STICIDES CORRECTLY
A GUIDE FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATORS
   AGRICULTURAL
  PEST  CONTROL--
        PLANT
        IRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
      OFFICE OF PESTICIDE PROGRAMS
        WASHINGTON, D.C.  20460

-------
                        CONTENTS

                                                             Page
Acknowledgments 	     1
Preface	     1
Introduction  	     2
Major Crops	     2
  Feed Grains and Small Grains	     2
  Hay and Pasture	     3
  Fruits and Nuts	     3
  Vegetables  	     4
  Specialty Crops 	     4
Pests  	     4
  Insects and Mites 	     5
    Thrips  	     5
    Grasshoppers and Crickets	     6
    True Bugs	     6
    Aphids and Psyllids  	     6
    Leafhoppers, Spittlebugs (Froghoppers) and Treehoppers ....     7
    Scales  and Mealybugs	     7
    Whiteflies	     8
    Moths and Butterflies	     8
    Beetles 	    10
    Flies, Gnats, and Midges	    13
    Sawflies  	    13
    Mites	    13
  Plant Disease Agents  	    14
    Fungi  	    14
       Leaf Diseases 	    14
       Wilts, Root Rots, and Crown Rots	    15
       Stem Cankers    	    15
       Fruit Rots 	    16
       Seed and Seedling Diseases  	    16

-------
                                                                Page
     Bacteria 	     16
       Bacterial Wilts	     16
       Bacterial Blights, Leaf Spots, and Rots	     16
       Bacterial Galls and Overgrowth	     17
     Viruses and Mycoplasmas	     17
     Nematodes	     17
     Parasitic Seed Plants	     18
  Snails and Slugs	     18
  Weeds  	     18
     Development  Stages  	     19
     Weed Classification 	     19
       Grasses	     20
       Broadleaves 	     20
     Factors Affecting Control	     20
     Determining the Weed Problem	     21
     Weed Control Methods	     21
  Vertebrate  Pests   	     22
Pesticides	     22
  Insecticides  	     22
  Miticides 	     22
  Fungicides 	     23
  Bactericides 	     23
  Controlling Viruses and Mycoplasmas	•	     23
  Nematicides	     23
  Controlling Parasitic Seed Plants	     23
  Molluscicides	     23
  Herbicides  	     24
  Controlling Vertebrate Pests	     26
Environmental Protection	     27
  Soil  and Water  	     27
  Drift 	'	     27
  Reentry and Preharvest Intervals	     28
  Phytotoxicity  	     28
  Community Problems 	     29

-------
        ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

   This  guide has been developed by the  Program
Support Branch, Operations Division, Office of Pes-
ticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency.
Much of the information was drawn from materials
published by the Cooperative Extension Services in
several States;  the U.S. Department  of Agriculture;
and other sources. The Agency extends its apprecia-
tion to these sources and also to the many persons
throughout the country who reviewed the manual at
various  stages  and whose  valuable comments con-
tributed greatly to its preparation.
                 PREFACE

  Federal regulations  establish general and specific
standards that you must meet before you can legally
use certain pesticides. Your State will provide mate-
rial which  you may study to help you  meet the
general standards. This guide contains basic informa-
tion to help you meet  the specific standards for ap-
plicators who are  engaged  in agricultural plant pest
control. Because the guide was prepared to cover the
entire Nation, some information  important to your
State  may not  be included. The State  agency  in
charge of your training can provide the other mate-
rials you should  study.

-------
            INTRODUCTION

  Pesticides are a valuable tool for profitably  pro-
ducing a high-yield, market-acceptable crop, but they
should be used only when and where they are needed.
Usually pesticides  should be  used  only  when  pest
numbers and/or the pest problem  has reached the
economic  threshold  and  other  pest  management
methods do not provide effective  control.  In  some
cases, preventive use is a necessary, cost-effective way
to protect crops.  Protectants  should be used  only
when knowledge of the pest indicates it is necessary.
You should be familiar with alternatives to the use
of pesticides and inform your customers about them.
Be sure they know the possible consequences of  both
pesticide use and the use of alternative control meth-
ods.
   Sometimes a producer asks you to apply a specific
pesticide on a crop. At other times you are asked to
both diagnose a pest problem and to provide control.
Accurate detection, identification,  or diagnosis  is a
science. Experience is important. This manual is not
intended to make  anyone an expert in  identifying
pests  on crops or in selecting  the proper control
technique. However, you should be  able to identify
the more  common  pests  that  attack  agricultural
crops. When you find a pest or pest problem you
cannot identify, ask an expert to help you.

              Integrated Control
  This manual discusses some of the general produc-
tion practices that may increase or lessen pesticide
problems. You will be a better applicator if you un-
derstand these basic principles.
  You as an applicator should:
    • understand crop  production  and  cropping
       practices,
    • be able to identify common pests and signs
       and/or symptoms of the damage they cause,
    • have basic knowledge of the chemical charac-
       teristics and the mode of action of pesticides,
    • understand application techniques and equip-
       ment use,
    • recognize pesticides'  potential for injury  to
       people, pets, livestock, and the environment,
       and
    • know and follow the safety practices essential
       for protecting yourself and your employees,
       the producer  and  his employees, the con-
       sumer, and the  environment.
              MAJOR  CROPS
 Feed  Groins  end  Small  Groins

 Crop Characteristics
   These widely grown crops are summer or winter
 annual grasses. In  the past, seedbed preparation us-
 ually included complete removal or incorporation of
 the previous year's crop residue. This practice con-
 tributes to wind and water erosion of soil particles
 and the attached pesticides. No-till seeding is becom-
 ing more common. It  minimizes  erosion and may
 simplify  weed  control, but  its impact on  disease,
 rodent, and insect  control  is not known.
   These crops have a relatively low unit value. As a
 result, per acre pest control costs must be kept low.
 Resistance to  several common diseases and  insect
 pests is good in some of the more popular crop varie-
 ties. Certain cultural control practices  may  reduce
 the need for pesticides. These include:
     •  no-till seeding,
     •  moldboard plowing,
     •  cultivation,
     •  crop rotation,
     •  planting date and  harvest  date timing, and
     •  special harvest and storage methods.
 These methods may be used alone or in combination.

-------
   Many producers use pesticides preventively to con-
trol  some soil-infesting insects such as wireworms,
plant disease agents such as nematodes, and weeds
such as pigweed and foxtail.
   Machines are widely used in the production and
harvest of these crops. This lessens worker exposure
to pesticide residues. However, these crops are used
as food or feed, so  be sure to inform your customer
of the limitations on the time between pesticide ap-
plication and harvest, slaughter, or grazing.
Equipment
  Many types of low-pressure field sprayers are used,
ranging in  capacity from 50 gallons  to  more than
1,000 gallons. They can  do many highly  specialized
jobs.
       Low Pressure Field Sprayer
                                  Granular Applicator
  Dry formulation application equipment also comes
in a wide variety of sizes and capabilities.
  Aircraft can be specially adapted for the different
applications of pesticides to these crops.
 Hay  and  Pasture

 Crop Characteristics
   These widely grown crops include:
     • intensively  cultivated alfalfa,  clover, and
       grasses introduced in most parts of the coun-
        try, and
     •  native grasses and broadleaved plants grown
        with a minimum of cultivation.
   Resistant varieties, harvest timing, and other non-
 chemical control practices such as burning are espe-
 cially  useful  in pest  control  in hay  crops.  Hay
 producers often use fall  seeding, or plant with spring-
 seeded small grains as a nurse crop to control weeds.
 Without insect- and disease-resistance, alfalfa could
 not be grown  over much of its present range in the
 United States.
   Since  all hay and pasture crops are used for live-
 stock feed, it is essential to obey time limitations be-
 tween pesticide  application and grazing or harvest.
 Especially restrictive residue tolerances apply to milk
 and dairy products.


