CAC Pest Management & Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Question 1

What is the primary goal of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?

Accepted Answer

Manage pests to economically acceptable levels using multiple strategies while minimizing risks

Answer

IPM aims to keep pest populations below economically damaging thresholds using a combination of cultural, biological, physical, and chemical tactics to minimize environmental and health risks.

Question 2

The Economic Threshold (ET) in pest management is defined as the pest density at which:

Accepted Answer

Control actions must be taken to prevent pest populations from reaching the Economic Injury Level

Answer

The Economic Threshold is the pest population level at which management action should be initiated to prevent the pest from reaching the Economic Injury Level (EIL), where losses equal control costs.

Question 3

Which type of pest scouting method involves walking a field in a specific pattern to obtain representative pest population samples?

Accepted Answer

Systematic transect scouting

Answer

Systematic transect scouting involves walking predetermined paths (transects) across a field to collect unbiased, representative samples of pest populations.

Question 4

A Certified Agricultural Consultant finds aphid populations at 250 per plant on winter wheat. The economic threshold is 300 per plant. What is the most appropriate recommendation?

Accepted Answer

Continue monitoring closely as populations are below the economic threshold

Answer

Since the population (250/plant) is below the economic threshold (300/plant), the correct action is to continue scouting to track whether populations will rise to the action level.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a cultural pest management practice?

Accepted Answer

Rotating crops to disrupt pest life cycles

Answer

Crop rotation is a cultural practice that disrupts the habitat and food supply of host-specific pests, reducing population buildup over successive seasons.

(CAC) Certified Agricultural Consultant Practice Test

(CAC) Certified Agricultural Consultant Practice Test

CAC Pest Management & Integrated Pest Management (IPM)