Ontario Pesticide Landscape Exam cheat sheet

Arthropod classes differ by leg count and body regions: insects have three body regions and six legs, arachnids (mites, spiders) have two body regions and eight legs, and both pass through egg stages.

Complete metamorphosis has four stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult); the larval stage usually causes the most plant damage, while the pupa is a non-feeding resting stage.

Incomplete metamorphosis has three stages (egg, nymph, adult); nymphs resemble small adults and feed on the same host, so control timing must target early instars.

Degree-day accumulation predicts insect development: DD = sum of daily (mean temperature minus lower development threshold), counted only when mean temperature exceeds the threshold.

Weed identification keys: grasses have hollow round stems, two-ranked narrow leaves and sheathing bases; sedges have triangular solid stems; broadleaves have netted veins and two seed leaves.

Annual weeds reproduce by seed and complete their life cycle in one year; biennials form a rosette in year one and flower in year two; perennials regrow from roots, rhizomes, or tubers.

Plant disease diagnosis: leaf spots with halos suggest fungi or bacteria, yellowing in patterns suggests viruses or nutrient deficiency, and vascular wilting with discoloured xylem suggests root or stem pathogens.

Turfgrass diseases are identified by patch shape, lesion type, and weather: dollar spot favours warm humid nights with low nitrogen, while snow moulds appear after prolonged snow cover.

IPM sequence: identify the pest, monitor and set an action threshold, select tactics (cultural, mechanical, biological, chemical), apply, then evaluate and record results.

Economic threshold is the pest density at which control prevents damage exceeding control cost; economic injury level is the lowest density that causes economic loss.

Monitoring tools include sticky cards, pheromone traps, pitfall traps, sweep nets, soil sampling, and visual inspection of growing points and leaf undersides.

Cultural controls include resistant cultivars, crop rotation, sanitation, mowing height, fertility balance, irrigation timing, and reducing bare soil where weeds establish.

Biological controls include predators, parasitoids, and pathogens; they are most effective when pest populations are low and broad-spectrum insecticides are avoided.

Resistance management: rotate among mode-of-action groups, avoid repeated applications of one group, and use labelled rates rather than sub-lethal doses.

Treatment decisions require confirming pest identity, life stage, host susceptibility, and weather forecast, because applications made at the wrong stage waste product.

Formulation codes: EC (emulsifiable concentrate, solvent-based), WP/WDG (wettable powder or water-dispersible granule, suspension), SC (suspension concentrate), SL (soluble liquid), and G (granule).

Adjuvants modify spray properties: surfactants lower surface tension, stickers improve rainfastness, spreaders increase coverage, and drift-control agents increase droplet size.

Mode-of-action groups follow resistance-action codes: contact herbicides kill only treated tissue, while systemic herbicides translocate via xylem (upward) or phloem (downward to roots).

Selective herbicides exploit differences in uptake, translocation, and detoxification between species; non-selective products kill most vegetation on contact or uptake.

Insecticide classes: organophosphates and carbamates inhibit cholinesterase, pyrethroids act on sodium channels, neonicotinoids act on nicotinic receptors, and insect growth regulators disrupt moulting.

Fungicides divide into protectants applied before infection and eradicants or systemics applied after early infection; protectants require thorough coverage of new growth.

Product compatibility: perform a jar test before tank mixing, add products in the order specified on the label, and never mix incompatible formulations that curdle or form sludge.

The label is a legal document; it states the guaranteed analysis, registered use sites, application rates, restricted-entry intervals, and personal protective equipment requirements.

Use inconsistent with the label is an offence; the label directions and precautions must be followed, and the most restrictive instruction governs when statements conflict.

Pesticide classes in Ontario: Class 1 (restricted, sale and use by licensed or certified persons), Class 2 (restricted sale), Class 3 (restricted use), and Class 4, 5, 6, 7 for other categories.

Licensed vendors may sell only Class 1, 2, and 3 products to licensed or certified purchasers; records of sale must be kept and provided to the purchaser.

A valid Ontario pesticide licence or certificate must be carried when using restricted products; certification renewal is required at intervals set by the regulator.

Application restrictions include buffer zones near water, no-spray zones, setback distances, and label statements on rainfastness and re-entry.

Record requirements include product name, registration number, rate, area treated, date, time, applicator name, and weather conditions.

Exposure routes are dermal, inhalation, oral, and ocular; dermal absorption is the most common route for landscape applicators, so coveralls and gloves matter most.

Signal words indicate acute toxicity: Danger (highly toxic), Warning (moderately toxic), and Caution (slightly toxic); these correspond to LD50 or LC50 ranges on the label.

PPE selection follows the label and includes chemical-resistant gloves, coveralls, boots, eye protection, and respirators where specified; gloves must be unlined and worn inside sleeves.

