IOWA 3OT PESTICIDE CORE EXAM 2026 TEST QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Snails and slugs - ✔✔Mollusks.
Damage includes irregular holes with smooth edges on leaves and fruit, cutting back of
succulent plant parts, and damage to young plant bark.
Primarily pests of herbaceous ornamentals.
✔✔State three reasons why weeds should be controlled in ornamental plantings -
✔✔Detract from the aesthetics of the landscape
Compete with desired ornamental species for water, nutrients, and sunlight
Can provide shelter or serve as alternate hosts for insects and plant pathogens that
negatively impact ornamentals
✔✔Common grass weed in ornamental setting in iowa - ✔✔quackgrass or yellow foxtail
✔✔common biennial broadleaf in ornamental setting in iowa - ✔✔bull thistle, common
mullein
✔✔common perennial broadleaf in ornamental setting in Iowa - ✔✔canada thistle,
common blue violet, dandelion
✔✔common sedge in ornamental setting in Iowa - ✔✔yellow nutsedge
✔✔common winter annual in ornamental setting in iowa - ✔✔common chickweed
✔✔common summer annual in ornamental setting in iowa - ✔✔purslane, carpetweed,
lambsquarter
✔✔Outline six factors to be considered before using herbicides in ornamental sites -
✔✔Extreme care that must be followed when using non-selective contact products.
Should not be used near sensitive areas under windy conditions
Results can be expected within a day or possibly hours of a contact herbicide
application
Delayed results over a period of days up to two week can be expected when using
systemic herbicides
Preemergence herbicides allow control of annual grasses and broadleaf weeds before
they emerge and last for weeks or months. Use of preemergence herbicides should
, carefully follow the landscape plans since they can prevent herbaceous ornamentals
from emerging
Many postemergence herbicides have limited soil residual activity and should be used
to control weeds not managed by preemergence herbicides.
✔✔List the herbicide injury symptoms on ornamentals - ✔✔Injury can be caused by
misapplication, volatilization, or drift.
Symptoms include
Leaf chlorosis, whitening or spotting; abnormally tesited, cupped or otherwise distorted
growth of roots, leaves, and twigs; stunted growth; delayed flowering; and dead leaves,
buds, twigs, flowers, or roots.
✔✔Conditions that encourage weed infestation - ✔✔Cultivating soil too deeply which
can bring dormant weed seeds closer to the surface for germination
Permitting weeds to flower and set seed before any management efforts are begun
Failure to use mulch
Using landscape equipment that has not been washed
✔✔List the four vertebrate animals that commonly damage ornamentals in Iowa -
✔✔White tailed deer - antler rubbing, leaves, fruit, and twigs, will eat nearly any plant
Eastern cottontail - feed one leaves and fruit in spring/summer, strip off bark in winter
Eastern gray squirrel - chew bark, clip twigs, eat bulbs
Prairie vole - gnaw on bark, roots, eat flower bulbs, can kill young plants
✔✔Name the three management tools that can be used against vertebrate pests -
✔✔Cultural controls
Repellents
Population control
✔✔Explain why repellents are a temporary solution to vertebrate pest problems -
✔✔Repellents need to be reapplied after rainfall or snowfall events
✔✔Name three common turfgrass species in Iowa - ✔✔Kentucky bluegrass
Performs best in full sun areas with fair shade tolerance
Good wear resistance
Perennial ryegrass
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Snails and slugs - ✔✔Mollusks.
Damage includes irregular holes with smooth edges on leaves and fruit, cutting back of
succulent plant parts, and damage to young plant bark.
Primarily pests of herbaceous ornamentals.
✔✔State three reasons why weeds should be controlled in ornamental plantings -
✔✔Detract from the aesthetics of the landscape
Compete with desired ornamental species for water, nutrients, and sunlight
Can provide shelter or serve as alternate hosts for insects and plant pathogens that
negatively impact ornamentals
✔✔Common grass weed in ornamental setting in iowa - ✔✔quackgrass or yellow foxtail
✔✔common biennial broadleaf in ornamental setting in iowa - ✔✔bull thistle, common
mullein
✔✔common perennial broadleaf in ornamental setting in Iowa - ✔✔canada thistle,
common blue violet, dandelion
✔✔common sedge in ornamental setting in Iowa - ✔✔yellow nutsedge
✔✔common winter annual in ornamental setting in iowa - ✔✔common chickweed
✔✔common summer annual in ornamental setting in iowa - ✔✔purslane, carpetweed,
lambsquarter
✔✔Outline six factors to be considered before using herbicides in ornamental sites -
✔✔Extreme care that must be followed when using non-selective contact products.
Should not be used near sensitive areas under windy conditions
Results can be expected within a day or possibly hours of a contact herbicide
application
Delayed results over a period of days up to two week can be expected when using
systemic herbicides
Preemergence herbicides allow control of annual grasses and broadleaf weeds before
they emerge and last for weeks or months. Use of preemergence herbicides should
, carefully follow the landscape plans since they can prevent herbaceous ornamentals
from emerging
Many postemergence herbicides have limited soil residual activity and should be used
to control weeds not managed by preemergence herbicides.
✔✔List the herbicide injury symptoms on ornamentals - ✔✔Injury can be caused by
misapplication, volatilization, or drift.
Symptoms include
Leaf chlorosis, whitening or spotting; abnormally tesited, cupped or otherwise distorted
growth of roots, leaves, and twigs; stunted growth; delayed flowering; and dead leaves,
buds, twigs, flowers, or roots.
✔✔Conditions that encourage weed infestation - ✔✔Cultivating soil too deeply which
can bring dormant weed seeds closer to the surface for germination
Permitting weeds to flower and set seed before any management efforts are begun
Failure to use mulch
Using landscape equipment that has not been washed
✔✔List the four vertebrate animals that commonly damage ornamentals in Iowa -
✔✔White tailed deer - antler rubbing, leaves, fruit, and twigs, will eat nearly any plant
Eastern cottontail - feed one leaves and fruit in spring/summer, strip off bark in winter
Eastern gray squirrel - chew bark, clip twigs, eat bulbs
Prairie vole - gnaw on bark, roots, eat flower bulbs, can kill young plants
✔✔Name the three management tools that can be used against vertebrate pests -
✔✔Cultural controls
Repellents
Population control
✔✔Explain why repellents are a temporary solution to vertebrate pest problems -
✔✔Repellents need to be reapplied after rainfall or snowfall events
✔✔Name three common turfgrass species in Iowa - ✔✔Kentucky bluegrass
Performs best in full sun areas with fair shade tolerance
Good wear resistance
Perennial ryegrass
