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Wisconsin Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification
– Category 6.0 (Right-of-Way and Industrial Vegetation
Pest Control) EXAM QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
Wisconsin Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification – Category 6.0 (Right-of-Way and Industrial
Vegetation Pest Control) exam question set, written to your specifications.
First, the actual exam coverage in summarized point form based on Wisconsin DATCP standards for
Category 6.0:
• Laws and Regulations (Wisconsin & Federal): FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act), Wisconsin Pesticide Law (Chapter 94, Subchapter VI), ATCP 29 (Pesticide use,
recordkeeping, certification, enforcement), ATCP 30 (Pesticide labeling and container
requirements), ATCP 33 (Pesticide packaging and disposal), DATCP administrative rules, special
local needs registrations (SLN), WisDNR regulations for aquatic/roadside areas, endangered
species protection
• Label and Labeling Comprehension: Restricted-use vs general-use pesticides, signal words
(DANGER/WARNING/CAUTION), personal protective equipment (PPE), reentry intervals (REI),
preharvest intervals (PHI), application rates, mixing directions, storage/disposal, environmental
hazards (groundwater, surface water, bees)
• Pest Identification and Biology (Right-of-Way): Broadleaf weeds (Canada thistle, leafy spurge,
wild parsnip, poison ivy, giant hogweed, spotted knapweed), grasses (reed canarygrass,
phragmites, johnsongrass), woody species (buckthorn, multiflora rose, autumn olive,
honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, poison sumac, tree-of-heaven), vines (poison ivy, wild grape,
kudzu in southern WI), invasive species (purple loosestrife, garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed,
Eurasian watermilfoil in aquatic right-of-way)
• Pesticide Formulations and Adjuvants: EC, WP, DF, WDG, SC, F, G, P, S, ULV, surfactants, crop
oil concentrates, drift control agents, deposition aids, compatibility agents, buffers, antifoams,
dyes
• Application Equipment and Calibration: Boom sprayers (calibration formula: GPM x 5940 /
(MPH x W) = GPA), handgun sprayers, granular applicators, wiper applicators (weed wipers),
selective application (cut stump, basal bark, frill and girdle), tree injection, calibration for
banding and directed spray, nozzle selection (flat fan, cone, flood jet, air induction)
• Environmental Fate and Transport: Volatility, drift (particle drift, vapor drift), runoff, leaching,
adsorption, persistence (half-life), degradation (microbial, chemical, photodegradation),
groundwater vulnerability (Wisconsin's groundwater protection areas, GWPA), surface water
contamination
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Right-of-Way: Cultural (mowing, prescribed burning,
hand pulling, mulching, revegetation with competitive species), mechanical (cutting, girdling,
grinding), biological (pheromones, biocontrol insects for purple loosestrife, leafy spurge, spotted
knapweed), chemical (herbicides as part of IPM), preventative strategies, action thresholds
• Specific Herbicide Families: Growth regulators (2,4-D, dicamba, triclopyr, clopyralid, picloram),
ALS inhibitors (sulfonylureas, imazapyr), EPSP synthase inhibitor (glyphosate), glutamine
synthetase inhibitor (glufosinate), synthetic auxins, cell membrane disruptors (diquat,
paraquat), cellulose inhibitors (indaziflam), photosystem II inhibitors (atrazine, hexazinone,
metribuzin)
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• Target Vegetation Management (Rights-of-Way): Roadsides, highways, railroad rights-of-way,
utility corridors (power lines, pipelines), drainage ditches, levees, industrial sites (tank farms,
substations, storage yards), airports
• Application Methods: Foliar broadcast (boom), directed foliar (spot, wiper, backpack), basal
bark treatment (dormant season), cut stump (summer or dormant), injection (hack-and-squirt,
EZ-Ject), granular application, soil spot treatment
• Drift Management and Buffer Zones: Temperature inversion, wind speed (3-10 mph optimal),