 Equipment
   Pesticides are usually applied to hay and pasture
 crops with low-pressure boom sprayers or aircraft
 equipped to apply both  liquid and dry formulations.

 Fruits  and  Nuts

 Crop  Characteristics
   Small fruits include  such crops as grapes, bram-
 bles, blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries. Tree
 fruits' include  such crops as apples, peaches, pears,
 citrus, cherries, and plums. Nuts  include such crops
 as walnuts, almonds, and pecans.
   Highly sophisticated pest control practices are used
 on fruits grown for human consumption.  In some
 situations,  the crops are closely monitored for pests.
 If pests are found, pesticides may be recommended.
 The surface appearance of fruits  grown for fresh
 market  has long been critical to the producer.  To
 produce  blemish-free fruit, the producer sometimes
 must use pesticides preventively on a schedule modi-
 fied only to adapt for variable weather.
   Many fruit crops must be harvested by hand labor.
 Hand labor is also required to prune fruit trees and
 to thin some crops selectively during the growing sea-
 son. Pesticide  labels specify time, intervals between
pesticide application and reentry or harvest. These
 directions are  critical and must be obeyed. The law
requires  applicators  to  inform  their customers and
 employees  of these intervals.
  Two or more pesticides often are applied in com-
bination. Pesticides may also  be combined with fer-

-------
tilizers.  The applicator must pay strict attention to
their physical and chemical compatibility. The label-
ing on chemical products sometimes identifies prob-
lems  of incompatibility. Follow label instructions
exactly.
  Many of these crops are perennial and may remain
hi place for decades. Pesticides  may persist on or-
chard or vineyard soil from repeated use. Local ex-
perts are aware of potential residue problems. They
can help you.


Equipment

  Equipment most  often used on these crops in-
cludes:
    • air  blast  sprayers  with  fixed  or movable
       heads,
    • high-pressure sprayers with fixed or movable
       booms,
    • dusters,
    • hand-held  booms, and
    • aircraft.
            High Pressure Field Sprayer
                                    Air Blast Sprayer
                                    or Mist Blower
 Vegetables

 Crop Characteristics
   In general, these are intensively cultivated annual
 plants, the fruits, stems, leaves, or roots of which are
 used as  human or livestock food.  Vegetables, like
 tree fruits, are expected by the consumer to  have a
 blemish-free appearance.  Since the edible portions
 of most of these crops are produced under an inten-
 sive schedule of pesticide application, worker reentry
 and pre-harvest intervals are critical to protect field
 workers, harvesters, and consumers.
   Resistant varieties  and cultural control methods,
 including selective planting and harvesting dates and
 destruction or removal of cultivated crop residue, are
 an important part of pest control on vegetables.

 Equipment
  Pesticide  application  equipment most  often used
on vegetables includes:
       fixed- and movable-head air blast sprayers,
       high-  and low-pressure boom  sprayers,
       dusters,
       granular applicators, and
       aircraft.

 Specialty Crops

 Crop Characteristics
   Specialty crops include cotton, soybeans, tobacco,
 sugar beets,  sugar cane,  and  peanuts. Most  are row
 seeded and  managed much  the same as the  feed
 grams and small grains. Some of these crops,  such
 as  cotton  and soybeans, require extensive use  of
 pesticides for successful  production.  Other specialty
 crops, such as sugar beets and sugar cane, can be
 produced almost without the  use of pesticides.

 Equipment
   Pesticide application equipment most  often used
 on these crops is low-pressure boom sprayers and
 aircraft-mounted  sprayers.

                     PESTS

    The first step  in solving any problem is to under-
 stand what is causing it. So the first step in your job
 is to recognize the pests you need to control.
   We favor certain plants and animals that provide
 us food and fiber. But we also provide good growing
 conditions for other plants  and animals that harm
 them. These living  things that compete  with us for
 food and fiber,  or  attack us  directly, are pests. The
 living plant or animal a  pest  depends on  for survival
 is called the host.
   Pests can be put into five main groups:
      • insects (plus mites, ticks, and spiders),
      • plant disease agents,
      • snails and slugs,
      • weeds, and
      • vertebrates.
   Most applicators know most of the pests  they see
 on the job. But sometimes unfamiliar pests may ap-
 pear. You can  get  identification aids, publications,
 and pictures to help find out what they are. But the
 best thing to do  is to contact local experts.  Ask the
 Cooperative Extension Service or a competent con-
 sultant to help you.

-------
Insects  ond  Mites
  The large  number of insects,  mites, and related
animals can be divided  into three categories accord-
ing to their importance  to man:
     • species which are of only minor importance
       —About 99 percent of all species are in this
       category. They  simply  "take up  space" and
       supply food for birds, fish, mammals, reptiles,
       amphibians, and other insects. Some have es-
       thetic value.
     • beneficial insects and mites—In this small but
       important group are the predators and para-
       sites that feed on destructive insects, mites,
       and weeds. Examples are lady beetles, some
       bugs, ground beetles, tachinid flies, many tiny
       parasitic wasps, and predaceous mites.  Also
       in this  category are the  pollinating insects,
       such  as bumblebees and honeybees,  some
       moths,  butterflies, and beetles. Without pol-
       linators, many fruits, vegetables,  and forage
       crops could not be produced.
     • destructive insects and mites—Although this
       is the category which usually comes to mind
       when insects  are mentioned, it includes the
       smallest number of species. In this  category
       are certain species  of  thrips,  grasshoppers,
       true bugs,  aphids, leafhoppers, scales, white-
       flies, moths, beetles, flies,  sawflies, and mites
       that feed upon food and fiber crops.


                  Insect  Damage
                                 Scale Insects
                Wings and Mouthparts
                Two Wings
   Four Wings
          Wings
 Chewing
(Grasshopper)
                                  Sucking
                                 (Mosquito)
                           Mouthparts
Thrips
   Thrips are thin,  tiny  insects with four  narrow
fringed wings in the adult  stage. During their life
cycle they change gradually in  size and  slightly in
form from  egg  through  several wingless nymphal
stages to winged adults. Several  generations are pro-
duced each year. Both nymphs and adults  have tube-
like  mouthparts  and feed on plants by rasping the
surface tissue of tender  buds,  flowers,  fruits,  and
leaves, then sucking the plant juices (sap).
   Injury to plants is  characterized by discolored and
distorted flowers and buds or grey speckled areas on
fruit and foliage. Thrips  may attack every type of
agricultural  crop. Common  species are:
     • bean thrips on legumes,
     • citrus thrips,
     • flower thrips  on  grasses,  vegetables,  and
       fruits,
     • onion thrips on  onion and other vegetables,
       and
     • tobacco thrips.
                          Root Feeding
                          White Grub
             GLADIOLUS  THRIPS

-------
 Grasshoppers  and  Crickets
   Grasshoppers and crickets are large-bodied insects
 with hind legs adapted for jumping. During their life
 cycle they change gradually in  size and slightly in
 form from egg through  several wingless  nymphal
 stages to winged or wingless adults. Usually there is
 only one  generation produced each year. The eggs
 overwinter in the soil. Both nymphs and adults have
 toothed (chewing) mouthparts which they use to cut
 small sections from leaves and stems of plants.
   Injury is characterized  by ragged holes in foliage
 and stems.  In  large  numbers,  grasshoppers and
 crickets may consume all of a plant or plants in an
 area. Grasshoppers  and crickets may  attack  every
 type of agricultural  crop.  Common species include
 Mormon cricket, mole  cricket, field cricket, migra-
 tory grasshopper, and two-striped grasshopper.

