3A TURF PEST MANAGEMENT EXAM STUDY
GUIDE 2025/2026 QUESTIONS BANK AND
VERIFIED CORRECT SOLUTIONS WITH
RATIONALES || 100% GUARANTEED PASS
<RECENT VERSION>
1. integrated pest management (IPM) - ANSWER ✓ The use of all available
strategies to manage pests economically and with the least environmental
disruption.
2. pest control methods in IPM - ANSWER ✓ Cultural, mechanical, biological,
chemical (pesticides); Yes, pesticides are included but used judiciously.
3. five steps of IPM for turf - ANSWER ✓ Detection, Identification, Economic
significance, Selection of methods, Evaluation.
4. benefits from early detection of pest problems - ANSWER ✓ Easier to
manage pests at lower populations; Prevents serious turf injury.
5. coffee can method - ANSWER ✓ Insects (surface or crown feeders).
6. method for fungal diseases - ANSWER ✓ Visual inspection.
7. method for grubs - ANSWER ✓ Turf roll-back.
8. degree days - ANSWER ✓ Degree days more accurately predict pest
development because they're based on temperature.
9. non-pest conditions affecting turf health - ANSWER ✓ Drought,
Compaction, Mowing injury, Fertilizer burn, Shade; They may mimic pest
symptoms and help diagnose problems.
,10.harmless or beneficial species - ANSWER ✓ There are thousands of species
of insects, fungi, nematodes, and bacteria that are harmless or beneficial to
turf.
11.turfgrass species or variety in diagnosis - ANSWER ✓ Some pests/diseases
target specific species or varieties; helps narrow down possible causes.
12.dull mower effect on grass blades - ANSWER ✓ Torn/frayed blade tips turn
brown, making turf appear spotted or dead.
13.summer dieback - ANSWER ✓ Natural dormancy of grass (often Poa
annua) due to heat or drought.
14.chemical burn in turf - ANSWER ✓ Uniform dead areas in patterns
matching spill or misapplication.
15.Importance of educating clients about IPM - ANSWER ✓ Educating clients
about IPM is important because... Promotes understanding, reduces
unnecessary pesticide use, improves success.
16.Major weed types in turf - ANSWER ✓ Three major weed types in turf:
Grasses, Sedges, Broadleaf weeds.
17.Weed life cycles - ANSWER ✓ Annuals: Complete life cycle in one season;
Biennials: Two seasons (leaf 1st year, flower 2nd); Perennials: Survive more
than two years.
18.Weed identification importance - ANSWER ✓ Why ID weeds before
control? Proper timing and method depend on weed biology.
19.Best timing for preemergence herbicides - ANSWER ✓ Best timing for
preemergence herbicides? Before weed seeds germinate (early spring).
20.Selective herbicides on new seedlings - ANSWER ✓ Why not use selective
herbicides on new seedlings? Can damage immature turf.
21.Reducing herbicide-resistant weeds - ANSWER ✓ How to reduce herbicide-
resistant weeds? Rotate modes of action, use integrated methods.
,22.Disease triangle components - ANSWER ✓ What is the disease triangle?
Host, Pathogen, Environment.
23.Why is it important to use both short term suppression and long term
maintenance tactics in pest management? - ANSWER ✓ Short term offers a
quick fox, but pest population will rebuild. Long term must be used to
teduce pest poplulations permanently
24.Plant Resistance - ANSWER ✓ Varieties of grass containing endophyte
fungi
25.Mechanical and physical controls - ANSWER ✓ Includes hand removal,
traps, barriers and repellants
26.Cultural controls - ANSWER ✓ Includes raking, thatch removal and
areation
27.Give an example of a turf grass disease that can be managed with hand
removal techniques - ANSWER ✓ Slime mold
28.Give one example of a weed situation that can be managed with hand
removal techniques - ANSWER ✓ Ina new strand of grass, hand removal of
weeds may be necessary to prevent damage to the young grass plants
29.Explain why turf cannot at the same time benefit from biological control
methods to be pest free - ANSWER ✓ There must be a low level of pest or
prey insects for the predators to feed on
30.How can you help maintain existing populations of beneficial organisms in a
turf stand - ANSWER ✓ By making pesticide applications only when
needed
31.What is the most commonly used microbial insecticide? On what insect
larvae is it effective? - ANSWER ✓ Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, used to
control caterpillars
, 32.Are microbial insecticides best used for short term suppression or long term
maintenance of pest populations? Why? - ANSWER ✓ Long term
maintenance. Microbial insecticides are slower action and do not kill all of
the pests at once, which allows there to be food for other beneficial
organisms.
33.List five questions to consider when choosing a pesticide to control a turf
pest. - ANSWER ✓ 1. Is the pesticide labeled for use on turf?
2. Will the pesticide control the pest?
3. How expensive is the chemical?
4. Can the pesticide be applied with the application equipment available to
me?
5. How toxic is the pest to other organisms and to the applicator?
34.List four ways to classify pesticides - ANSWER ✓ 1. Types of pest
2. Pesticide chemistry
3. Mode of action
4. Pesticide formulation
35.Name 2 benefits to using pesticides in the toxicity categories III and IV
(signal word CAUTION) - ANSWER ✓ 1. It reduces risks to applicators and
the general public
36.2. It helps to conserve natural enemies of pests
37.Broad term spectrum - ANSWER ✓ Can be used to control several pests, but
more likely to be hazardous to no target organisms
38.Residual pesticide - ANSWER ✓ Good for use when goal is to reduce the
number of applications required to control persistent pests
39.Systemic herbicide - ANSWER ✓ Superior in treating persistent perennial
weeds; kills both aboveground and belowground parts of plants
GUIDE 2025/2026 QUESTIONS BANK AND
VERIFIED CORRECT SOLUTIONS WITH
RATIONALES || 100% GUARANTEED PASS
<RECENT VERSION>
1. integrated pest management (IPM) - ANSWER ✓ The use of all available
strategies to manage pests economically and with the least environmental
disruption.
