocots, meaning they have a single
seed leaf, they also have narrow leaves with parallel veins and a fibrous root
system. Broadleaf plants have two seed leaves and are therefore called dicots,
they have broad leaves with veins that form a net patterns. Broadleaf plants
can be further classified into herbaceous and woody, where the woody plants
have a thick layer of dense tissue called bark, which herbaceous plants lack.
Describe the life cycles and propagation of annual, biennial, and perennial
plants -ANSWER-.....Annual plants live for less than a year, they produce
many seeds in one growing season, and then die. Summer annuals winter as
seeds, and winter annuals winter as a low-growing plant, both summer and
winter annuals are easiest to control when they are small. Biennial plants live
for two growing seasons, they germinate from seed in the spring or summer
and winter as a rosette of leaves. They flower in their second year, produce
seeds and then die. Both annuals and biennials reproduce only by seed.
Perennial plants live for at least 2 years and sometimes longer, they may
reproduce by seed or vegetatively through several different mechanisms.
,What is needed to kill annual, biennial, and perennial weeds and when is it
easiest to do so? -ANSWER-.....To kill annuals or biennials, you must kill the
whole shoot. Controlling these weeds with tillage or herbicides will kill them
plus stop seed production, which will reduce future weed problems. The
most effective way to kill perennials is to destroy the underground vegetative
structures by either repeatedly tilling the soil or by using a herbicide that
translocates to destroy all of the plant parts.
How should you time herbicide application with respect to a plant's life cycle
and which timing is most effective? -ANSWER-.....All weeds may start as
seedlings and it is most effective to treat the plants at this stage because less
energy is required to kill the plants at this stage than at any other. Biennials
and Annuals are controlled by a fall or early spring treatment, and perennials
are controlled best with a fall treatment as well.
, What are the effects of soil texture and organic matter content on
application of soil herbicides? -ANSWER-.....Soil organic matter and clay
particles can adsorb soil-applied herbicides, meaning more herbicide will be
required in these types of soils because the herbicide will be bound to the
soil particles and will not be available to be absorbed by the weeds.
How do you keep soil herbicides from moving off target? -ANSWER-.....Do
not apply herbicides to areas where they may leach into groundwater, or run
off into water sources or cropping areas. Also avoid applying herbicides to
areas where desired tree and shrub roots may extend and DO NOT apply
herbicides to frozen soils.
How and when should you apply soil herbicides? -ANSWER-.....Soil
treatments are commonly used when a site requires residual non-selective
control, such as electric transformer stations, rail ballasts and signpost bases.
They can be applied any time that the soil is not frozen, and some soil
applied herbicides need to be transported by rain to be absorbed by the
plant.
EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2025 | TURF &
LANDSCAPE | COMPLETE VERSION
(ALL CHAPTERS) | GRADED A+ \\\\
WISCONSIN PESTICIDE APPLICATOR
What determines whether a given plant is a weed? -ANSWER-.....A weed is
any unwanted plant
What are the two main goals of weed management? -ANSWER-.....The
primary goal is to minimize weed competition and the other main goal is to
limit the weed's reproduction in order to manage the weed population in
years to come.
,Distinguish grasses from broadleaf plants and herbaceous from woody plants
-ANSWER-.....Grasses are considered monocots, meaning they have a single
seed leaf, they also have narrow leaves with parallel veins and a fibrous root
system. Broadleaf plants have two seed leaves and are therefore called dicots,
they have broad leaves with veins that form a net patterns. Broadleaf plants
can be further classified into herbaceous and woody, where the woody plants
have a thick layer of dense tissue called bark, which herbaceous plants lack.
Describe the life cycles and propagation of annual, biennial, and perennial
plants -ANSWER-.....Annual plants live for less than a year, they produce
many seeds in one growing season, and then die. Summer annuals winter as
seeds, and winter annuals winter as a low-growing plant, both summer and
winter annuals are easiest to control when they are small. Biennial plants live
for two growing seasons, they germinate from seed in the spring or summer
and winter as a rosette of leaves. They flower in their second year, produce
seeds and then die. Both annuals and biennials reproduce only by seed.
Perennial plants live for at least 2 years and sometimes longer, they may
reproduce by seed or vegetatively through several different mechanisms.
,What is needed to kill annual, biennial, and perennial weeds and when is it
easiest to do so? -ANSWER-.....To kill annuals or biennials, you must kill the
whole shoot. Controlling these weeds with tillage or herbicides will kill them
plus stop seed production, which will reduce future weed problems. The
most effective way to kill perennials is to destroy the underground vegetative
structures by either repeatedly tilling the soil or by using a herbicide that
translocates to destroy all of the plant parts.
How should you time herbicide application with respect to a plant's life cycle
and which timing is most effective? -ANSWER-.....All weeds may start as
seedlings and it is most effective to treat the plants at this stage because less
energy is required to kill the plants at this stage than at any other. Biennials
and Annuals are controlled by a fall or early spring treatment, and perennials
are controlled best with a fall treatment as well.
, What are the effects of soil texture and organic matter content on
application of soil herbicides? -ANSWER-.....Soil organic matter and clay
particles can adsorb soil-applied herbicides, meaning more herbicide will be
required in these types of soils because the herbicide will be bound to the
soil particles and will not be available to be absorbed by the weeds.
How do you keep soil herbicides from moving off target? -ANSWER-.....Do
not apply herbicides to areas where they may leach into groundwater, or run
off into water sources or cropping areas. Also avoid applying herbicides to
areas where desired tree and shrub roots may extend and DO NOT apply
herbicides to frozen soils.
How and when should you apply soil herbicides? -ANSWER-.....Soil
treatments are commonly used when a site requires residual non-selective
control, such as electric transformer stations, rail ballasts and signpost bases.
They can be applied any time that the soil is not frozen, and some soil
applied herbicides need to be transported by rain to be absorbed by the
plant.
