PESTICIDE APPLICATION TRAINING Private Pesticide Applicator Manual Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service Table of Contents Certification Process 3 Introduction How to Become Certified Pests of Agricultural Plants 5 Common Plant Feeding Insect Plants Common Weeds Common Plant Diseases Common Vertebrate Pests Pests of Agricultural Animals 21 Cattle Sheep and Goats Swine Horses, Mules, and Donkeys Poultry Pest Control 25 Principles of Pest Control Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Pest Control Methods Putting It All Together Summary Pesticides 30 Nature of Pesticides How Pesticides Work Factors Affecting Pesticide Activity Plant Growth Regulators, Desiccants, Defoliants and Antitranspirants Types of Formulations Using the Correct Formulation Labels and Labeling 39 Pesticide Registration in Kansas Parts of the Label Safe Use Precautions Pesticide Label Examples Protecting Your Body and the Environment 56 Using Pesticides Safely Protecting Humans Toxicity and Hazard Symptoms of Pesticide Poisoning Fumigation Pesticide Accidents Treatment of Poisoning Cleanup of Pesticide Spills 1 Table of Contents Protecting Animals Protecting the Environment Chemigation Potential Benefits Pesticide and Bees Application Equipment 78 Sprayers Nozzles Dusters and Granular Applicators Controlling Drift Calibration 86 Sprayers Granular Applicator Calibration Volume and Area Determinations Laws and Regulations 94 Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) as Amended Kansas Pesticide Law Laws and Regulations in Regard to Wildlife Damage Control Terms Used in Pest Control 98 2 Certification Under Kansas and Federal Process laws, it is unlawful for any Introduction person to use pesticides in a manner that is inconsistent Federal Regulations set minimum with such pesticide’s label standards for persons handling “re- or labeling. stricted use” pesticides. This manual contains the practical information to prepare you to meet these require- tion other than trading of personal ments. It does not include all the services between producers; or, for things you need to know about the controlling ornamental shrubbery pests you wish to control. It does in- or turf pests at your own residence. clude information to meet the certifi- Private applicator certification does cation requirements for the state of not authorize you to apply pesti- Kansas. This book will tell you: cides on someone else’s property ■ how to become a certified private and charge a fee for the service. If applicator in Kansas, you wish to apply pesticides com- ■ some features of common pests, mercially, you must first obtain how they develop, and the kinds commercial applicator certification of damage they do, and a business license. Contact the ■ some pests of animals and Kansas Department of Agriculture livestock in Kansas, (785-296-3786) for details. ■ methods you can use to control As a private applicator you must pests, complete the application procedure ■ how pesticides work, ■ prescribed by the Kansas State how pesticide labels can help Department of Agriculture, pass an you, and some examples of examination, and pay fees. Under the labels, ■ Kansas Pesticide Law, the Private how to use pesticides so they Applicator certification period is five will not harm you or the years and expires on the applicator’s environment, birth date of the fifth year. ■ pesticide exposure, ■ pesticide toxicity and pesticide hazard, Requirements for ■ cholinesterase tests, Initial Certification ■ symptoms of pesticide initial poisoning, Private Applicator certifica- reentry ■ pesticide accidents, tion and (initial certification ■ toxicity of pesticides to bees, has expired) are accomplished by ■ application equipment and passing an open book exam (75% calibration, and score) over this manual, paying the ■ laws and regulations. fees and submitting the application form. The examination is taken in the County Agent’s office. How to Become Certified or Renew Certification as Requirements for a Private Applicator Renewal Certification Under the Kansas Pesticide Law, Private applicators can renew certi- private certification would authorize fication by passing an open book ex- you to use or supervise the use of a amination (75% score). Prior to your restricted use pesticide only to pro- birth date on the fifth year of your duce an agricultural commodity certification period, the Kansas State (1) on property owned or rented by Department of Agriculture (KDA) you or your employer, or (2) on the will mail you the appropriate Private no compensa- property of another for Applicator Training Manual and 3 Certification Process renewal examination. Certification 2. Passing the examination, and may be renewed for a succeeding 3. Submitting the application for re- five-year period by: newal. All requirements must 1. Paying the fee as prescribed by be met prior to the expiration the Kansas State Department of date or else you must follow the Agriculture, procedure for reentry. 