CPP CPP Pest Management & Integrated Pest Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'pesticide resistance' and how does it develop in pest populations?
- A plant's ability to tolerate pesticide applications
- The development of heritable traits in pest populations that allow survival at previously lethal pesticide doses (Correct answer)
- A pesticide's loss of potency over time in storage
- Regulatory removal of a pesticide from the market
Correct answer: The development of heritable traits in pest populations that allow survival at previously lethal pesticide doses
Pesticide resistance develops when repeated exposure selects for individuals with heritable survival traits, eventually making a product ineffective against a pest population.
Question 2: Which IPM strategy involves rotating pesticide products with different modes of action (MOA) to delay resistance development?
- Mixing pesticides at higher concentrations
- Using only one pesticide product repeatedly
- Rotating to products from different chemical classes or MOA groups each application (Correct answer)
- Applying pesticides only during drought stress
Correct answer: Rotating to products from different chemical classes or MOA groups each application
Rotating pesticides with different modes of action prevents selection pressure from favoring any single resistance mechanism in the pest population.
Question 3: In landscape pest management, what does the term 'host plant resistance' refer to?
- A plant's tolerance of herbicide applications
- Selecting or breeding plant varieties that are naturally less susceptible to specific pests or diseases (Correct answer)
- A plant's ability to absorb more pesticide
- The process of grafting resistant rootstocks
Correct answer: Selecting or breeding plant varieties that are naturally less susceptible to specific pests or diseases
Host plant resistance involves selecting cultivars with natural traits that reduce pest susceptibility, forming a long-term preventive IPM strategy.
Question 4: Which type of biological control agent is commercially available and used in the US to manage fungus gnat larvae in container media?
- Trichogramma wasps
- Steinernema feltiae (beneficial nematodes) (Correct answer)
- Bacillus subtilis
- Chrysoperla carnea (lacewing) eggs
Correct answer: Steinernema feltiae (beneficial nematodes)
Steinernema feltiae is a parasitic nematode applied to growing media to kill fungus gnat larvae before they damage plant roots.
Question 5: What information on a pesticide label indicates the product's relative toxicity to humans?
- The EPA registration number
- The signal word (DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION) (Correct answer)
- The product's net weight
- The storage temperature requirement
Correct answer: The signal word (DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION)
The signal word on a pesticide label — DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION — indicates the product's acute toxicity level to humans, with DANGER being most toxic.
Question 6: What is the re-entry interval (REI) on a pesticide label, and why is it important for CPP professionals?
- Time required for pesticide to break down in soil
- The minimum time workers must wait before entering treated areas without PPE after application (Correct answer)
- The interval between permitted pesticide applications
- The shelf life of the pesticide product
Correct answer: The minimum time workers must wait before entering treated areas without PPE after application
The REI specifies how long workers must stay out of treated areas to avoid harmful pesticide exposure before residues decline to safe levels.
CPP CPP Pest Management & Integrated Pest Management 2
What is 'pesticide resistance' and how does it develop in pest populations?