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Texas Pesticide Applicator Category A – Field Crop
Pest Control Exam QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR
Texas Pesticide Applicator Category A – Field Crop Pest Control Exam
Based on the Texas Administrative Code (4 TAC §7.21) , the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA)
Pesticide Applicator Program, and FIFRA guidelines, the Category A (Field Crop Pest Control) exam tests
competency in the safe and effective use of pesticides for row crops such as cotton, sorghum, corn,
wheat, and rice .
Exam Coverage Summary
The Category A manual (TAMU MP-1289) covers the following core domains, which are reflected in the
questions below :
Domain Key Topics
FIFRA, RUP restrictions, Signal Words (Danger, Warning, Caution), PHI, REI, recordkeeping (2
Label & Compliance
years), TDA regulations
Toxicity categories (LD50), PPE selection (gloves, goggles, respirators), heat stress prevention,
Safety & PPE
closed mixing systems
Application Equipment & Boom sprayers, ground rigs, aerial, granular applicators, nozzle selection (drift reduction),
Calibration calibration formulas (GPA, MPH, GPM)
Weed Science Grass vs. broadleaf identification, Palmer amaranth control, mode of action, resistance
(Herbicides) management, pre-emergent vs. post-emergent, drift volatility (2,4-D, dicamba)
Major pests (Boll weevil, bollworm, sorghum midge, rice water weevil, aphids), piercing-
Entomology (Insecticides)
sucking vs. chewing pests, thresholds, beneficial insects (lady beetles, lacewings)
Plant Pathology
Rusts, blights, charcoal rot, aflatoxin, seed treatments, disease cycles
(Fungicides)
Nematology
Root-knot nematode, reniform nematode, sampling, resistant varieties
(Nematicides)
Drift management, runoff mitigation, WPS, pollinator protection (no spraying during bloom),
Environmental Protection
TDA/TCEQ regulations
Integrated Pest
Economic threshold, scouting, biological control, cultural practices (crop rotation, sanitation)
Management (IPM)
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Domain Key Topics
Major crops (Cotton, Corn, Sorghum, Wheat, Rice), regional pest pressures (South Texas, High
Texas Specifics
Plains, Gulf Coast)
Section 1: Legal & Label Comprehension (Questions 1-20)
Question 1: A farmer wants to apply a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) to 200 acres of cotton. Which of
the following is legally required?
A) A high school diploma and a business license
B) Certification as a private applicator or supervision by a certified applicator
C) Permission from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) regional office
D) A written prescription from a licensed agronomist
Answer: B
The Texas Administrative Code requires that Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) may only be applied by or
under the direct supervision of a certified applicator. This ensures the person handling the chemical has
documented knowledge of safe usage and potential risks to humans and the environment .
Question 2: A pesticide label contains the signal word "DANGER" with a skull and crossbones. What does
this indicate about the product's toxicity?
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A) The product is slightly toxic (LD50 > 500 mg/kg)
B) The product is moderately toxic (LD50 50-500 mg/kg)
C) The product is highly toxic (LD50 < 50 mg/kg) via the route of entry
D) The product is a biological pesticide with no toxicity
Answer: C
*Signal words on pesticide labels are legally defined: "DANGER" (with or without skull and crossbones)
indicates the highest toxicity category (Category I), typically requiring an LD50 of less than 50 mg/kg for
acute oral exposure. "DANGER" with skull/crossbones specifically indicates highly toxic by any route of
entry .*
Question 3: Under FIFRA, what is the legal status of a pesticide label?
A) A manufacturer's suggestion for optimal results
B) A legally enforceable document; using the product contrary to the label is a violation of federal law
C) A material safety data sheet that does not carry the force of law
D) A warranty provided by the chemical company
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Answer: B
FIFRA (the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act) mandates that pesticide labels are legally
binding documents. "The label is the law" means that using a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its
labeling is a violation, subjecting the applicator to fines and penalties .
Question 4: A field crop applicator notices that the recommended rate on a herbicide label is 16 oz/acre
for light infestations but 32 oz/acre for heavy infestations. The applicator decides to use 48 oz/acre to
"be sure." This action is:
A) Acceptable if the applicator has experience
B) Legal only if the crop is corn
C) Illegal, as the label specifies maximum rate per application
D) Permissible if followed by immediate irrigation
Answer: C
Using a pesticide at a rate higher than the maximum specified on the label is a violation of FIFRA.
Exceeding label rates is considered "inconsistent use" and can result in illegal residues, crop injury
(phytotoxicity), and environmental contamination .