 True Bugs
   Pest species of  true bugs in the adult form have
 two pairs of wings. The first pair is leathery at the
 base and  nearly transparent at the  tip. At rest, the
 wings  lie  flat across the thorax  and abdomen with
 the transparent  tips overlapping. During their life
 cycle true bugs change gradually in  size and slightly
 in form from egg through  several wingless nymphal
 stages  to winged adults. One to  several generations
 are produced each year.  Both nymphs and adults
 have tubelike (piercing-sucking) mouthparts and feed
 on plants by puncturing seeds, stems, foliage,  flowers,
 or fruit and  sucking the sap. Some true bugs may
 inject  a toxin into the  plant  which causes  further
 damage.
   Injury to plants is characterized by  mottled grey
 spots on foliage, deformed buds  or fruit (catfacing),
loss  of vitality, wilting,  and—in severe infestations
—death.  Some plant disease agents are carried by
these insects. True bugs may attack many kinds of
fruit, vegetable and grain crops.

 Common  species include:
   • chinch bug—corn  and grain crops,
   • harlequin bug—crucifers,
   • stinkbug—vegetable crops,
   • squash .bug—vine  crops, and
   • tarnished plant bug—vegetables and fruits.
                           HARLEQUIN BUG
                         ADULT AND NYMPH
Aphids  and  Psyllids
   Aphids and psyllids, called plant lice and jumping
plant lice, are small, soft-bodied insects usually less
than 1A inch long. In the adult form they usually have
transparent wings which are held vertically over the
body when at rest. During their life cycle they change
gradually in size  and  slightly  in form  from  egg
through  several wingless nymphal stages to winged
and  wingless  adult  stages. Many generations  are
produced each year. Both  nymphs and  adults have
tubelike mouthparts and feed on plants by puncturing
tender plant parts and sucking the sap.
   Injury to the plant is characterized by loss  of plant
vigor, stunted and deformed buds and flowers, or
curled and puckered foliage. Plant lice and jumping
plant lice secrete honeydew which attracts ants and
upon which unsightly sooty mold grows. Aphids also
transmit some viral, bacterial, and other plant disease
agents.
                                                     6

-------
   Common aphid species include:
     • grape phylloxera,
     • the greenbug—grains,
     • green peach aphid—tobacco, peaches, pota-
       toes, spinach,
     • melon aphid—melons, cotton, fruits, vegeta-
       bles,
     • potato aphid—potato, tomato, and
     • apple aphids.
   Common psyllids are:
     • potato psyllid—potato and tomato, and
     • pear psyllid.

 Leafhoppers,  Spittlebugs
 (Froghoppers)  and  Treehoppers
   Leafhoppers, spittlebugs and treehoppers are small
 (usually not over Vi  inch long), soft-bodied insects
with hind legs adapted for jumping. The adults have
two pairs of transparent wings held in a roofiike posi-
tion  when at rest. During the life cycle they change
gradually  in  size  and slightly in  form  from egg
through several wingless nymphal stages to winged
adults. Many generations  are produced each year.
Both nymphs and  adults have tubelike mouthparts
and feed  on plants by  piercing leaves and stems and
sucking the sap.
  Injury to the plant is characterized by mottled, dis-
colored, and  curled leaves,  and stunted  or wilted
stems. 'Spittlebug nymphs are easily identified by the
foamy  spittle mass which  surrounds and  protects
them during feeding. All these hoppers may transmit
plant disease agents, especially those  agents causing
yellows, stunt, and curly top.
      SPITTLEBUG
   Some  leafhoppers secrete  honeydew,  which at-
tracts ants and supports the growth of unsightly sooty
mold. Other leafhoppers inject a toxin into the plant
during feeding, causing a browning  of leaves called
"hopper  burn." Treehoppers damage plants by slit-
ting the bark or stem to deposit their eggs.
   Common species include:
     • buffalo treehopper—tree fruits,
     • alfalfa hopper,
     • meadow  spittlebug—strawberries,  legumes,
       forage crops,
     • aster leafhopper—lettuce, celery, other vege-
       tables, grains,
     • potato leafhopper—potato, legumes, apples.

Scales and  Mealybugs
   Scales  and mealybugs are small, oval insects which
resemble reptile scales or tiny bits of wax or wool.
They may be mistaken for parts of  the plant itself.
Mealybugs are soft-bodied scales covered with white
powder and often with cottony fibers. Scales may be
soft-bodied or armored with  a crusty shell. Adult
females are wingless and usually stationary, but adult
males resemble tiny flies with a single pair of wings.
   During the life cycle they change gradually in size
and slightly in form from egg through several wing-
less nymphal stages and a pupalike  stage  to adults.
Many generations  are  produced each year. Adult
males do not have mouthparts and do  not  feed.
Nymphs  and adult females have very long, slender,
tubelike mouthparts. They feed on plants by sucking
sap from plant stems, leaves, and branches.
                                                         San Jose Scale: (A) Adult Female Scale; (B) Male Scale;
                                                         (C) Young Scales; (D) Nymph (Crawler)

-------
  Injury  is  characterized  by  stunted,  yellowed,
wilted,  and  often  deformed  growth.  Scales  and
mealybugs also transmit some plant disease  agents
and secrete large amounts of honeydew, which at-
tracts ants and supports unsightly sooty mold. Large
quantities of sooty mold on crops usually indicates
an aphid  or scale infestation. Mealybugs and scales
may attack many kinds of fruit, vegetable, and espe-
cially greenhouse crops.
  Common species include:
     • citrus mealybug—citrus  fruits,  greenhouse
       crops,
     • Mexican   mealybug—cotton,   greenhouse
       crops,
     • red scales—citrus  fruits,  other tree fruits,
     • San Jose scale—tree fruits,
     • brown soft scale—tree fruits, ornamentals,
     • black scale—citrus.
                 MEALYBUGS
 Whiteflies
   Whiteflies  are tiny, soft-bodied insects covered
 with white, waxy powder. The adults have two pairs
 of broad wings and resemble tiny white moths. Dur-
 ing the life cycle they change  gradually in size and
 form  from egg  through  several wingless,  scalelike
 nymphal  stages and  a  pupalike  stage  to  winged
 adults. Several generations are produced each year.
  Both nymphs and adults have long, slender tube-
 like mouthparts  and feed on plants by sucking plant
juices. They also secrete honeydew. Whiteflies attack
greenhouse crops in the North  and a wide variety of
outdoor agricultural crops in the South.
  Common species include:
    • citrus whitefly,
    • greenhouse whitefly.
 Moths and  Butterflies
   Moth and butterfly adults have a dense covering
 of tiny scales and hairs  on their wings and bodies
 which gives the body a soft, fuzzy appearance. The
 adults have two  pairs of fairly large wings which
 are usually brightly colored in butterfly species and
 dull, neutral-colored in moth species.
   During their life cycle they change completely in
 size and form from egg to wingless wormlike larva
 to immobile  pupa to winged adult. One to several
 generations  are produced  each year. Adults have
 long  tubelike mouthparts  and  feed  on plants by
 sucking or siphoning plant nectar. They do not harm
 plants; however,  their presence  around crops or in
 pheromone or light traps may indicate potential pest
 problems. The adults lay eggs that hatch into poten-
tially harmful larvae.

          Four  Stage Life  Cycle
                                                             Larva
                                                                                         Adult
  The larvae, called caterpillars,  are long,  fleshy,
and  soft-bodied  with three  or more  pairs of legs.
They have well-developed, toothed jaws and feed on
plants by cutting and tearing leaves, stems, and other
plant parts.  Different kinds  of caterpillars feed on
all parts of herbaceous and  woody plants including
roots, stems, foliage, buds, flowers, fruits, and seed.
Injury to plants is  characterized by tears, tunnels,
and ragged holes in the affected plant part.