2. pest control methods in IPM - ANSWER ✓ Cultural, mechanical, biological,
chemical (pesticides); Yes, pesticides are included but used judiciously.
3. five steps of IPM for turf - ANSWER ✓ Detection, Identification, Economic
significance, Selection of methods, Evaluation.
4. benefits from early detection of pest problems - ANSWER ✓ Easier to
manage pests at lower populations; Prevents serious turf injury.
5. coffee can method - ANSWER ✓ Insects (surface or crown feeders).
6. method for fungal diseases - ANSWER ✓ Visual inspection.
7. method for grubs - ANSWER ✓ Turf roll-back.
8. degree days - ANSWER ✓ Degree days more accurately predict pest
development because they're based on temperature.
9. non-pest conditions affecting turf health - ANSWER ✓ Drought,
Compaction, Mowing injury, Fertilizer burn, Shade; They may mimic pest
symptoms and help diagnose problems.
,10.harmless or beneficial species - ANSWER ✓ There are thousands of species
of insects, fungi, nematodes, and bacteria that are harmless or beneficial to
turf.
11.turfgrass species or variety in diagnosis - ANSWER ✓ Some pests/diseases
target specific species or varieties; helps narrow down possible causes.
12.dull mower effect on grass blades - ANSWER ✓ Torn/frayed blade tips turn
brown, making turf appear spotted or dead.
13.summer dieback - ANSWER ✓ Natural dormancy of grass (often Poa
annua) due to heat or drought.
14.chemical burn in turf - ANSWER ✓ Uniform dead areas in patterns
matching spill or misapplication.
15.Importance of educating clients about IPM - ANSWER ✓ Educating clients
about IPM is important because... Promotes understanding, reduces
unnecessary pesticide use, improves success.
16.Major weed types in turf - ANSWER ✓ Three major weed types in turf:
Grasses, Sedges, Broadleaf weeds.
17.Weed life cycles - ANSWER ✓ Annuals: Complete life cycle in one season;
Biennials: Two seasons (leaf 1st year, flower 2nd); Perennials: Survive more
than two years.
18.Weed identification importance - ANSWER ✓ Why ID weeds before
control? Proper timing and method depend on weed biology.
19.Best timing for preemergence herbicides - ANSWER ✓ Best timing for
preemergence herbicides? Before weed seeds germinate (early spring).
20.Selective herbicides on new seedlings - ANSWER ✓ Why not use selective
herbicides on new seedlings? Can damage immature turf.
21.Reducing herbicide-resistant weeds - ANSWER ✓ How to reduce herbicide-
resistant weeds? Rotate modes of action, use integrated methods.
,22.Disease triangle components - ANSWER ✓ What is the disease triangle?
Host, Pathogen, Environment.
23.Why is it important to use both short term suppression and long term
maintenance tactics in pest management? - ANSWER ✓ Short term offers a
quick fox, but pest population will rebuild. Long term must be used to
teduce pest poplulations permanently
24.Plant Resistance - ANSWER ✓ Varieties of grass containing endophyte
fungi
25.Mechanical and physical controls - ANSWER ✓ Includes hand removal,
traps, barriers and repellants
26.Cultural controls - ANSWER ✓ Includes raking, thatch removal and
areation
27.Give an example of a turf grass disease that can be managed with hand
removal techniques - ANSWER ✓ Slime mold
28.Give one example of a weed situation that can be managed with hand
removal techniques - ANSWER ✓ Ina new strand of grass, hand removal of
weeds may be necessary to prevent damage to the young grass plants
29.Explain why turf cannot at the same time benefit from biological control
methods to be pest free - ANSWER ✓ There must be a low level of pest or
prey insects for the predators to feed on
30.How can you help maintain existing populations of beneficial organisms in a
turf stand - ANSWER ✓ By making pesticide applications only when
needed
31.What is the most commonly used microbial insecticide? On what insect
larvae is it effective? - ANSWER ✓ Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, used to
control caterpillars
, 32.Are microbial insecticides best used for short term suppression or long term
maintenance of pest populations? Why? - ANSWER ✓ Long term
maintenance. Microbial insecticides are slower action and do not kill all of
the pests at once, which allows there to be food for other beneficial
organisms.
33.List five questions to consider when choosing a pesticide to control a turf
pest. - ANSWER ✓ 1. Is the pesticide labeled for use on turf?
2. Will the pesticide control the pest?
3. How expensive is the chemical?
4. Can the pesticide be applied with the application equipment available to
me?
5. How toxic is the pest to other organisms and to the applicator?
34.List four ways to classify pesticides - ANSWER ✓ 1. Types of pest
2. Pesticide chemistry
3. Mode of action
4. Pesticide formulation
35.Name 2 benefits to using pesticides in the toxicity categories III and IV
(signal word CAUTION) - ANSWER ✓ 1. It reduces risks to applicators and
the general public
36.2. It helps to conserve natural enemies of pests
37.Broad term spectrum - ANSWER ✓ Can be used to control several pests, but
more likely to be hazardous to no target organisms
38.Residual pesticide - ANSWER ✓ Good for use when goal is to reduce the
number of applications required to control persistent pests
39.Systemic herbicide - ANSWER ✓ Superior in treating persistent perennial
weeds; kills both aboveground and belowground parts of plants