Texas Pesticide Applicator Category A – Field Crop
Pest Control Exam QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR
Texas Pesticide Applicator Category A – Field Crop Pest Control Exam
Based on the Texas Administrative Code (4 TAC §7.21) , the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA)
Pesticide Applicator Program, and FIFRA guidelines, the Category A (Field Crop Pest Control) exam tests
competency in the safe and effective use of pesticides for row crops such as cotton, sorghum, corn,
wheat, and rice .
Exam Coverage Summary
The Category A manual (TAMU MP-1289) covers the following core domains, which are reflected in the
questions below :
Domain Key Topics
FIFRA, RUP restrictions, Signal Words (Danger, Warning, Caution), PHI, REI, recordkeeping (2
Label & Compliance
years), TDA regulations
Toxicity categories (LD50), PPE selection (gloves, goggles, respirators), heat stress prevention,
Safety & PPE
closed mixing systems
Application Equipment & Boom sprayers, ground rigs, aerial, granular applicators, nozzle selection (drift reduction),
Calibration calibration formulas (GPA, MPH, GPM)
Weed Science Grass vs. broadleaf identification, Palmer amaranth control, mode of action, resistance
(Herbicides) management, pre-emergent vs. post-emergent, drift volatility (2,4-D, dicamba)
Major pests (Boll weevil, bollworm, sorghum midge, rice water weevil, aphids), piercing-
Entomology (Insecticides)
sucking vs. chewing pests, thresholds, beneficial insects (lady beetles, lacewings)
Plant Pathology
Rusts, blights, charcoal rot, aflatoxin, seed treatments, disease cycles
(Fungicides)
Nematology
Root-knot nematode, reniform nematode, sampling, resistant varieties
(Nematicides)
Drift management, runoff mitigation, WPS, pollinator protection (no spraying during bloom),
Environmental Protection
TDA/TCEQ regulations
Integrated Pest
Economic threshold, scouting, biological control, cultural practices (crop rotation, sanitation)
Management (IPM)
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Domain Key Topics
Major crops (Cotton, Corn, Sorghum, Wheat, Rice), regional pest pressures (South Texas, High
Texas Specifics
Plains, Gulf Coast)
Section 1: Legal & Label Comprehension (Questions 1-20)
Question 1: A farmer wants to apply a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) to 200 acres of cotton. Which of
the following is legally required?
A) A high school diploma and a business license
B) Certification as a private applicator or supervision by a certified applicator
C) Permission from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) regional office
D) A written prescription from a licensed agronomist
Answer: B
The Texas Administrative Code requires that Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) may only be applied by or
under the direct supervision of a certified applicator. This ensures the person handling the chemical has
documented knowledge of safe usage and potential risks to humans and the environment .
Question 2: A pesticide label contains the signal word "DANGER" with a skull and crossbones. What does
this indicate about the product's toxicity?
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A) The product is slightly toxic (LD50 > 500 mg/kg)
B) The product is moderately toxic (LD50 50-500 mg/kg)
C) The product is highly toxic (LD50 < 50 mg/kg) via the route of entry
D) The product is a biological pesticide with no toxicity
Answer: C
*Signal words on pesticide labels are legally defined: "DANGER" (with or without skull and crossbones)
indicates the highest toxicity category (Category I), typically requiring an LD50 of less than 50 mg/kg for
acute oral exposure. "DANGER" with skull/crossbones specifically indicates highly toxic by any route of
entry .*
Question 3: Under FIFRA, what is the legal status of a pesticide label?
A) A manufacturer's suggestion for optimal results
B) A legally enforceable document; using the product contrary to the label is a violation of federal law
C) A material safety data sheet that does not carry the force of law
D) A warranty provided by the chemical company
, Page 4 of 108
Answer: B
FIFRA (the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act) mandates that pesticide labels are legally
binding documents. "The label is the law" means that using a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its
labeling is a violation, subjecting the applicator to fines and penalties .
Question 4: A field crop applicator notices that the recommended rate on a herbicide label is 16 oz/acre
for light infestations but 32 oz/acre for heavy infestations. The applicator decides to use 48 oz/acre to
"be sure." This action is:
A) Acceptable if the applicator has experience
B) Legal only if the crop is corn
C) Illegal, as the label specifies maximum rate per application
D) Permissible if followed by immediate irrigation
Answer: C
Using a pesticide at a rate higher than the maximum specified on the label is a violation of FIFRA.
Exceeding label rates is considered "inconsistent use" and can result in illegal residues, crop injury
(phytotoxicity), and environmental contamination .
