Turf Pest Control Flashcards
List three items included in turf grass management.
- Proper grass selection
- Mowing
- Thatch control
An example of a cool season grass is
bluegrass
What causes all serious infectious diseases in the mid-west?
fungi and nematodes
How can trimming shrubs provide disease control in turf?
More sun and airflow can circulate around turf?
The first step in the control of any turf grass disease is
accurate diagnosis
To diagnose turf grass diseases, the following is important
- review cultural and chemical practices
- determining the overall distribution of the disease
- observe symptoms on individual plants
The optimum temperature for pink snow mold is:
45 to 32 F
Drechslera melting-out disease is caused by a:
Fungus
From a distance, rust infected turf appears:
dull yellow
The best means of avoiding and controlling smut is to:
plant smut resistant bluegrass varieties
Control powdery mildew by:
pruning trees and shrubs to increase sunlight
In the control of large patch fungus, it is important to:
avoid overwatering in fall and early spring
Spring dead spot is the most common and destructive disease of
bermudagrass
Fairy ring is caused by:
Fungi
Necrotic ring spot symptoms may be confused with summer patch and ___
fairy ring
Damping-off seed rot is caused by:
fungi
Under favorable environmental conditions and mowing heights greater than ___ inches, dollar spots may exceed 6 inches in diameter.
2
Rhizoctonia brown patch is the most common and important disease on
tall fescue
In the control of brown patch ___ is important.
- proper fertilization
- proper irrigation
- proper air circulation
Summer patch is:
extremely difficult to control
Nematodes are:
- harmless
- beneficial
- plant parasitic
Slime molds are ___ parasitic on plants.
not
Chlorosis is when the turf becomes ___ in color.
yellowish
Moss occurs in lawns with:
- low fertility, high acidity
- poor drainage, compaction
- excess shade
Knotweed and spurge are examples of
broadleaf summer annual weeds
___ are the most difficult weeds to control in turf grass.
perennial grass weeds
When should warm season grasses be fertilized?
Between mid-May and mid-August
___ is a low growing compact, tufted winter annual that does not have rhizomes and has leaves that are soft light green and boat-shaped at the tip.
annual bluegrass
Common chickweed:
is found frequently in the shade
___ forms a large rosette with the leaves often tinted reddish colored with crinkled edges; it does not usually flower when growing in lawns.
curly dock
___ is a warm season grass found frequently in thin bluegrass stands; it has flattened stems which are whitish near the base and a very fibrous root system that is hard to pull.
goosegrass
Henbit:
usually blossoms in the early spring
___ is a winter annual and may be confused with dandelions since the leaves form a rosette in the fall.
sheperdspurse
The thistle is a
perennial or bennial
The common yarrow is:
strongly scented
A preemergence herbicide:
- is applied to the soil
- works best on annuals
- stops growth of the seed
2,4-D is an example of a:
selective postemergence herbicide
Why is it dangerous to apply ester formulations around ornamentals?
volatilization or vapor hazards
When are granular formulations of postemergence herbicides more effective?
- When weeds are damp
- when applied in late evening or early morning
The following is true concerning gravity flow liquid applicators:
eliminate drifting
A “hose end” sprayer is a common name used for:
water pressure applicators
A common factor influencing weed control with soil-applied herbicides and foliage-applied herbicides is:
spray additives
How can spray drift and possible damage to non target plants be minimized?
apply spray when wind is less than 10 mph
Spraying equipment used for phenoxy herbicides:
should not be used for other pesticides unless thoroughly cleaned
Where should pesticides not be stored?
in greenhouses
Low pressure sprayers are:
used mainly on turf
High pressure sprayer handguns are not usually recommended for:
Golf greens
The following is true concerning turf grass pest control:
a working knowledge of common pests is important to control them
What other problems can resemble insect damage?
- improper mowing
- fertilizer burn
- the nature of a particular grass variety
To check and see if the treatment method was successful or not is known as:
evaluation
The following is true concerning thatch in lawns:
it is conducive to lawn disease
The most destructive turf pest in Kansas is the:
bluegrass sod webworm
How do sod web worms damage turf?
They chew off blades near the soil and expose the crown to the sun.
When should control measures for sod webworms be considered?
If 2-4 webworms per 1 square foot are found.
The buffalo grass sod webworm is a pest in:
Western Kansas
When is injury from the buffalo grass sod webworm more severe?
hot, dry weather
Why is it hard to detect buffalo sod webworm caterpillars?
- they hide in tunnels underground
- They are not affected by the water-detergent mixture which exposes most insects
When should you treat turf for cutworm damage.
there is no set time for these insects; you must watch for their damage.
What is buffalo grass sod webworm damage?
- spots on turf with leaf blades missing and silk tubes across surface of soil
- pulling on infested grass may not remove roots because damaged stems break off easily
- the loss of leaves exposes grass stem to sun and may kill crown
___ are frequently confused with chinch bugs; however, they eat other small insects and should be protected.
big eyed bugs
Chinch bugs are usually more damaging during:
hot, dry weather
The following is true concerning ants:
they have a narrow waistline and may be winged or wingless
How many summers can “May beetle” white grubs feed on turf grass before they become adults?
3
Lawns infested with the c-shaped white grubs often attract ___ which may tear up the sod searching for them.
Moles and skunks
When applying granular insecticides to treat white grubs remember:
that thatch will reduce their effectiveness
What are the differences between white grubs and bill bug grubs?
billbug grubs have no legs and white grubs have 6
Symptoms of billbug grub infestation:
- resemble white grub damage
- are small patches of brown or dying sod
The black turf grass grub (Ataenius spretulus) is:
a pest of bent grass golf course greens
Which species of skunk is protected by Kansas regulations?
spotted skunk
The best method for controlling skunks is:
removal and relocation
A permanent mole tunnel can be identified by:
a circular mound of dirt
The best method of mole control is:
trapping
When is the best time to control pocket gophers?
spring
When using poison grain to control pocket gophers, what is the best method of application?
using a burrow builder
Fumigation for pocket gophers is of limited use because:
contamination of ground water will always result after the gophers are poisoned
Phytotoxicity is:
undesirable injury to plants
Crop rotation on soils containing pesticide residue:
may damage or kill plants
Cool season turf grasses include ___. Herbicides which control weeds in warm season grasses may injure or kill these plants.
bluegrasses and fescues
What are two types of spray drift associated with pesticides?
spray droplet and vapor drift
Airblast sprayers should never be used to apply:
herbicides
Postemergence herbicides generally last ___ depending on the specific herbicide involved.
1-2 days to 3-4 weeks
How can commercial applicators prevent pesticide hazards to humans when spraying turf grass?
- make sure you thane the correct yard before spraying
- remove all clothing from the area
- sweep or rinse away spray puddles
