IOWA 3OT PESTICIDE STUDY GUIDE 2025/2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Biennial - ✔✔Requires two years to complete its life cycle
First year the plant forms a rosette and develops a large root system
Second year plant produces flowers and then dies.
Control methods are best during first year
✔✔Perennial - ✔✔Plants that live for more than two years
May die back to ground level during winter and then come back following spring
✔✔common annual grass weed in iowa - ✔✔crabgrass and knotweed
✔✔common perennial grass weed in iowa turfgrass setting - ✔✔coarse bluegrass
✔✔common hard to control weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔common blue violet,
ground ivy, quackgrass
✔✔common biennial broadleaf weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔bull thistle,
common mallow
✔✔common perennial broadleaf weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔dandelion,
purslane, common blue violet
✔✔common sedge weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔yellow nutsedge
✔✔common winter annual weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔downy brome,
common chickweed
✔✔common summer annual weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔smooth crabgrass,
yellow foxtail
✔✔other weeds in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔algae, silvery thread moss, wild garlic
✔✔Discuss the challenges of using preemergence herbicides for controlling annual
grasses in turfgrass sites - ✔✔Preemergence herbicides must be watered in or rained
on, but too much or too little water can reduce their effectiveness.
Difficult because of their similarity to desirable turfgrass species.
Herbicides must be applied early in the spring before the seeds begin germinating.
✔✔When considering use of preemergence herbicides in turfgrass - ✔✔Note whether or
not a waiting period of 2-4 months is required before re-seeding
Avoid using before laying sod or at the time of seeding
Note whether surfactants or wetting agents will be required
, Newly seeded areas may need to be mowed 3-4 times before applying
Avoid catching grass in areas treated as it can help contribute to chemical barrier
✔✔Describe the primary reasons for using plant growth regulators in turfgrasses - ✔✔A
plant growth regulator is one or more chemical substances designed to alter the growth
habit of turfgrasses
Primary reasons to use are to slow vertical leaf growth
Other reasons include seedhead suppression, improved color, shade tolerance,
reduced water consumption, annual bluegrass suppression, and dollar spot suppression
✔✔drawbacks of growth regulators - ✔✔Heavy traffic areas should be avoided so it can
regrow
Use on kentucky bluegrass shows some phytotoxicity, but works well for bentgrass
May further injure already stressed turf
✔✔Post emergence most effective when applied in - ✔✔spring to early summer or fall
✔✔When applying post emergence consider - ✔✔Delaying application to newly seeded
areas until they have been moved 3-4 grimes
Wait 4-6 weeks for newly sodded areas
Avoid mowing treated area for at least 3 days after application
Wait 3-4 weeks before seeding bare spots left by killed weeds
✔✔List five vertebrate animals that commonly damage turf sites in Iowa - ✔✔Canada
geese
Raccoons
Skunks
Moles
Voles
✔✔Describe turf damage caused by vertebrates that indicates the presence of insect
pest - ✔✔Geese - feed on turfgrass blades, shit all over lawn
Skunk - dig up large portions of lawn to feed on grubs, bees, wasps,
Mole - surface runways and deep tunnels constructed in lawns looking for earthworms
and white grubs
Vole - gnaw on bark and roots, eat flower bulbs, can kill young plants
Raccoon - dig up large portions of lawns to feed on white grubs
✔✔ EPA reported this much was spent on pesticide use for
industrial/commercial/government sector and this much was spend for home and
garden sector in 2012 - ✔✔1.4 billion; 3.3 billion
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Biennial - ✔✔Requires two years to complete its life cycle
First year the plant forms a rosette and develops a large root system
Second year plant produces flowers and then dies.
Control methods are best during first year
✔✔Perennial - ✔✔Plants that live for more than two years
May die back to ground level during winter and then come back following spring
✔✔common annual grass weed in iowa - ✔✔crabgrass and knotweed
✔✔common perennial grass weed in iowa turfgrass setting - ✔✔coarse bluegrass
✔✔common hard to control weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔common blue violet,
ground ivy, quackgrass
✔✔common biennial broadleaf weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔bull thistle,
common mallow
✔✔common perennial broadleaf weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔dandelion,
purslane, common blue violet
✔✔common sedge weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔yellow nutsedge
✔✔common winter annual weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔downy brome,
common chickweed
✔✔common summer annual weed in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔smooth crabgrass,
yellow foxtail
✔✔other weeds in turfgrass setting in iowa - ✔✔algae, silvery thread moss, wild garlic
✔✔Discuss the challenges of using preemergence herbicides for controlling annual
grasses in turfgrass sites - ✔✔Preemergence herbicides must be watered in or rained
on, but too much or too little water can reduce their effectiveness.
Difficult because of their similarity to desirable turfgrass species.
Herbicides must be applied early in the spring before the seeds begin germinating.
✔✔When considering use of preemergence herbicides in turfgrass - ✔✔Note whether or
not a waiting period of 2-4 months is required before re-seeding
Avoid using before laying sod or at the time of seeding
Note whether surfactants or wetting agents will be required
, Newly seeded areas may need to be mowed 3-4 times before applying
Avoid catching grass in areas treated as it can help contribute to chemical barrier
✔✔Describe the primary reasons for using plant growth regulators in turfgrasses - ✔✔A
plant growth regulator is one or more chemical substances designed to alter the growth
habit of turfgrasses
Primary reasons to use are to slow vertical leaf growth
Other reasons include seedhead suppression, improved color, shade tolerance,
reduced water consumption, annual bluegrass suppression, and dollar spot suppression
✔✔drawbacks of growth regulators - ✔✔Heavy traffic areas should be avoided so it can
regrow
Use on kentucky bluegrass shows some phytotoxicity, but works well for bentgrass
May further injure already stressed turf
✔✔Post emergence most effective when applied in - ✔✔spring to early summer or fall
✔✔When applying post emergence consider - ✔✔Delaying application to newly seeded
areas until they have been moved 3-4 grimes
Wait 4-6 weeks for newly sodded areas
Avoid mowing treated area for at least 3 days after application
Wait 3-4 weeks before seeding bare spots left by killed weeds
✔✔List five vertebrate animals that commonly damage turf sites in Iowa - ✔✔Canada
geese
Raccoons
Skunks
Moles
Voles
✔✔Describe turf damage caused by vertebrates that indicates the presence of insect
pest - ✔✔Geese - feed on turfgrass blades, shit all over lawn
Skunk - dig up large portions of lawn to feed on grubs, bees, wasps,
Mole - surface runways and deep tunnels constructed in lawns looking for earthworms
and white grubs
Vole - gnaw on bark and roots, eat flower bulbs, can kill young plants
Raccoon - dig up large portions of lawns to feed on white grubs
✔✔ EPA reported this much was spent on pesticide use for
industrial/commercial/government sector and this much was spend for home and
garden sector in 2012 - ✔✔1.4 billion; 3.3 billion