   Budworms

  Budworms are medium-sized caterpillars that feed
in or on opening buds. Common species include:
     • pecan budworm,
     • tobacco budworm—tobacco, cotton.

-------
Several  other  destructive caterpillars, such as the
corn earworm, fall armyworm, and European corn
borer, may feed on or in developing buds. Although
these are not true budworms, the injury they cause
is often called "budworm injury."

   Arm/worms

   Armyworms occur in large numbers, and may des-
troy every plant in their path. They will eat any part
of a herbaceous plant, especially stems, leaves, and
fruits. Common species  are the fall armyworm and
true armyworm, both of which  attack grasses and
cereal grains.
        ARMYWORM:   (1)  EGG MASS;
        (4)  LARVA;  (6) ADULT
    Cutworms

   Cutworms usually feed near the soil surface by
 cutting through succulent  stems  of young  plants.
 Some  cutworms can climb up stems and trunks to
 feed on buds, leaves, and fruit and are called climb-
 ing cutworms.  Different  species of cutworms  may
 attack many kinds of agricultural crops. Black cut-
 worm  is a  common surface-feeding caterpillar on
 many  vegetables  and grain crops. Variegated cut-
 worm  will feed on the soil surface and also act as
 a  climbing  cutworm  attacking  herbaceous  and
 woody tissues on fruits and vegetables.
   Borers
  Borers are caterpillars which  bore  into and feed
on stems, woody tissues, and roots. Some other insect
larvae are also borers. They may attack young fruit
and nut trees and row crops. Common species in-
clude :
       common stalk borer-
       other stem plants,
       European corn borer
       potatoes,
       peach tree borer—stone fruits,
       potato tuberworm—Irish potatoes,
       citrus borer.
:orn, potato, tomato,

:orn, beans, peppers,
      DURRA  STALK BORER:   ADULT
      (LEFT);   PUPA (TOP  RIGHT);
      LARVA  (BOTTOM  RIGHT)


   Fruitworms

  Fruitworms and some other caterpillars bore into
and feed on the fruits of plants.  The caterpillar of
one moth species may be called the corn earworm,
tomato fruitworm, or cotton bollworm, depending on
where it  is  feeding. These caterpillars  also bore in
and feed  on beans, cabbage, peanuts, grasses, grains,
and other crop plants. Other common species  in-
clude:
    • oriental fruit moth—tree fruits,
    • codling moth—tree fruits,
    • green fruitworm—tree fruits,
    • pickleworm—crucifers,
    • tomato pinworm—tomato, potato.
   Foliage  Feeders
   Foliage feeders are by far the largest group of cat-
erpillars. They may feed on the leaves of every type
of agricultural crop.

-------
  Webworms and Tent Caterpillars are caterpillars
that build a nest or "tent" of  silk. Webworms feed
entirely within the web, which is built around the foli-
age and is extended as the enclosed leaves are con-
sumed. Tent caterpillars build tentlike nests in the
crotch of a  tree and leave the nest to feed on the
foliage. Common species include:
     • eastern tent caterpillar—apples,
     • fall webworm—tree fruits, nuts,
     • garden webworm—grass,  cereal grains, vege-
       tables.
  Hornworms are very large,  foliage-feeding cater-
pillars with  a hornlike projection at the end of the
body. Two common species are tobacco and tomato
hornworms, both of which attack tobacco, tomatoes,
potatoes, and peppers.
  Loopers,  Cankerworms, and Spanworms  are foli-
age-feeding  caterpillars which move by drawing the
abdomen to thorax to form a loop and then extend-
ing again. They often drop down  and dangle on a
long silken thread when disturbed. Common species
include:
     • fall  and  spring  cankerworms—tree fruits,
       nuts,
     • cabbage  looper—cole  crops, lettuce, other
       vegetables,
     • currant spanworm—currants, gooseberries.
 CABBAGE LOOPER MOTH
   Other Foliage-Feeding Caterpillars  include such
 species as:
     •  redhumped caterpillar—fruits, nuts,
     •  imported cabbageworm—cole crops,
     •  parsley worm—many vegetables.
  In addition,  there are several  pest species with
common names that describe how they attack and in-
jure leaves. For example:
     •  leaf crumplers crumple new leaves  together
       with a silken thread and feed on new leaves
       and buds of some fruit crops,
     •  leaffolders feed inside folded leaves  of some
       small fruit crops,
     •  leafminers mine in and feed between the sur-
       faces of leaves  of many fruit and vegetable
       crops,
       RED-BANDED LEAF ROLLER

       leajrollers feed within the rolled up leaves
       of many fruit and vegetable crops,
       leaf skeletonizers skeletonize leaves of some
       fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops by eat-
       ing everything but the veins and outer layer.
       leaftiers tie  together and feed on the leaves
       of some small fruit crops.
 Beetles
   Beetles are the largest group of insects. They make
 up about 40 percent of known insect species. Adults
 are easily identified by the pair of hardened, opaque
 wings that meet in a straight line down the thorax
 and abdomen and the folded second pair of trans-
 parent wings.
   During their life cycle, beetles change completely
 in size and form from egg to wingless, wormlike larva
 to immobile pupa to winged adult. One generation
 may be produced every 2 to  5  years or several gen-
 erations may be produced each year. Both the larvae,
 some  of which are called  grubs, and the adults  have
 distinct, hard, capsulelike heads with toothed jaws.
                                                    10

-------
 They feed on plants by biting and tearing the food.
 Many adult beetles feed on plant foliage or fleshy
 stems.  Larvae may  feed on roots,  stems,  foliage,
 buds,  seeds, fruits, or woody tissue.  Injury to the
 plant is characterized by tears  and ragged holes in
 the affected plant part. In some species both the adult
 and the larva are pests. In other species only  one
 stage causes damage.
                      JUNE I JULY  AUG. SEPT.
                     BEETLES FEED ON FOLIAGE AND FRUIT
   LIFE  CYCLE OF THE  JAPANESE BEETLE

     Rootfeeding Larvae
    These include  wireworms, rootworms, and other
  beetles. The root-eating larvae feed on and burrow
  in roots and underground stems. Wireworms also at-
  tack seeds.
    Wireworms are shiny, slender, hard-bodied, wire-
  like, yellow to dark  brown larvae.  They may be
  found at all times of the year in almost any soil. The
  adults, which are not important pests, are called click
  beetles  because they right themselves with a sharp
  click if held  or disturbed. Many species  are pests.
  They may attack all  agricultural crops,  especially
  corn, grasses, tobacco, cotton,  and root vegetable
  crops.
  Rootworms are small, curved, white, soft-bodied,
wormlike grubs.  The adult beetles are leaf-feeders
and may attack the foliage of entirely different plant
species than the crops injured by the grubs. For ex-
ample, the clover rootworm, which feeds on pasture,
hay,  and grain  crops, becomes the grape colapsis
beetle, which feeds  on  small  fruit and  vegetable
crops. The southern corn rootworm, which feeds on
corn  and  beans,  becomes the spotted  cucumber
beetle, which feeds on legumes  and cucurbits. Other
common species include:
     • northern corn rootworm,
     • strawberry  rootworm—small  fruits,   tree
       fruits, nuts.
COMMON WIREWORM: (A) ADULT; (B) LARVA;
(C) LAST SEGMENTS  OF  LARVA;  (D)  PUPA
    SOUTHERN CORN  ROOTWORM
    LARVA (LEFT); ADULT (CENTER);
    DAMAGE CAUSED (RIGHT)


   Other beetles with rootnfeeding larvae also include
species  in which the adults feed on different hosts
than the grubs do. Japanese beetle adults feed on all
fruits and on corn and soybean foliage, but the grubs
feed on grass roots. May and June beetle adults feed
on foliage of ornamental trees and shrubs,  but the
grubs feed on roots of hay, pasture, grain, and vege-
table crops.  The striped cucumber beetle adults feed
on foliage of cucurbits, legumes, and corn,  but the
larvae feed only on cucurbit roots.