droplet size (coarse/very coarse), boom height (lowest effective), buffer zones (sensitive crops,
water bodies, nontarget vegetation), drift reduction technology (DRT, air induction nozzles, drift
control adjuvants), Wisconsin's drift rule (ATCP 29.50)
• Recordkeeping (Wisconsin ATCP 29.36): Retain records for 3 years, specific information
required (date, location, product, rate, target pest, acres treated, applicator name and
certification number), application records for restricted-use pesticides, DATCP access to records
• Worker Protection Standard (WPS): Oral warnings, decontamination supplies, PPE
requirements, restricted-entry intervals (REI, 12 or 24 hours typical for many herbicides),
application exclusion zone for sensitive areas, protected areas (schools, homes, daycares, water
supplies)
• Storage, Transport, Disposal, and Spill Response: Secondary containment, temperature-
sensitive storage, spill kit components (absorbent, neutralizer, PPE, shovel, container), triple
rinsing of containers, pesticide container recycling, rinsate management, disposal of unusable
pesticides (Clean Sweep program), WisDNR spill reporting requirements (1-800-943-0003)
• Human Health and Safety: Acute toxicity (LD50, LC50), chronic toxicity (carcinogenicity,
reproductive effects), routes of entry (oral, dermal, inhalation, ocular), first aid for pesticide
poisoning (atropine for organophosphates, decontamination), medical monitoring for
applicators, heat stress from PPE
• Non-Target Organisms and Endangered Species: Pollinator protection (neonicotinoids, phenoxy
herbicides), Wisconsin endangered and threatened species (Karner blue butterfly, prairie bush
clover, rusty patched bumble bee), protection of water bodies (aquatic herbicide rules, buffer
strips), beneficial insects, birds, mammals
• Calculations for Right-of-Way Applications: Area determination (linear feet to acres for rights-
of-way: width in ft x length in ft / 43,560), dilution of concentrates, mixing multiple products,
tank mix compatibility, cost per treated acre
1. When applying a restricted-use herbicide along a Wisconsin roadside, the applicator's certification
number must be included in which record according to ATCP 29.36?
A) Only if the application area exceeds 10 acres
B) On the pesticide application record kept for at least 3 years
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C) On the product label at the time of purchase
D) Only for groundwater protection area applications
Correct: B – Wisconsin ATCP 29.36 requires that all application records for restricted-use pesticides
include the applicator's certification number and be retained for 3 years.
2. A boom sprayer traveling at 6 miles per hour with a 20-foot boom spacing has nozzles delivering 0.4
gallons per minute each. The application rate in gallons per acre is calculated as:
A) 10 GPA
B) 15 GPA
C) 20 GPA
D) 25 GPA
Correct: C – GPA = (GPM × 5940) ÷ (MPH × nozzle spacing in inches). GPM 0.4, 5940 constant, MPH 6,
spacing 20 ft (240 inches): (0.4 × 5940 = 2376) ÷ (6 × 240 = 1440) = 1.65 per nozzle; for 20 ft boom, result
is 20 GPA.
3. A railroad right-of-way is infested with phragmites (common reed). Which herbicide formulation is
most effective when applied as a foliar broadcast in late summer?
, Page 4 of 132
A) Glyphosate alone at 2 quarts per acre
B) Imazapyr plus glyphosate with a nonionic surfactant
C) 2,4-D amine at 4 pints per acre
D) Pendimethalin applied preemergence
Correct: B – Phragmites requires a systemic herbicide combination (imazapyr + glyphosate) with
surfactant for effective control due to its deep rhizome system and large biomass.
4. Under Wisconsin's drift management rule ATCP 29.50, which weather condition is prohibited for
pesticide application due to high risk of off-target movement?
A) Wind speed of 8 miles per hour
B) Temperature inversion (cool air near ground with warmer air above)
C) Relative humidity above 60%
D) Cloud cover less than 30%
Correct: B – Temperature inversions trap fine droplets near the ground, allowing them to move laterally
for miles without vertical mixing, causing severe off-target damage.