Cholinesterase-inhibiting insecticides (organophosphates, carbamates) cause symptoms such as salivation, sweating, pinpoint pupils, vomiting, and muscle twitching.

First aid: move to fresh air for inhalation, flush eyes with water for 15 minutes, wash skin with soap and water, and call the poison control centre or 911 with the product label.

Re-entry intervals protect workers from residues; early re-entry requires label-specified PPE, and restricted-entry intervals may exceed the interval for general entry.

Heat stress compounds PPE risk; schedule work in cool periods, drink water, and recognise symptoms such as confusion, cramps, and cessation of sweating.

Pesticide fate depends on adsorption, volatility, leaching, runoff, photodegradation, hydrolysis, and microbial breakdown; soil organic matter and clay increase adsorption.

Leaching risk rises with high water solubility, low soil adsorption, and high persistence; runoff risk rises on sloped, compacted, or bare ground after heavy rain.

Buffer zones and vegetative strips reduce off-site movement; spray drift is reduced by larger droplets, lower boom height, lower pressure, and drift-reducing nozzles.

Pollinators are most at risk from insecticide residues on flowering plants; avoid applying to blooming crops, mow flowering weeds before treatment, and apply in the evening when bees are not foraging.

Neonicotinoids are systemic and can move into pollen and nectar; label restrictions protect bees during bloom and near managed hives.

Aquatic toxicity varies widely: some pyrethroids are highly toxic to fish and invertebrates, and label buffer zones near water must be respected.

Non-target effects include harm to beneficial predators, earthworms, birds, and mammals; granular formulations can be mistaken for seed by birds, so incorporation is required.

Calibration formula: application rate (L/ha) = (nozzle output in L/min x 600) / (speed in km/h x swath width in m).

Nozzle output varies with pressure: output is proportional to the square root of pressure, so quadrupling pressure doubles flow.

Check nozzle wear by comparing output against a new nozzle; replace nozzles that vary by more than 10 percent from the average.

Spray volume for turf and landscape is often 200 to 400 L/ha; higher volumes improve coverage for contact products and dense canopies.

Nozzle types: flat fan for broadcast, even flat fan for banding, hollow cone for penetration, and air-induction or drift-reducing nozzles for coarse droplets.

Boom height affects overlap; flat fan nozzles are typically spaced at 50 cm and operated at 45 to 60 cm above the target for double overlap.

Equipment maintenance includes rinsing tanks, checking filters, inspecting hoses, and calibrating after nozzle changes or pressure adjustments.

Storage requirements: locked, ventilated, dry area with impermeable floor, away from food, feed, and water sources, with labels visible and containers upright.

Transport requires secure containment, closed containers, separation from food and passengers, and spill kit availability; placards may be required for some products.

Spill response sequence: protect people, stop the source, contain the spill with absorbent material, collect waste, and decontaminate the area.

Never hose a spill into drains or waterways; use absorbent material such as vermiculite or kitty litter and place waste in labelled containers.

Triple-rinse or pressure-rinse empty containers, add rinsate to the spray tank, and dispose of rinsed containers through a registered collection program.

Disposal of surplus pesticide must follow label directions and municipal or provincial hazardous waste rules; never pour product down drains or onto soil.

Emergency contacts should be posted: poison control, fire department, provincial spill reporting line, and the manufacturer's emergency number.

Application records must be completed at the time of application and retained for the period required by regulation; they include product, rate, area, date, weather, and applicator.

Records support traceability, regulatory inspection, and evaluation of IPM outcomes; they should note pest species and threshold that triggered treatment.

Emergency response: stop work, remove affected persons from exposure, provide first aid, call emergency services, and have the label and safety data sheet available.

Reportable spills and pesticide incidents must be reported to the appropriate authority; retain documentation of the incident and the response.

Professional conduct includes following label directions, respecting buffer zones and neighbour concerns, and avoiding applications in wind or rain that cause drift.

Applicator competence includes knowing the product, the target pest, the equipment, and the legal limits of the licence or certificate held.

Continuing education and record review improve performance; applicators should verify certification currency and update knowledge of label changes.

Arthropod classes differ by leg count and body regions: insects have three body regions and six legs, arachnids (mites, spiders) have two body regions and eight legs, and both pass through egg stages.

Complete metamorphosis has four stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult); the larval stage usually causes the most plant damage, while the pupa is a non-feeding resting stage.

Incomplete metamorphosis has three stages (egg, nymph, adult); nymphs resemble small adults and feed on the same host, so control timing must target early instars.

Degree-day accumulation predicts insect development: DD = sum of daily (mean temperature minus lower development threshold), counted only when mean temperature exceeds the threshold.