   Stem-Eating Larvae or Borers
   Stem-eating larvae tunnel in  and feed on stems
and  woody  tissues.  The  adult  beetles  often cause
                                                   11

-------
damage by carving holes in stems and bark to insert
eggs, as well as by eating foliage. Borers are partic-
ularly destructive to newly set or weakened fruit and
nut trees and  young  herbaceous crops. Common
species are:
     • potato stalk borer—potatoes, tomatoes,
     • cane borers—small fruits,
     • shot hole borer—fruits, nuts,
     • round headed and flat headed borers—tree
       fruits, nuts.

   Fruit- and Foliage-Eating Larvae
  This  group  includes  snout  beetles  and other
beetles.  In many species  of beetles, both larvae and
adults feed on foliage and fruit.
  Snout Beetles (Curculios, Billbugs, and Weevils)—
The head of the  adult snout beetle is shaped in a
long, curved snout with  toothed mouthparts at the
tip. The larvae  are white, thick,  soft-bodied,  legless
grubs. The grubs commonly feed  within the plant;
the adults feed from the outside. The  snout of the
adult beetle is used to cut a hole in stems, nuts, buds,
fruits, or vegetables into  which the eggs are depos-
ited. The hatching grubs eat and  bore their way fur-
ther into or along the stem or fruit.
  Snout beetles which feed on hay, pasture, grain,
and soybean crops  are commonly called billbugs.
Common species are:
    •  southern corn billbug—corn, rice, peanuts,
    •  maize billbug.
                       BILLBUG
    Snout beetles which feed on fruits and nuts may
 be called curculios. Common species include:
      • apple curculios—tree fruits,
      • plum curculios—stone fruits, apples.
   Snout beetles which attack vegetables and specialty
 and ornamental crops are often called weevils. Com-
 mon species are:
      • alfalfa weevil,
      • cotton boll weevil,
      • bean weevil—bean  seeds,
      • pea weevil—pea seeds.
                            ALFALFA WEEVIL
  Other Fruit- and Foliage-Feeding Larvae are not
snout beetles. The larvae of these beetles usually feed
on  the  outside of the plant along  with  the adult
beetles.  The adults usually deposit the eggs  on the
leaf or stem surface rather than into the plant. Com-
mon species include:
     • flea beetles—vegetables,
     • Colorado potato beetle—potatoes, tomatoes,
     • Mexican bean beetle.
                       FLEA BEETLE
    Non-Plant-Eating  Larvae

   The larvae of some pest beetles do not eat plants
but prey on insects, mites,  and other animals. The
adults are called blister beetles because they contain
a chemical which may blister human skin. The adult
blister beetles chew on foliage and fruits and may be
very destructive to  agricultural crops. The larvae of
blister beetles  are  parasitic on grasshopper eggs.
Numerous species feed on vegetables, flowers, young
trees, and vines.
         MARGINED  BLISTER  BEETLE
                                                     12

-------
Flies,  Gnats,  and  Midges
Sawflies
  Flies, gnats, and midges  are the major types of
insects with only one pair of wings. During their life
cycle they change completely from egg to wingless,
wormlike larva to immobile pupa to  winged adult.
The pupal  stage of most  pest flies is buried in the
soil and adults emerge from  the soil to feed. Several
generations are produced each year.

  Adults have piercing-sucking or sponging mouth-
parts. Many adults  feed upon nectar  and pollen of
flowers. Others feed upon liquid organic matter from
decomposing plant or animal bodies. Others dissolve
solid  substances in  their saliva and sponge up the
solution. A number of adults suck juices from other
insects and animals, including man.
                                           FEMALE
   Sawflies  belong to the  group of insects that in-
cludes bees, wasps, and ants. Sawfly larvae resemble
caterpillars. The adults have two pair of transparent
wings hooked together. During their life cycle  they
change  completely from  egg to wingless  wormlike
larva to immobile pupa to winged adult. One  to a
few generations are produced each year.
   Larvae and adults have toothed jaws and feed on
plants by tearing  soft stems and foliage. The  adults
damage plants mainly by  sawing into leaves  to de-
posit eggs. The larvae are the most destructive stage.
They bore into and feed on stems and leaves, often
by burrowing between the surfaces of a leaf as leaf-
miners do.
   Injury to plants is  characterized by slits in leaves;
lumpy, wilted foliage; and  stunted growth.
  Common  species include:
     • stem sawflies—grasses,  cereal grains,
     • cherry fruit sawfly—tree fruits,
     • imported currantworm—currants, gooseber-
       ries.
                  HESSIAN  FLY
 WESTERN  GRASS STEM
                  SAWFLY
   The larvae, called maggots, are usually soft, thick,
white, and legless with a head which is not well de-
nned. Maggots have well-developed, parallel hooked
jaws. They feed on plants by burrowing in and feed-
ing on roots, stems,  and fruit. The maggots are us-
ually the most destructive stage.
   Injury to plants is characterized by wormy or de-
cayed seeds, stems,  fruits, and roots; wilted foliage;
stunted growth; or death of the plant. These insects
may also transmit some  plant disease agents,  espe-
cially those causing soft rot.

   Common species  include:
     • apple, cabbage, pepper, and onion maggots,
     • seed corn maggot—vegetable  seeds,
     • melon fly—cucurbits,
     • Hessian fly—wheat,
     • sorghum midge—grasses, cereal grains,
     • fruit flies.
 Mites

   Mites are minute, soft-bodied, wingless pests which
 closely resemble insects but have eight legs. Nymphs
 and adults  have  sucking mouthparts. They usually
 are so tiny  that they are  discovered  only after the
 damage to the plant appears. The life cycle includes
 both  larval and  nymphal  stages.  The  larvae  have
 three pairs of legs; the nymphs and adults have four
 pairs. Several generations are produced each year.
   Foliage, buds,  stems, and  fruit of infested plants
 may  become  red,  bronze, rust,  yellow,  white,  or
 brown or may wither and fall off.  Spider mites spin
 light, delicate webs  over  buds and between leaves
 where mites are feeding. Mites attack almost all types
 of agricultural crops.
   Common species include:
     •  spider mites—fruit trees, citrus,  small fruits,
        legumes, greenhouse  crops,
                                                    13

-------
      clover mite—grasses, cereal grains,
      red mites—tree fruits, citrus, nuts.
                   MITE
Fungi

  Fungi are plants that lack chlorophyll and cannot
make their own food. They  get food by living on
other organisms.  Most fungi reproduce  by spores,
which function about the same way seeds do. Locat-
ing and recognizing the spores may be a key to iden-
tifying a fungus as the cause of a plant disease. Fungi
may attack  crops both above  and below the soil
surface. Fungal disease agents may be spread from
plant to plant and crop  to crop by such things as
wind, rain, insects, birds, machinery, soil, and con-
taminated seed stock.
Plant  Disease  Agents

  Both living organisms and nonliving agents often
cause diseases or other undesirable effects on plants.
     • Living organisms include fungi, bacteria, vir-
       uses and mycoplasmas, nematodes, and para-
       sitic seed plants.
     • Nonliving agents include unbalanced soil fer-
       tility, toxic  chemicals,  air pollution, frost,
       drought, sunburn, wind,  and hail.

Disorders caused by nonliving agents often resemble
the symptoms of injury caused  by living organisms.
For  example, certain types of  chemical injury can
look like  some of  the leafspots caused by  fungi or
bacteria.