Wisconsin Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification
– Category 6.0 (Right-of-Way and Industrial Vegetation
Pest Control) EXAM QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
Wisconsin Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification – Category 6.0 (Right-of-Way and Industrial
Vegetation Pest Control) exam question set, written to your specifications.
First, the actual exam coverage in summarized point form based on Wisconsin DATCP standards for
Category 6.0:
• Laws and Regulations (Wisconsin & Federal): FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act), Wisconsin Pesticide Law (Chapter 94, Subchapter VI), ATCP 29 (Pesticide use,
recordkeeping, certification, enforcement), ATCP 30 (Pesticide labeling and container
requirements), ATCP 33 (Pesticide packaging and disposal), DATCP administrative rules, special
local needs registrations (SLN), WisDNR regulations for aquatic/roadside areas, endangered
species protection
• Label and Labeling Comprehension: Restricted-use vs general-use pesticides, signal words
(DANGER/WARNING/CAUTION), personal protective equipment (PPE), reentry intervals (REI),
preharvest intervals (PHI), application rates, mixing directions, storage/disposal, environmental
hazards (groundwater, surface water, bees)
• Pest Identification and Biology (Right-of-Way): Broadleaf weeds (Canada thistle, leafy spurge,
wild parsnip, poison ivy, giant hogweed, spotted knapweed), grasses (reed canarygrass,
phragmites, johnsongrass), woody species (buckthorn, multiflora rose, autumn olive,
honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, poison sumac, tree-of-heaven), vines (poison ivy, wild grape,
kudzu in southern WI), invasive species (purple loosestrife, garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed,
Eurasian watermilfoil in aquatic right-of-way)
• Pesticide Formulations and Adjuvants: EC, WP, DF, WDG, SC, F, G, P, S, ULV, surfactants, crop
oil concentrates, drift control agents, deposition aids, compatibility agents, buffers, antifoams,
dyes
• Application Equipment and Calibration: Boom sprayers (calibration formula: GPM x 5940 /
(MPH x W) = GPA), handgun sprayers, granular applicators, wiper applicators (weed wipers),
selective application (cut stump, basal bark, frill and girdle), tree injection, calibration for
banding and directed spray, nozzle selection (flat fan, cone, flood jet, air induction)
• Environmental Fate and Transport: Volatility, drift (particle drift, vapor drift), runoff, leaching,
adsorption, persistence (half-life), degradation (microbial, chemical, photodegradation),
groundwater vulnerability (Wisconsin's groundwater protection areas, GWPA), surface water
contamination
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Right-of-Way: Cultural (mowing, prescribed burning,
hand pulling, mulching, revegetation with competitive species), mechanical (cutting, girdling,
grinding), biological (pheromones, biocontrol insects for purple loosestrife, leafy spurge, spotted
knapweed), chemical (herbicides as part of IPM), preventative strategies, action thresholds
• Specific Herbicide Families: Growth regulators (2,4-D, dicamba, triclopyr, clopyralid, picloram),
ALS inhibitors (sulfonylureas, imazapyr), EPSP synthase inhibitor (glyphosate), glutamine
synthetase inhibitor (glufosinate), synthetic auxins, cell membrane disruptors (diquat,
paraquat), cellulose inhibitors (indaziflam), photosystem II inhibitors (atrazine, hexazinone,
metribuzin)
, Page 2 of 132
• Target Vegetation Management (Rights-of-Way): Roadsides, highways, railroad rights-of-way,
utility corridors (power lines, pipelines), drainage ditches, levees, industrial sites (tank farms,
substations, storage yards), airports
• Application Methods: Foliar broadcast (boom), directed foliar (spot, wiper, backpack), basal
bark treatment (dormant season), cut stump (summer or dormant), injection (hack-and-squirt,
EZ-Ject), granular application, soil spot treatment
• Drift Management and Buffer Zones: Temperature inversion, wind speed (3-10 mph optimal),
