AL Pesticide Applicator flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Section 24(c) registration

Special local need registration issued by a state for a use not on the federal label; the supplemental label must be in the applicator's possession and applies only within that state.

Section 18 exemption

Emergency EPA authorization allowing a limited, time-specific use of a pesticide for a pest outbreak or quarantine situation; the exemption letter states the exact product, site, and conditions.

Section 2(ee) recommendation

Written recommendation permitting a use not on the label but on a registered site, at a lower rate or against an unlisted pest; it never allows a higher rate.

Restricted-use pesticide

Pesticide classified for retail sale only to certified applicators because of acute toxicity or environmental hazard; it may be applied only by or under the direct supervision of a certified applicator.

Signal word DANGER

Category I signal word meaning the product is highly toxic by at least one route; such products also carry the word POISON and a skull and crossbones.

Preharvest interval (PHI)

Number of days that must pass between the last pesticide application and harvest, grazing, or slaughter, as listed under the label directions for each crop.

Alabama lead pesticide agency

The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries registers pesticides, certifies applicators, and investigates misuse complaints in Alabama; the Alabama Cooperative Extension System delivers applicator training.

Economic threshold

Pest density at which control should begin to keep the population from reaching the economic injury level, where crop loss equals the cost of control.

Degree-day model

Method that predicts insect development by accumulating daily heat above a base temperature, so scouting and treatments can be timed to the vulnerable life stage.

Sedges have edges

Weed identification rule: sedge stems are triangular with three rows of leaves, grass stems are round and hollow, and broadleaves have netted veins and two cotyledons.

Mode-of-action rotation

Alternating pesticide groups with different sites of action, coded by WSSA for herbicides, IRAC for insecticides, and FRAC for fungicides, to slow resistance.

Augmentation biological control

Releasing or conserving natural enemies such as lady beetles, lacewings, and parasitic wasps to suppress pests, often allowing reduced or eliminated insecticide applications.

Cogongrass identification

Invasive perennial grass in Alabama with an off-center whitish midrib and sharp rhizomes; it spreads underground, so mowing without herbicide can make infestations worse.

LD50

Dose of a pesticide that kills 50 percent of a test population, expressed in milligrams per kilogram of body weight; a lower value indicates greater toxicity.

Reentry interval (REI)

Label-specified period after application during which entry into the treated area is restricted to protect workers; early entry may be allowed only with label-specified PPE.

Atropine antidote

Drug a physician uses to treat organophosphate or carbamate poisoning, which causes excess acetylcholine by inhibiting cholinesterase enzymes at nerve endings.

SLUDGE syndrome

Mnemonic for organophosphate poisoning signs: salivation, lacrimation, urination, diarrhea, gastrointestinal upset, and emesis, all caused by excess acetylcholine.

Chemical-resistant gloves

Gloves of nitrile, neoprene, butyl, or similar material that resist pesticide penetration; leather and cloth gloves absorb pesticides and are never acceptable for handling concentrates.

Wettable powder formulation

Dry powder that forms a suspension in water, requires constant agitation, is measured by weight, and is generally less likely than an EC to injure sensitive foliage.

Microencapsulated formulation

Formulation with active ingredient enclosed in tiny polymer capsules that release slowly; highly toxic to bees because capsules cling to pollen and are carried back to hives.

5940 calibration constant

Constant in the formula GPA = (GPM per nozzle x 5940) divided by (MPH x nozzle spacing in inches), converting nozzle output, speed, and spacing into gallons per acre.

1/128 acre calibration method

Calibration shortcut in which one nozzle is caught over 204 feet at 20-inch spacing, so the ounces collected equal gallons per acre.

Flow versus pressure

Nozzle output changes with the square root of pressure, so quadrupling pressure doubles flow while shrinking droplet size and increasing drift potential.

Flat fan nozzle

Broadcast nozzle producing a tapered pattern; nozzles spaced evenly along the boom overlap about 50 percent so the swath is covered uniformly.

Air-induction nozzle

Venturi nozzle that mixes air into the liquid stream to form large air-filled droplets, reducing fine drift while keeping adequate coverage.

Tank acres calculation

Acres covered per tank equals tank capacity in gallons divided by spray rate in gallons per acre; multiply by the per-acre rate for product needed.

Temperature inversion

Condition with light wind and air temperature increasing with height; fine droplets stay suspended and move long distances, so spraying must be postponed.

Volatilization drift

Vapor movement of pesticide after application; risk rises with high temperature and low humidity and is greater for ester than for amine formulations.

Leaching potential

Downward movement of pesticide through soil toward groundwater, favored by high water solubility, low soil binding, long persistence, and sandy low-organic-matter soils.

Buffer zone

Untreated distance between the treated area and a sensitive site such as a well, stream, school, or apiary; labels may require a minimum width.

Back-siphoning

Reverse flow of a pesticide mixture into a water supply when a hose stays in the tank; prevented by an air gap or a working anti-siphon device.

Protecting pollinators

Apply before bloom or after petal fall, spray in late evening when bees are not foraging, and avoid dust and microencapsulated products during bloom.