  Symptoms and signs  are the keys to identifying
plant disease. A symptom of a disease is the reaction
of the host  plant to the living organism or to the
nonliving  agent. Symptoms include  such things as
spots on the leaves, wilting, and galls on the roots.
A sign is physical evidence of the presence  of a dis-
ease agent.  Signs include, for example, the visible
growth of fungi (mold) or fungal spores, or bacterial
ooze issuing from a wound.

  Some  living organisms  cause  entirely  different
symptoms on different kinds of plants. Cedar  apple
rust on cedar appears as gall-like  swellings on twigs,
but on apple it appears as small, rustlike spots. Dis-
eases caused, by nematodes  may have  no visible
above-ground symptoms if soil moisture is adequate.
Root knot nematode injury on peanuts is an  example.
A plant  may be infected by two or more disease
agents at  the same  time.
    Leaf  Diseases

   Although the fungi causing  these diseases  occur
primarily on leaves, some may  also occur on stems,
roots, or  fruits.  Fungi that cause leaf  diseases pro-
duce several types of  symptoms. Other plant disease
agents may produce similar symptoms.

   Leaf  Spots—Leaf  spots (other names—anthrac-
nose, scab,  leaf  blotch, shot  hole)  are usually def-
inite spots of varying  sizes, shapes, and colors. Each
spot usually has a distinct margin,  sometimes sur-
rounded by a  yellow  halo. Usually there is a fungal
growth such as tiny, black, pimplelike structures or a
moldy growth. It is often necessary to use a hand
lens to see these signs. If the spots are numerous or
close together, affected areas may join  together to
form irregular areas,
often called "blotches".
Leaf spots are common on
 fruits, vegetables, and some
 hay and pasture crops.
                   FUNGI
                   (Smut)
                                                   14

-------
   The common names of leaf spot diseases may be
general (peanut leaf spot), descriptive (zonate leaf
spot), or  named  after  the  fungus (Septoria leaf
spot).

   Leaf Blights—Leaf blights look somewhat like leaf
spots but generally cause larger and more irregularly
shaped diseased areas. Blights are common  on al-
most all  food and  feed  crops. The common  name
usually includes the word "blight" (southern leaf
blight, early blight).

   Rusts—Rust  fungi   often  produce  "pustules,"
which look like leaf spots.  Rust pustules are masses
of bright yellow, orange-red, reddish brown, or black
spores being  pushed through the  leaf surface. With
severe infections, the leaf withers and dies rapidly.
Some types of rust also occur on stems.
   Rusts are most common on grains, pasture grasses,
and  tree fruit crops. The common name usually in-
cludes the  name of the  crop affected and the word
"rust" (stem rust of grains and grasses, leaf and cane
rust  of raspberry).

   Powdery Mildew—Powdery mildew is  a  white to
light  gray,  powdery or  dusty  growth on leaves. It
may also occur on stems, fruits, and flowers.  Affected
leaves usually turn yellow, wither, and die.  Powdery
mildew is  common  on curcurbits, small grains, and
fruits.

   Downy  Mildew—Downy mildew is a light  gray,
moldy growth on the underside of the leaf. It causes
a pale green  to yellow area on the upper leaf sur-
face.  Downy mildew fungi are important disease
agents on  some vegetables  such as pepper,  cabbage
and soybeans.
 Symptoms of Diseases
                          Knot!
    Wilts, Root  Rots,  and  Crown Rots

   These  three  distinct  groups  of  fungal disease
 agents are usually soilborne. The fungi can survive
 for long periods of time in the soil. These organisms
 produce similar general symptoms (wilting and death
 of the plant). Close examination of a wilting plant
 will nearly always allow  you to determine if it is
 caused by wilt, root rot, or a crown rot.
   Wilts—Most  wilt diseases  are caused  by  fungi
 (Fusarium and Verticillium), although bacteria may
 produce similar symptoms. These parasites  cause
 wilts on a wide range of  crops. Wilt  disease agents
 usually enter the plant through the roots. Some of
 the roots may be black and rot in the  early stages of
 the  disease. Extensive root rotting does  not  occur
 until after the plant is dead. A light- to dark-brown
 streaking can usually be  seen  in the stem of an in-
 fected plant.
   Crown Rots—These disease agents  usually attack
 the plant at or near the soil line. Affected  plants are
 generally unthrifty with  leaves smaller  or lighter
 green than normal. Leaves usually turn yellow.  In
 advanced stages of disease, the plant wilts and dies.
 The crown or base of the stem will be  water-soaked,
 discolored, or decayed. A moldy growth  with var-
 ious colored fruiting bodies often forms in the dis-
 eased area. Crown rot can be important on  some
 vegetable crops. Common names  may  include  the
 words crown rot,  collar rot,  stem blight,  stalk rot,
 or southern blight.
  Root Rots—Some plants may wilt and die rapidly;
 others may be slow-growing, yellow, or stunted and
 may not die for some  time after the symptoms  ap-
 pear. Roots are  generally  shortened, soft, and light
 brown to black.  The outer portion of the root may
 slough off, leaving a stringlike center core.  Every
 type of agricultural crop  may  be affected by root
 rots.

   Stem Cankers
  Stem cankers occur as well-defined,  discolored
 areas on main stems or branches.  These areas may
 be irregular or oval; they may be sunken or swollen.
 Some cankers crack open  and  expose  the  wood un-
 derneath. The foliage on stems with cankers is  us-
ually slow-growing, light  green to yellow, and  re-
duced in size. Infected stems often start growth later
in the spring.  The tips of infected stems may  die
back. Infected branches and plants may not die for
                                                    15

-------
several months or even years after the disease first
develops.  Stem cankers are very important on tree
fruit and nut crops.

   Fruit  Rots

  Fruit rots  are caused by many different kinds  of
fungi. All types of fruit are susceptible to rots. The
symptoms vary from a superficial fungal growth on
the external surface to a mushy, soft, watery rot. Rot
may occur while the fruit is on the plant or after
harvest. Some rots begin as a small spot sunken be-
low the surface, containing spores or other fruiting
bodies of the fungi. Some rots may cause a shriveling
or a "dry rotting"  of the fruit. Many rot-causing
fungi  occur only  on one  type  of fruit; others may
occur on different fruits.
    Seed  and  Seedling  Diseases

   Seedling diseases are  caused by soilborne  fungi.
 They usually occur during the period from germina-
 tion until  shortly  after emergence. If infection oc-
 curs  before  emergence,  the  seedling may  never
 emerge.  After  emergence,  seedling stems  may  be
 attacked at or slightly below the soil line.
   Symptoms include  brown  to reddish-brown  or
 black cankers at the soil line which may girdle the
 stem. A second type of  symptom is a soft, watery,
 rotted spot at the soil line. Seedling and seed diseases
 are most common in cool, wet soils. Any agricultural
 crop grown from seeds or seedlings may be affected.
 Among the common names  for these fungal diseases
 are damping-off and seed rot.
 Bacteria

   Bacteria are  microscopic, one-celled  organisms.
 They usually reproduce by dividing in half. Bacterial
 numbers can  build up fast under ideal  conditions
 such  as warm, humid weather.  Bacterial  disease
 agents can be identified by the symptoms they pro-
 duce in plants or by signs of the bacteria's presence.
 Bacteria may attack any part of a-plant both above
 and below the  soil  surface. Bacterial disease agents
 are spread from plant  to plant and crop to  crop by
 infected  seed, man, insects,  and  other animal life
 including birds, snails, slugs, and worms, and by con-
taminated rain,  irrigation water,  equipment,  tools,
etc.
    Bacterial  Wilts

