UPMSP Vocational Crop Protection Technology flashcards

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

Economic injury level

The lowest pest density that causes crop damage equal to the cost of control; it is the benchmark below which treatment is not economically justified.

Economic threshold

The pest density at which control action must be taken to prevent the population from reaching the economic injury level; it is set at or below the EIL.

Integrated pest management

A decision framework that combines resistant varieties, cultural, biological, mechanical, and chemical tactics, using pesticides only when monitoring shows thresholds are exceeded.

Mode-of-action rotation

Alternating pesticides with different IRAC, FRAC, or HRAC codes across applications to slow the evolution of resistance in pest populations.

Piercing-sucking mouthparts

A needle-like stylet used by aphids, whiteflies, jassids, and thrips to remove plant sap; such pests are best controlled with systemic insecticides.

Chewing mouthparts

Mandibulate mouthparts of caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers that remove plant tissue, producing holes, defoliation, and boring damage controlled by stomach poisons.

Pink bollworm

A cotton pest whose larvae bore into squares and bolls, causing rosette flowers and stained lint; managed with pheromone monitoring and Bt cotton.

Diamondback moth

A crucifer pest whose larvae feed on leaves and form small cocoons; it has developed resistance to many insecticides, so rotation and Bt are used.

Koch's postulates

Four steps that prove a microorganism causes a disease: isolate from a diseased host, culture it, inoculate a healthy host, and re-isolate the same organism.

Disease triangle

The concept that disease occurs only when a susceptible host, a virulent pathogen, and a favourable environment coincide; management targets any one leg.

Late blight

A devastating disease of potato and tomato caused by Phytophthora infestans, producing water-soaked lesions and white sporulation in cool, humid weather.

Bacterial wilt

A vascular disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum that causes sudden wilting and bacterial ooze from cut stems; managed by resistant varieties and crop rotation.

Critical period of competition

The crop growth stage, generally the first 30 to 45 days after sowing, during which weed competition causes the greatest yield loss.

Pre-emergence herbicide

A herbicide applied to the soil before weed seedlings emerge, forming a barrier that kills germinating weeds; examples include pendimethalin and atrazine.

Herbicide selectivity

The ability of a herbicide to kill weeds without injuring the crop, achieved through placement, timing, formulation, or differential metabolism.

Perennial weed

A weed that lives more than two years and spreads by rhizomes, tubers, or stolons, making mechanical control difficult and often requiring systemic herbicides.

Emulsifiable concentrate

A liquid formulation in which the active ingredient is dissolved in an organic solvent with an emulsifier, diluted in water to form an emulsion for spraying.

Wettable powder

A powder formulation containing the active ingredient, a filler, and a wetting agent, mixed with water to form a suspension for spraying.

LD50

The dose of a toxicant that kills 50 percent of test animals, expressed in milligrams per kilogram of body weight; a lower value means higher toxicity.

IRAC groups

A classification of insecticides by mode of action, with codes such as 1A carbamates, 1B organophosphates, 3A pyrethroids, and 4A neonicotinoids.

Nozzle calibration

The process of measuring nozzle output and sprayer speed to calculate spray volume per hectare, ensuring the labeled dose is applied uniformly.

Volume median diameter

The droplet size at which half the spray volume is in smaller droplets and half in larger droplets; fine droplets drift and coarse droplets reduce coverage.

Spray drift

The movement of pesticide droplets off the target area by wind or air currents, reduced by low-drift nozzles, lower pressure, and spraying in calm conditions.

Flat fan nozzle

A nozzle producing a fan-shaped spray pattern, commonly used for broadcast herbicide application along the boom.

Cholinesterase inhibition

The toxic mechanism of organophosphates and carbamates, causing salivation, lacrimation, miosis, and muscle fasciculation; atropine is the antidote.

Re-entry interval

The minimum time after a pesticide application before workers may enter the treated area without protective equipment, as stated on the label.

Personal protective equipment

Gloves, coveralls, boots, goggles, and a respirator worn during pesticide handling and application to prevent dermal, inhalation, and ocular exposure.

Triple rinsing

A container-cleaning procedure in which the empty pesticide container is rinsed three times with water, with each rinse added to the spray tank.

Maximum residue limit

The legal maximum concentration of a pesticide residue permitted in or on food, expressed in milligrams per kilogram, set from residue trials and dietary risk assessment.

Pre-harvest interval

The minimum number of days between the last pesticide application and harvest, calculated to keep residues below the maximum residue limit.

QuEChERS

A rapid residue analytical method using solvent extraction and dispersive solid-phase cleanup before detection by GC-MS or LC-MS/MS.

Gross margin

Gross income minus variable costs; used in enterprise budgets to compare the profitability of crop or service options.

Farm record keeping

Maintaining a field diary, input purchases, spray logs with product and dose, labour, and sales records to support decisions and traceability.

Farmer producer organization

A collective of smallholders that aggregates produce, shares inputs and equipment, and negotiates better prices and market access.

Good agricultural practice

Using pesticides only when needed, at the labeled rate and timing, with proper equipment, so that residues remain within legal limits.

Label as legal document

The approved label states crop, pest, dose, pre-harvest interval, re-entry interval, and safety precautions; off-label use is illegal and unsafe.