Weed identification keys: grasses have hollow round stems, two-ranked narrow leaves and sheathing bases; sedges have triangular solid stems; broadleaves have netted veins and two seed leaves.

Annual weeds reproduce by seed and complete their life cycle in one year; biennials form a rosette in year one and flower in year two; perennials regrow from roots, rhizomes, or tubers.

Plant disease diagnosis: leaf spots with halos suggest fungi or bacteria, yellowing in patterns suggests viruses or nutrient deficiency, and vascular wilting with discoloured xylem suggests root or stem pathogens.

Turfgrass diseases are identified by patch shape, lesion type, and weather: dollar spot favours warm humid nights with low nitrogen, while snow moulds appear after prolonged snow cover.

IPM sequence: identify the pest, monitor and set an action threshold, select tactics (cultural, mechanical, biological, chemical), apply, then evaluate and record results.

Economic threshold is the pest density at which control prevents damage exceeding control cost; economic injury level is the lowest density that causes economic loss.

Monitoring tools include sticky cards, pheromone traps, pitfall traps, sweep nets, soil sampling, and visual inspection of growing points and leaf undersides.

Cultural controls include resistant cultivars, crop rotation, sanitation, mowing height, fertility balance, irrigation timing, and reducing bare soil where weeds establish.

Biological controls include predators, parasitoids, and pathogens; they are most effective when pest populations are low and broad-spectrum insecticides are avoided.

Resistance management: rotate among mode-of-action groups, avoid repeated applications of one group, and use labelled rates rather than sub-lethal doses.

Treatment decisions require confirming pest identity, life stage, host susceptibility, and weather forecast, because applications made at the wrong stage waste product.

Formulation codes: EC (emulsifiable concentrate, solvent-based), WP/WDG (wettable powder or water-dispersible granule, suspension), SC (suspension concentrate), SL (soluble liquid), and G (granule).

Adjuvants modify spray properties: surfactants lower surface tension, stickers improve rainfastness, spreaders increase coverage, and drift-control agents increase droplet size.

Mode-of-action groups follow resistance-action codes: contact herbicides kill only treated tissue, while systemic herbicides translocate via xylem (upward) or phloem (downward to roots).

Selective herbicides exploit differences in uptake, translocation, and detoxification between species; non-selective products kill most vegetation on contact or uptake.

Insecticide classes: organophosphates and carbamates inhibit cholinesterase, pyrethroids act on sodium channels, neonicotinoids act on nicotinic receptors, and insect growth regulators disrupt moulting.

Fungicides divide into protectants applied before infection and eradicants or systemics applied after early infection; protectants require thorough coverage of new growth.

Product compatibility: perform a jar test before tank mixing, add products in the order specified on the label, and never mix incompatible formulations that curdle or form sludge.

The label is a legal document; it states the guaranteed analysis, registered use sites, application rates, restricted-entry intervals, and personal protective equipment requirements.

Use inconsistent with the label is an offence; the label directions and precautions must be followed, and the most restrictive instruction governs when statements conflict.

Pesticide classes in Ontario: Class 1 (restricted, sale and use by licensed or certified persons), Class 2 (restricted sale), Class 3 (restricted use), and Class 4, 5, 6, 7 for other categories.

Licensed vendors may sell only Class 1, 2, and 3 products to licensed or certified purchasers; records of sale must be kept and provided to the purchaser.

A valid Ontario pesticide licence or certificate must be carried when using restricted products; certification renewal is required at intervals set by the regulator.

Application restrictions include buffer zones near water, no-spray zones, setback distances, and label statements on rainfastness and re-entry.

Record requirements include product name, registration number, rate, area treated, date, time, applicator name, and weather conditions.

Exposure routes are dermal, inhalation, oral, and ocular; dermal absorption is the most common route for landscape applicators, so coveralls and gloves matter most.

Signal words indicate acute toxicity: Danger (highly toxic), Warning (moderately toxic), and Caution (slightly toxic); these correspond to LD50 or LC50 ranges on the label.

PPE selection follows the label and includes chemical-resistant gloves, coveralls, boots, eye protection, and respirators where specified; gloves must be unlined and worn inside sleeves.

Cholinesterase-inhibiting insecticides (organophosphates, carbamates) cause symptoms such as salivation, sweating, pinpoint pupils, vomiting, and muscle twitching.

First aid: move to fresh air for inhalation, flush eyes with water for 15 minutes, wash skin with soap and water, and call the poison control centre or 911 with the product label.

Re-entry intervals protect workers from residues; early re-entry requires label-specified PPE, and restricted-entry intervals may exceed the interval for general entry.

Heat stress compounds PPE risk; schedule work in cool periods, drink water, and recognise symptoms such as confusion, cramps, and cessation of sweating.