4 Pests of The plants are damaged, weakened, or killed. This causes Agricultural reduced yields, lowered quality and The first step in solving any prob- plants or plant products that cannot Plants lem is to understand what is causing be sold. Even after harvest, insects it. So the first step in your job is to continue their damage in the stored recognize the pests you need to or processed products. Insects also control. feed on and in man and other ani- We favor certain plants and ani- mals. Some of these pests carry dis- mals that provide us food and fiber. ease agents which have caused mil- But we also provide good growing lions of deaths to man and livestock. conditions for other plants and ani- Not all insects are pests. Some help mals that harm them. These living man by doing such things as pollinat- things that compete with us for food ing plants or feeding on other insects and fiber, or attack us directly, are that are pests. pests. The living plant or animal a pest depends on for survival is called the host. Insect Features Pests can be put into five main All adult insects have two things in groups: common—six jointed legs and three ■ insects (plus mites, ticks, and body regions. But how do you tell spiders), one insect from another? Often, the ■ snails and slugs, most important parts to look at are Grasshopper ■ vertebrates, wings and mouthparts. Some insects ■ weeds, and have no wings. Others have two or ■ plant disease agents. four. The wings vary in shape, size, Most applicators know most of the thickness, and structure. Insects with pests they see on the job. But some- chewing mouthparts have toothed times unfamiliar pests may appear. jaws that bite and tear the food. In- You can get identification aids, publi- sects with piercing–sucking mouth- cations, and pictures to help find out parts have a long beak which they what they are, but the best thing to force into a plant or animal to suck adult do is to contact local experts. Ask the out fluids or blood. Cooperative Extension Service or a Almost all insects change in shape, competent consultant to help you. form, and size during their lives. This change is called metamorphosis. Some insects change only in size as larva Common Plant they develop. The adult lays eggs. A Feeding Pests nymph, which looks like a tiny adult, May Beetle Insects thrive in more environ- hatches from the egg and goes ments than any other group of ani- through several stages. These mals. They live not only on the nymphs change into wingless adults. earth’s surface but within the soil and Some insects change form slightly. in water. They eat the choicest foods Their nymphs hatch from eggs. These of man’s table. They can even eat the nymphs, which have no wings, go through several growing stages. They table. a. Western Corn Many types of insects affect crops. change into winged adults. Rootworm Other insects change completely. They cause damage in a variety of b. Southern Corn ways. They may: They go through four stages. The Rootworm larva egg ■ feed on leaves, hatches from an . It is a ■ tunnel or bore in stems, stalks, worm, caterpillar, grub, or maggot. and branches, This is the stage in which these in- ■ sects grow and do the most damage. c. Northern Corn d. Corn Rootworm Larva feed on and tunnel in roots, Rootworm ■ feed on and in seeds and nuts, When full-grown, the larva changes pupa ■ suck the sap from leaves, stems, into a . During this stage it Rootworms adult roots, fruits, and flowers, and changes into the . The adult ■ carry plant disease agents. stage usually has wings. 5 Pests of Agricultural Here are the insect groups that in- larva and yet another kind is associ- clude most of the insects which man ated with the adult. The larvae are to- Plants considers pests. You should be famil- tally different in appearance from iar with the characteristics of each adults. A typical beetle larva has a group that you control and the type distinct head capsule, more or less of damage each group does. elongated body, and the majority have three pairs of legs located on the first three segments behind the head. Insects with There are no legs on the abdominal Chewing Mouthparts segments of beetle larvae. The larvae Grasshoppers and Crickets of the weevils and a few others are often called “grubs.” Larvae of wee- These insects have chewing mouth- vils are short, robust, legless grubs. parts. Most are plant feeding and Most adult beetles have four wings adult cause damage by chewing holes in —the front pair, thickened and foliage. All have a gradual life cycle; leathery, serve as protective covers that is, adults lay eggs that hatch into for the second; the top pair of wing nymphs and gradually grow into the covers meets and forms a straight line adult stage as they feed. down the center of the back. This Eggs begin to hatch in mid-May larva pupa characteristic is useful in separating and continue until July.