   Bacteria which attack the water-conducting vessels
of  plants generally cause  the  same  plant  disease
symptom—wilting.  The  water-conducting  tissues
may become so filled with bacteria that water can
no longer be supplied  to the foliage and  the plant
wilts. Often if the stems of infected plants are cut, a
whitish bacterial ooze may  form at the ends of the
water-conducting vessels.  Often the stem of the in-
vaded plant is stained brown or  black. Bacterial wilt
may affect many types of agricultural plants, espe-
cially cucumbers, tomatoes, and cabbage.
     BACTERIAL WILT OF CUCUMBER
           BACTERIA DEPOSITED WITH BEETLE FECES
           SPREAD THROUGH VESSELS OF LEAF, VINE
                           AND TO OTHER VINES
                 BACTERIA OVERWINTER IN STRIPED
                   AND SPOTTED CUCUMBER BEETLES
                WHICH HAVE  FED ON INFECTED VINES
   Bacterial Blights,  Leaf Spots, and Rots
  Bacteria may attack the soft or succulent plant tis-
sues and cause death of the affected areas. On leaves
the symptoms are very similar to leaf spot and blights
caused by fungal agents. Typically, the first symptom
on the leaves appears as water-soaked spots, which
finally turn to brown or "dead" areas. The rot of
many fleshy  roots, stems, rhizomes, and  fruits is a
                                                    16

-------
rapid, soft, wet, bacterial rot.
 •  Bacterial blights, leaf spots, and rots may be dis-
tinguished from similar fungal diseases by presence
or absence of spores  (indicating fungus), or by the
host which is affected. Often a microscopic examina-
tion is needed. Common diseases in this category in-
clude fire blight of apple and pear, angular leaf spot
on cucurbits and tobacco, and soft rot of vegetables
such  as potatoes  and  onion.

   Bacterial  Galls  and  Overgrowth

   Bacteria may cause abnormal  cell division in a
portion of a plant, causing tumors, galls, or witches-
brooms. Often the symptoms are easily seen with the
naked eye. These diseases may attack a wide variety
of agricultural crops and are especially important on
tree  fruits and nut crops.  Two  common diseases in
this group are crown gall and hairy root of apple.


Viruses  and Mycoplasmas

   Viruses and mycoplasmas are so small that they
cannot be seen with an ordinary  microscope. They
are generally recognized by their effects on plants.
   Viruses depend on other living organisms for food
and to reproduce. They cannot complete their life
cycle independently. They are transmitted by insects
(usually aphids or leaf hoppers), by infected plants,
pollen, fungi, nematodes, or contaminated machinery
and men.
   Mycoplasmas  are the smallest  known  independ-
ently  living organisms. They can reproduce and exist
apart from other living organisms. They obtain their
food from plants. Most known mycoplasma diseases
are transmitted by leaf hoppers. Yellows diseases and
some  stunts are caused by mycoplasmas. Often it is
difficult to distinguish between diseases caused by
viruses and mycoplasmas and those caused by other
plant  disease agents.
   Common symptoms of both virus-caused and my-
coplasma-caused diseases include:
    • mosaic—light  green to yellow areas of the
       leaf,  usually accompanied  by abnormal leaf
       growth.
    • vein banding—a light green to  yellow band
       along leaf veins, which may later turn dark.
    • ring spot—alternating rings of light green or
      yellow and normal  green of the leaf.
    • yellows—the entire plant or some parts  are
      uniformly yellow.
     • stunting—some or all parts of the plant are
       abnormally  small.  Stunting  may  occur in
       combination with all of the previous  symp-
       toms.
     • rugose—leaves are crinkled and deformed.
   Every type of agricultural crop may be affected by
virus and mycoplasma diseases.


Nematodes

   Nematodes are small, usually microscopic, round-
worms.  All  nematodes that are parasitic on  plants
have a hollow feeding spear (stylet). They use it to
puncture plant cells and  feed  on the cell contents.
Their life cycle includes  an egg, four larval stages,
and an adult. In adverse conditions, some nematodes
can assume  an inactive form called  a cyst which is
difficult to penetrate or kill.
   Nematodes may feed on plant roots, stems, leaves,
and flowers. The most damaging root-feeding nema-
todes directly interfere with water and nutrient up-
take. Nematode damage often goes unrecognized or
is  blamed on something else. Typical above-ground
symptoms include stunting, yellowing, loss of  vigor,
and general  decline.
   Nematode injury in the field is rarely uniform.
Damage  often occurs  in  scattered areas of a field.
Symptoms of injury become more obvious when soil
moisture .and fertility are low. Injury to the plant by
nematodes may appear as galls, knots, stubby  roots,
and damage to or loss  of feeder roots. Nematode in-
festations  may be determined  by having the still-
living plant  roots  and  surrounding soil examined in
a  diagnostic laboratory.  There are  many different
species of nematodes which attack every type of ag-
ricultural crop.
           Nematode Damage
                   Nematode
 Actual Length Equals 1/50 to 1/25 Inch
                                                   17

-------
Parasitic  Seed  Plants

  Dodders, broomrape, and witchweed are parasitic
seed plants which are important disease agents on
agricultural crops.
  Dodders  are  leafless, orange to yellow  twining
vines. They do not have chlorophyll and must obtain
their food  from other living  plants. Dodder germi-
nates in the soil  and produces a slender, yellowish
thread.  When it touches the host, it twines around its
stem  and puts out little  suckers. As  soon  as the
suckers are established on the host plant, the roots
of the dodder shrivel and the connection to the soil
dries  up.  Successful  dodder parasites  twine  and
spread from one plant to the next. They often appear
as a tangle of  matted orange hairs. Dodders parasit-
ize clover,  alfalfa, and flax and  are becoming more
important on some vegetables.
  Broomrape -is a leafless herb which appears above
ground  as  a clump of whitish, yellowish, brownish,
or purplish stems. It germinates from seed in the soil
and produces a slender stem. The slender stem grows
downward  into the ground and penetrates the crown
or root of the host plant.  Upon contacting the host,
the broomrape forms a tuberous  enlargement and
draws its food from the host. The flowering shoots
appear  above  ground and a new generation of seeds
are formed. Broomrape  attacks  tomatoes,  lettuce,
and other vegetables and may live on weeds between
crop plantings.
  Witchweed,  as it  appears  above   ground,  has
bright-green fuzzy stems and  leaves  and  small,
brightly colored flowers in red, yellow,  or white.  It
germinates   from  seed only when  a favorable host
plant is present. The witchweed rootlet  grows down-
ward to the root of the host plant, penetrates the host
root and feeds on the juices, plant foods, and min-
erals from the host. The flowers are produced above
ground. Seeds mature and lie  dormant in the soil
until  chemicals given  off by a  suitable host  plant
stimulate germination.  Witchweed  attacks  grasses
and  sedges  including  corn,  sorghum,  wheat, oats,
and barley.