Pesticide fate depends on adsorption, volatility, leaching, runoff, photodegradation, hydrolysis, and microbial breakdown; soil organic matter and clay increase adsorption.

Leaching risk rises with high water solubility, low soil adsorption, and high persistence; runoff risk rises on sloped, compacted, or bare ground after heavy rain.

Buffer zones and vegetative strips reduce off-site movement; spray drift is reduced by larger droplets, lower boom height, lower pressure, and drift-reducing nozzles.

Pollinators are most at risk from insecticide residues on flowering plants; avoid applying to blooming crops, mow flowering weeds before treatment, and apply in the evening when bees are not foraging.

Neonicotinoids are systemic and can move into pollen and nectar; label restrictions protect bees during bloom and near managed hives.

Aquatic toxicity varies widely: some pyrethroids are highly toxic to fish and invertebrates, and label buffer zones near water must be respected.

Non-target effects include harm to beneficial predators, earthworms, birds, and mammals; granular formulations can be mistaken for seed by birds, so incorporation is required.

Calibration formula: application rate (L/ha) = (nozzle output in L/min x 600) / (speed in km/h x swath width in m).

Nozzle output varies with pressure: output is proportional to the square root of pressure, so quadrupling pressure doubles flow.

Check nozzle wear by comparing output against a new nozzle; replace nozzles that vary by more than 10 percent from the average.

Spray volume for turf and landscape is often 200 to 400 L/ha; higher volumes improve coverage for contact products and dense canopies.

Nozzle types: flat fan for broadcast, even flat fan for banding, hollow cone for penetration, and air-induction or drift-reducing nozzles for coarse droplets.

Boom height affects overlap; flat fan nozzles are typically spaced at 50 cm and operated at 45 to 60 cm above the target for double overlap.

Equipment maintenance includes rinsing tanks, checking filters, inspecting hoses, and calibrating after nozzle changes or pressure adjustments.

Storage requirements: locked, ventilated, dry area with impermeable floor, away from food, feed, and water sources, with labels visible and containers upright.

Transport requires secure containment, closed containers, separation from food and passengers, and spill kit availability; placards may be required for some products.

Spill response sequence: protect people, stop the source, contain the spill with absorbent material, collect waste, and decontaminate the area.

Never hose a spill into drains or waterways; use absorbent material such as vermiculite or kitty litter and place waste in labelled containers.

Triple-rinse or pressure-rinse empty containers, add rinsate to the spray tank, and dispose of rinsed containers through a registered collection program.

Disposal of surplus pesticide must follow label directions and municipal or provincial hazardous waste rules; never pour product down drains or onto soil.

Emergency contacts should be posted: poison control, fire department, provincial spill reporting line, and the manufacturer's emergency number.

Application records must be completed at the time of application and retained for the period required by regulation; they include product, rate, area, date, weather, and applicator.

Records support traceability, regulatory inspection, and evaluation of IPM outcomes; they should note pest species and threshold that triggered treatment.

Emergency response: stop work, remove affected persons from exposure, provide first aid, call emergency services, and have the label and safety data sheet available.

Reportable spills and pesticide incidents must be reported to the appropriate authority; retain documentation of the incident and the response.

Professional conduct includes following label directions, respecting buffer zones and neighbour concerns, and avoiding applications in wind or rain that cause drift.

Applicator competence includes knowing the product, the target pest, the equipment, and the legal limits of the licence or certificate held.

Continuing education and record review improve performance; applicators should verify certification currency and update knowledge of label changes.

Arthropod classes differ by leg count and body regions: insects have three body regions and six legs, arachnids (mites, spiders) have two body regions and eight legs, and both pass through egg stages.

Complete metamorphosis has four stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult); the larval stage usually causes the most plant damage, while the pupa is a non-feeding resting stage.

Incomplete metamorphosis has three stages (egg, nymph, adult); nymphs resemble small adults and feed on the same host, so control timing must target early instars.

Degree-day accumulation predicts insect development: DD = sum of daily (mean temperature minus lower development threshold), counted only when mean temperature exceeds the threshold.

Weed identification keys: grasses have hollow round stems, two-ranked narrow leaves and sheathing bases; sedges have triangular solid stems; broadleaves have netted veins and two seed leaves.

Annual weeds reproduce by seed and complete their life cycle in one year; biennials form a rosette in year one and flower in year two; perennials regrow from roots, rhizomes, or tubers.

Plant disease diagnosis: leaf spots with halos suggest fungi or bacteria, yellowing in patterns suggests viruses or nutrient deficiency, and vascular wilting with discoloured xylem suggests root or stem pathogens.

Turfgrass diseases are identified by patch shape, lesion type, and weather: dollar spot favours warm humid nights with low nitrogen, while snow moulds appear after prolonged snow cover.