Pest and Weed Management Flashcards

What is the primary mechanism by which glyphosate kills plants?

Answer: Inhibits the EPSPS enzyme in the shikimate pathway, blocking aromatic amino acid synthesis

Glyphosate inhibits the EPSPS enzyme in the shikimate pathway, preventing plants from producing essential aromatic amino acids needed for protein synthesis and growth.

Which cultural practice is most effective at slowing the development of herbicide-resistant weed populations?

Answer: Rotating herbicide modes of action and integrating non-chemical weed control

Rotating herbicide modes of action and adding cultural and mechanical controls prevents any single resistance mechanism from becoming dominant in a weed population.

What is the beneficial insect Trichogramma used for in integrated pest management?

Answer: Parasitizing the eggs of lepidopteran pest insects

Trichogramma wasps are minute parasitic insects that lay their eggs inside the eggs of moth and butterfly pests, killing them before they hatch.

What does the term 'action threshold' mean in IPM decision-making?

Answer: The pest level at which management action should be taken to prevent economic damage

The action threshold is the pest population level that triggers a management response before economic damage occurs, allowing time for effective intervention.

Which USDA zone of crop pest reporting helps agronomists track insect migration patterns?

Answer: Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS)

The CAPS program coordinates state and federal surveys to detect and monitor invasive and emerging agricultural pest threats across the US.

What is the primary reason that waterhemp is so difficult to control in corn and soybean production?

Answer: It has an extremely long germination window, is dioecious, and has evolved resistance to many herbicide classes

Waterhemp's extended germination period, separate male and female plants (dioecious), high seed production, and multi-site herbicide resistance make it extremely difficult to manage.