NC Pesticide Applicator flashcards
NC Pesticide Applicator · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Private applicator certification term
- In North Carolina, private applicator certification is valid for three years and must be renewed before it expires; applying restricted-use pesticides with an expired card is a violation of state law.
- Restricted-use pesticide definition
- A pesticide that can cause unreasonable harm to humans or the environment even when used as directed, so it may be sold and applied only by certified or licensed applicators under state and federal rules.
- Misuse under FIFRA
- Using a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. This is a violation of federal law even when the label statement appears to be advisory rather than mandatory.
- Recordkeeping for restricted-use pesticides
- Certified applicators must keep records of restricted-use pesticide applications for at least two years, including date, location, product name, EPA registration number, amount, and applicator name.
- Public operator definition
- A certified applicator who applies pesticides only on property owned or controlled by a government unit as part of their official duties, and who must be licensed by NCDA&CS.
- Pesticide dealer licensing
- Businesses that distribute restricted-use pesticides in North Carolina must be licensed by NCDA&CS and must maintain records of restricted-use sales for at least two years.
- Signal word DANGER-POISON
- The most toxic signal word, assigned to Category I products with an oral LD50 of 50 mg/kg or less, or other high acute toxicity, and marked with a skull and crossbones.
- LD50 meaning
- The dose of a pesticide that kills 50 percent of a test population of animals. A lower LD50 indicates greater acute toxicity and a more hazardous product.
- PPE label requirement
- Personal protective equipment listed on the label is the legal minimum required during handling and application; applicators may add protection but cannot use less than the label specifies.
- Skin pesticide exposure first aid
- Remove contaminated clothing immediately and wash the affected skin with soap and water. Avoid scrubbing, and seek medical attention if symptoms such as irritation or illness develop.
- Eye pesticide exposure first aid
- Flush the eyes with clean, running water for at least 15 minutes while holding eyelids open, then seek medical attention and bring the product label for the physician.
- Poison Control Center number
- The national toll-free number 1-800-222-1222 connects callers to poison control for guidance on suspected pesticide poisoning; have the product label and Safety Data Sheet ready.
- Safety Data Sheet purpose
- A 16-section document from the manufacturer summarizing a product's hazards, first aid, firefighting, handling, storage, exposure controls, and toxicological information for safe use and emergency response.
- Container triple rinsing
- Empty pesticide containers are drained, filled one-third with water, rinsed, and drained three times (or pressure rinsed), then punctured and recycled or disposed of per label directions.
- Chemical-resistant glove selection
- Gloves must match the label-specified PPE category and material; check the manufacturer's chemical-resistance chart because some materials degrade quickly with certain solvents and formulations.
- Integrated Pest Management
- A decision-making approach combining monitoring, economic thresholds, biological control, cultural practices, and chemical control used only when pest populations justify treatment.
- Economic threshold
- The pest population density at which control action is justified to prevent the pest from reaching the economic injury level, where crop loss exceeds control cost.
- Pesticide resistance management
- Rotating pesticide mode-of-action groups, using labeled rates, and avoiding repeated use of a single product to slow the development of resistant pest populations.
- Grass vs broadleaf identification
- Grasses have narrow leaves with parallel veins, ligules, and auricles; broadleaves have net-veined leaves, branching stems, and often showy flowers, guiding herbicide selection.
- Chewing vs piercing-sucking insects
- Chewing insects remove plant tissue causing holes and defoliation; piercing-sucking insects insert mouthparts, causing stippling, yellowing, and transmission of plant diseases.
- Disease triangle concept
- Plant disease develops only when a susceptible host, a virulent pathogen, and favorable environmental conditions occur together; removing any one factor prevents disease.
- Bacillus thuringiensis use
- A biological insecticide that produces toxins lethal to specific caterpillar larvae after ingestion, reducing nontarget harm compared with broad-spectrum chemical insecticides.
- Pollinator protection timing
- Apply insecticides toxic to bees in late evening or early morning when bees are not foraging, avoid bloom applications, and prevent drift onto flowering plants and weeds.
- Sprayer GPA formula
- Gallons per acre equals (gallons per minute per nozzle × 5940) divided by (miles per hour × nozzle spacing in inches). Used to calibrate broadcast sprayers.
- Nozzle GPM formula
- Gallons per minute per nozzle equals (gallons per acre × miles per hour × nozzle spacing in inches) divided by 5940, used to select the correct nozzle size.
- 1/128-acre calibration method
- Spray a measured course with nozzle spacing equal to course width in inches; ounces collected from one nozzle equal gallons per acre applied.
- Pressure and nozzle flow
- Nozzle flow varies with the square root of pressure; doubling pressure increases flow by about 41 percent, so change nozzle size or speed to adjust rate.
- Speed calibration formula
- Miles per hour equals (distance in feet × 60) divided by (time in seconds × 88), used to time a measured course and confirm sprayer ground speed.
- Nozzle replacement criterion
- Replace spray nozzles when their output exceeds the new-nozzle flow rate by 10 percent or more, because worn nozzles deliver uneven and excessive application rates.
- Particle vs vapor drift
- Particle drift is off-target movement of spray droplets, reduced by larger droplets and lower boom height; vapor drift is volatilization of the pesticide after deposit.
- Leaching potential factors
- High soil permeability, shallow water tables, high pesticide water solubility, low soil adsorption (low Koc), and long persistence increase the risk of groundwater contamination.
- Buffer zone requirement
- A label-specified untreated distance between the application site and sensitive areas such as water, wells, or habitat, which must be maintained to protect people and the environment.