droplet size (coarse/very coarse), boom height (lowest effective), buffer zones (sensitive crops,
water bodies, nontarget vegetation), drift reduction technology (DRT, air induction nozzles, drift
control adjuvants), Wisconsin's drift rule (ATCP 29.50)
• Recordkeeping (Wisconsin ATCP 29.36): Retain records for 3 years, specific information
required (date, location, product, rate, target pest, acres treated, applicator name and
certification number), application records for restricted-use pesticides, DATCP access to records
• Worker Protection Standard (WPS): Oral warnings, decontamination supplies, PPE
requirements, restricted-entry intervals (REI, 12 or 24 hours typical for many herbicides),
application exclusion zone for sensitive areas, protected areas (schools, homes, daycares, water
supplies)
• Storage, Transport, Disposal, and Spill Response: Secondary containment, temperature-
sensitive storage, spill kit components (absorbent, neutralizer, PPE, shovel, container), triple
rinsing of containers, pesticide container recycling, rinsate management, disposal of unusable
pesticides (Clean Sweep program), WisDNR spill reporting requirements (1-800-943-0003)
• Human Health and Safety: Acute toxicity (LD50, LC50), chronic toxicity (carcinogenicity,
reproductive effects), routes of entry (oral, dermal, inhalation, ocular), first aid for pesticide
poisoning (atropine for organophosphates, decontamination), medical monitoring for
applicators, heat stress from PPE
• Non-Target Organisms and Endangered Species: Pollinator protection (neonicotinoids, phenoxy
herbicides), Wisconsin endangered and threatened species (Karner blue butterfly, prairie bush
clover, rusty patched bumble bee), protection of water bodies (aquatic herbicide rules, buffer
strips), beneficial insects, birds, mammals
• Calculations for Right-of-Way Applications: Area determination (linear feet to acres for rights-
of-way: width in ft x length in ft / 43,560), dilution of concentrates, mixing multiple products,
tank mix compatibility, cost per treated acre
1. When applying a restricted-use herbicide along a Wisconsin roadside, the applicator's certification
number must be included in which record according to ATCP 29.36?
A) Only if the application area exceeds 10 acres
B) On the pesticide application record kept for at least 3 years
, Page 3 of 132
C) On the product label at the time of purchase
D) Only for groundwater protection area applications
Correct: B – Wisconsin ATCP 29.36 requires that all application records for restricted-use pesticides
include the applicator's certification number and be retained for 3 years.
2. A boom sprayer traveling at 6 miles per hour with a 20-foot boom spacing has nozzles delivering 0.4
gallons per minute each. The application rate in gallons per acre is calculated as:
A) 10 GPA
B) 15 GPA
C) 20 GPA
D) 25 GPA
Correct: C – GPA = (GPM × 5940) ÷ (MPH × nozzle spacing in inches). GPM 0.4, 5940 constant, MPH 6,
spacing 20 ft (240 inches): (0.4 × 5940 = 2376) ÷ (6 × 240 = 1440) = 1.65 per nozzle; for 20 ft boom, result
is 20 GPA.
3. A railroad right-of-way is infested with phragmites (common reed). Which herbicide formulation is
most effective when applied as a foliar broadcast in late summer?
, Page 4 of 132
A) Glyphosate alone at 2 quarts per acre
B) Imazapyr plus glyphosate with a nonionic surfactant
C) 2,4-D amine at 4 pints per acre
D) Pendimethalin applied preemergence
Correct: B – Phragmites requires a systemic herbicide combination (imazapyr + glyphosate) with
surfactant for effective control due to its deep rhizome system and large biomass.
4. Under Wisconsin's drift management rule ATCP 29.50, which weather condition is prohibited for
pesticide application due to high risk of off-target movement?
A) Wind speed of 8 miles per hour
B) Temperature inversion (cool air near ground with warmer air above)
C) Relative humidity above 60%
D) Cloud cover less than 30%
Correct: B – Temperature inversions trap fine droplets near the ground, allowing them to move laterally
for miles without vertical mixing, causing severe off-target damage.
