CGM Pest Management & Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes a systemic pesticide?
- A pesticide that only affects the surface tissue of a plant upon contact
- A pesticide that is absorbed and distributed throughout the plant's vascular tissue (Correct answer)
- A pesticide that functions exclusively in the soil root zone
- A pesticide that kills all organisms it contacts regardless of target specificity
Correct answer: A pesticide that is absorbed and distributed throughout the plant's vascular tissue
Systemic pesticides are absorbed by the plant and translocated through its vascular system, making them effective against pests that feed on internal plant parts.
Question 2: What is 'pesticide resistance' and why is it a concern for grounds managers?
- A pest's innate genetic immunity to all pesticide classes from birth
- A reduction in pesticide effectiveness as pest populations develop the ability to survive previously lethal doses (Correct answer)
- The failure of a pesticide product due to improper storage conditions
- A temporary decrease in pesticide efficacy caused by adverse weather
Correct answer: A reduction in pesticide effectiveness as pest populations develop the ability to survive previously lethal doses
Pesticide resistance occurs when pests evolve survival mechanisms through repeated exposure to the same pesticide, reducing the product's effectiveness over time.
Question 3: What is the best practice to prevent or delay the development of pesticide resistance?
- Increase the application rate above the label recommendation
- Apply pesticides more frequently to eliminate pests before resistance develops
- Rotate pesticides that have different modes of action (Correct answer)
- Rely on a single highly effective pesticide product each season
Correct answer: Rotate pesticides that have different modes of action
Rotating pesticides with different modes of action reduces selection pressure on pest populations, preventing any one resistance trait from becoming dominant.
Question 4: Which insect is one of the most significant white grub pests in managed turfgrass in the United States?
- Aphid (Aphidoidea)
- Japanese beetle larva (Popillia japonica) (Correct answer)
- Silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii)
- Soft scale insect (Coccidae)
Correct answer: Japanese beetle larva (Popillia japonica)
Japanese beetle larvae are among the most damaging white grub pests in U.S. turf, feeding on grass roots and causing large dead patches in lawns and athletic fields.
Question 5: What does the 'restricted-entry interval' (REI) specified on a pesticide label mean?
- The time required to safely mix and load a pesticide before application
- The period after pesticide application during which entry into treated areas is restricted for unprotected workers (Correct answer)
- The limited time window during which a pesticide may legally be applied
- The minimum buffer distance from water bodies where pesticide application is restricted
Correct answer: The period after pesticide application during which entry into treated areas is restricted for unprotected workers
The REI specifies the minimum time that must pass after a pesticide application before workers without appropriate personal protective equipment can re-enter the treated area.
Question 6: Which category of pesticide is specifically designed to prevent or treat fungal diseases in turfgrass?
- Herbicide
- Insecticide
- Fungicide (Correct answer)
- Nematicide
Correct answer: Fungicide
Fungicides are pesticides specifically formulated to prevent or treat fungal diseases such as dollar spot, brown patch, and pythium blight that commonly affect managed turf.
Question 7: Which type of herbicide is applied to prevent weed seed germination before weeds emerge from the soil?
- Post-emergent herbicide
- Systemic herbicide
- Pre-emergent herbicide (Correct answer)
- Non-selective herbicide
Correct answer: Pre-emergent herbicide
Pre-emergent herbicides form a chemical barrier in the soil that inhibits weed seed germination and must be applied before target weed seeds sprout.
CGM Pest Management & Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 2
Which of the following best describes a systemic pesticide?