FL Lawn & Ornamental flashcards

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

Fall armyworm identification

Larva has a light-colored inverted Y on the front of the head and four dark dots per abdominal segment; feeds on turf and corn, often in large groups.

Southern chinch bug host

Blissus insularis is the primary insect pest of St. Augustinegrass in Florida; adults are black with white wings in an X pattern; damage appears as yellowing in full sun.

White grub raster pattern

The raster is the pattern of hairs and spines on the underside of the last abdominal segment; Cyclocephala has scattered hairs, Popillia has a V, and Phyllophaga has parallel rows.

Bermudagrass mite damage

Eriophyes cynodoniensis causes witches'-broom and tufted growth at nodes; mites are microscopic and live in leaf sheaths, so coverage must reach those sites.

Thrips damage and vectors

Thrips cause silvering, stippling, and distorted new growth; western flower thrips vectors INSV and TSWV in greenhouse and ornamental crops.

Armored vs soft scale

Armored scales have a separate waxy cover and are controlled best at crawler emergence; soft scales produce honeydew and sooty mold and feed on phloem.

Biotic vs abiotic diagnosis

Abiotic problems are uniform across a site or follow soil and drainage lines; biotic problems are patchy and often species-specific.

Mobile vs immobile nutrients

Mobile nutrients (N, K, Mg) show deficiency on older leaves first; immobile nutrients (Fe, Mn, Ca) show deficiency on new growth.

Iron chlorosis cause

Interveinal chlorosis on new growth is common on high-pH Florida soils; iron is immobile, so new leaves yellow first.

Dollar spot vs brown patch

Dollar spot favors low nitrogen and heavy dew and causes small bleached spots; brown patch favors high nitrogen and warm, humid nights and causes large blighted patches.

Herbicide injury diagnosis

Phenoxy herbicides (2,4-D, dicamba) cause epinasty and twisted growth; glyphosate causes chlorosis and stunting of new growth; check application records and drift.

Soil vs tissue testing

Soil tests measure pH and available nutrients; tissue tests measure what the plant actually took up; use both to diagnose nutritional disorders.

Signal word categories

DANGER-POISON is Category I with poison designation; DANGER is Category I without it; WARNING is Category II; CAUTION is Category III or IV.

Formulation codes

EC is emulsifiable concentrate; WP and WDG are wettable powder and water-dispersible granule; SC is suspension concentrate; SL is soluble liquid; G is granule.

MoA group rotation

FRAC, IRAC, and HRAC/WSSA group codes classify mode of action; rotate among groups and never apply the same group consecutively against the same pest.

Preemergence herbicide timing

Preemergence products (prodiamine, dithiopyr, pendimethalin) must be applied before weed germination and often require irrigation or incorporation; they do not control emerged weeds.

Selective vs nonselective

Selective herbicides (2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba) control broadleaf weeds without killing turf; nonselective herbicides (glyphosate, glufosinate) kill most vegetation.

Broadcast sprayer calibration

GPA = (GPM × 495) / (MPH × W), where GPM is nozzle output, MPH is speed, and W is swath width in feet.

Nozzle selection by task

Flat-fan nozzles suit broadcast herbicide and preemergence; hollow-cone nozzles give thorough foliage coverage for fungicides and insecticides; air-induction nozzles reduce drift.

Nozzle replacement threshold

Replace nozzles when flow exceeds 10% of the new-nozzle rating; check all nozzles at once with a calibration jug or flow meter.

Granular spreader calibration

Rate (lb/1000 sq ft) = (weight collected × 1000) / (area covered in sq ft); overlap half the swath to avoid streaks.

Drift management

Apply when wind is 2-10 mph, avoid inversions, use low-drift nozzles, keep boom height low, and maintain label buffer zones near water.

Chemical-resistant glove choice

Nitrile and butyl gloves resist many pesticides; leather and cloth gloves absorb pesticides and must not be used for handling pesticide products.

Cholinesterase inhibitor symptoms

Organophosphates and carbamates cause cholinergic symptoms: salivation, lacrimation, sweating, miosis, and confusion; monitor handlers as the label requires.

Triple-rinse procedure

Rinse the container with one-quarter of its volume, pour the rinse water into the spray tank, and dispose of the container per state and label requirements.

Spill response basics

Contain the spill, protect drains and waterways, use absorbent material, follow label and SDS instructions, and report reportable quantities to the National Response Center.

FIFRA scope

FIFRA governs pesticide registration, labeling, and use in the United States; the label is legally binding and off-label use is a violation.

Florida applicator certification

FDACS administers Florida pesticide applicator certification; the Lawn & Ornamental category requires passing both the core exam and the category exam.

RUP record retention

Florida requires records of restricted-use pesticide applications to be kept at least 2 years, including date, location, product, EPA registration number, rate, and applicator name.

Worker Protection Standard training

WPS requires training, notification, and PPE for agricultural workers and handlers; training must be repeated every 12 months.

IPM hierarchy

IPM proceeds from prevention (cultural, sanitation, resistant cultivars) to monitoring and thresholds, then biological control, and chemical control as a last resort.

Chinch bug action threshold

Treat St. Augustinegrass when 20-25 chinch bug nymphs are found per square foot in a soap-flush sample.

Mowing one-third rule

Never remove more than one-third of the leaf blade in a single mowing; mowing heights are St. Augustinegrass 3.5-4 inches and bermudagrass 1-1.5 inches on lawns.

Florida turf nitrogen rates

St. Augustinegrass requires 2-4 lb N per 1000 sq ft per year; bermudagrass requires 4-6 lb N per 1000 sq ft; avoid late-fall and winter nitrogen.

Thatch management

Maintain thatch below 1/2 inch; core aeration, verticutting, and topdressing reduce thatch; excessive nitrogen and infrequent mowing increase thatch.