Snails and  Slugs

  Upland snails  and  slugs are  members of a large
group of animals  including oysters, clams, and other
shellfish called mollusks. All mollusks have  soft, un-
segmented bodies and are often protected by a hard
shell.  Snails and  slugs  have  two pair  of antennae
or feelers. Their bodies are smooth and elongate with
a slimelike mucous coating.
  Snails  have a spiral-shaped  shell  into which they
can completely withdraw  when disturbed or  when
weather conditions are unfavorable. They are usually
grey, but their shells vary from nearly white through
brown to black and are often decorated with stripes
or spots of contrasting  colors.
        SIM AIL
   Slugs do not have a true shell and must seek pro-
 tection in  damp places during daylight hours. Like
 snails, they emerge at night  to feed. They range in
 length from 1A inch to 8 to  10 inches, and may be
 whitish-yellow to black, usually with mottled spots
 or stripes.
   Snails and slugs feed on plants by tearing holes in
 foliage, fruits, and soft stems, using a rasplike tongue.
 They may  eat entire seedlings. Injury to plants is
 characterized  by jagged holes in foliage, stems,  and
 fruit. Snails and slugs also leave a trail of mucus on
 the surfaces which  dries into silvery streaks.  These
 silvery streaks may be undesirable on floral and or-
 namental crops and on those portions of crops to be
 sold for human food.
   Snails and slugs deposit eggs in moist, dark places.
 The young mature in a year  or more, depending on
 the species. Adults  may live  for several years. They
 overwinter in  sheltered areas  in colder regions of the
 United States. They are active year-round in warm
 regions and in greenhouses.  They may attack many
 different  agricultural  crops.  Common  species in-
 clude:
     • spotted garden slug (8 inches),
     • tawny garden slug  (4 inches),
     • grey or true garden slug (1 inch),
     •  brown garden snail,
     • banded wood snail,
     • white  garden snail,
     •  subulina snail.
 Weeds

   Knowledge of the characteristics and life cycles of
 the  weed species and the agricultural crops to be
                                                    18

-------
protected is necessary for a successful weed control
program. Weeds harm desirable plants by:
     • competing for  water,  nutrients, light,  and
       space,
     • contaminating the product at harvest,
     • harboring pest insects,  mites, vertebrates, or
       plant disease agents, or
     • releasing toxins in the soil which inhibit crop
       growth.

 Development  Stages

  All plants have four stages of development:
     • seedling—small,  vulnerable plantlets;
     • vegetative—rapid growth and production of
       stems, roots, and foliage.  Uptake and move-
       ment of water  and  nutrients  is rapid  and
       thorough;
     • seed  production—energy  directed  toward
       production of seed. Uptake and movement of
       water and nutrients slow and directed mainly
       to flower, fruit, and seed structures;
     • maturity—little  or no energy production or
       movement of water and nutrients in plant.
  Annual plants complete all four stages of growth
 in one year. Common annual weeds include: foxtail,
 pigweed,  lambsquarters, cheat, henbit, and cockle-
 bur.
 FLOWERING (ANNUALS)
  GRASS
                              MATURITY  (ANNUALS)
             BROADLEAF
                             GRASS
                                         BROADLEAF
  Biennial plants complete the seedling and vegeta-
tive stages of growth in the first year and the seed
production and  maturity stages in the second year.
Common  biennial weeds include: mullein, burdock,
bull thistle, and  wild carrot.
                                                                          FLOWERING  (PERENNIALS)
                                                                         MATURITY (PERENNIALS)
                                                                         GRASS
                                                                                      BROADLEAF
  Perennial plants may complete all four stages in
the first  year  and then repeat the vegetative,  seed
production, and maturity stages for several following
years. Or the seed production and  maturity stages
may be  delayed  for several years.  Some perennial
plants  die back  in the maturity  stage each  winter;
others, such  as trees, may lose their leaves  but do
not  die  back to  the  ground.  Common  perennial
weeds include: Johnson grass, field bindweed, wild
garlic, dandelion, and sumac.

         Annuals, Biennials, and Perennials
   Winter Annual
     (Henbii)
                                                                                                  Perennial
                                                                                                (Johnson Grass)
            VEGETATIVE (PERENNIALS)

               .A//            'S,
             GRASS
                           BROADLEAF
 Weed  Classification

   Most pest plants are either grasses or broadleaves.
 The sedges, such as the nutsedges, are not classified
 as either grasses  or broadleaves. However, they have
 similar characteristics to grasses  and are often listed
 under grasses on the pesticide label. Grasses, sedges,
                                                     19

-------
and broadleaves contain species with annual, bien-
nial, and perennial life cycles.

   Grasses

  Grass seedlings have only one leaf as they emerge
from the seed. Their leaves are generally narrow and
upright with parallel veins. Most grasses have fibrous
root systems. The growing point on seedling grasses
is sheathed and located below the soil surface. Ex-
amples of grass weed species  are: foxtail,  Johnson
grass.
           Grasses and Broadleaf Plants
tact herbicide sprays.
                  Grass
                         Broadleaf
                           Plant
    Broadleaves
   Broadleaf  seedlings have  two  leaves as  they
 emerge from the seed. Their  leaves are generally
 broad with netted veins. Broadleaves usually  have a
 taproot and  a relatively coarse root system. All ac-
 tively growing broadleaf plants have exposed grow-
 ing points at the end of each stem  and  in each leaf
 axil. Perennial broadleaf plants may also have grow-
 ing points on roots and stems  below  the  surface of
 the soil. Examples of broadleaf weed species include:
 pigweed, mullein, dandelion, plantain, sumac, poison
 ivy.


 Factors   Affecting  Control

   In  planning a weed control  program, differences
 between weeds  and the  crop species,  such  as  life
 cycles, foliar characteristics,  and herbicide  suscep-
 tibility must  be  exploited. Generally the more simi-
 lar the crop and weed species are to one  another, the
 more difficult weed  control becomes.  Plants differ
 in susceptibility  due to:

   Growing Points—Those that are sheathed or lo-
 cated below the  soil surface are not reached by con-
                     GRASS
                                                                SEEDLING   ANNUAL
                                 PERENNIAL
                                                            SEEDLING    ANNUAL
                                V1
                                 PERENNIAL
   Leaf Shape—Herbicides tend to bounce or run off
narrow upright leaves. Broad, flat leaves tend to hold
the herbicide longer.

   Wax and Cuticle—Foliar sprays may be prevented
from entering the leaf by a thick wax and cuticle
layer. The waxy surface also tends to cause a spray
solution to form droplets  and run off the leaves.
            SURFACE  THICKNESS
                  AND  WAX
   Dense Layer of Leaf Hairs—This holds the her-
bicide droplets away from the leaf surface.

   Thin Layer of Leaf Hairs—-This causes the chemi-
cal to stay on the leaf surface longer than normal.
                                                    20

-------
   Size and Age—Young, rapidly growing plants are
more susceptible to herbicides than larger, more ma-
ture plants.
         SEEDLING     ESTABLISHED
   Deactivation—Certain plants can deactivate herbi-
 cides and  are less  susceptible to injury from these
 chemicals. Such plants may dominate over a period
 of time if similar herbicides are used repeatedly.

   Stage in Life Cycle—Seedlings are very susceptible
 to herbicides and to most other weed  control prac-
 tices. Plants in the vegetative and  early bud stages
 are  very  susceptible  to  translocated  herbicides.
 Plants with seeds or in  the  maturity stage are the
 least susceptible to  weed control practices.

   Timing of Stages in the Life Cycle—Plants that
 germinate  and develop at different times  than the
 crop species may be susceptible to carefully timed
 herbicide applications.


 Determining  the  Weed   Problem

  In cultivated crops, the weeds that are favored by
crop production practices do best. The crop produc-
tion method, especially the use or nonuse of cultiva-
                                                          tion, is often more important in determining the size
                                                          and kind of weed problem than is the crop  species
                                                          involved.
                                                            Weeds with physical characteristics; growth habits;
                                                          soil, water,  nutrient, and light requirements; and life
                                                          cycles that closely resemble crop habits and require-
                                                          ments are usually the most serious competitors to
                                                          crop species. Broadleaf weeds are often difficult to
                                                          control in broadleaved crops,  and grass weeds are
                                                          often difficult to control in grass crops, because of the
                                                          close physical resemblance and growth requirements.
                                                          There are exceptions, however. Broadleaf weeds may
                                                          be serious in grass crops and vice versa.
 Weed Control  Methods

   Choose the weed control method which takes into
 account the differences between the  crop and weed
 species. Be sure that the crop you  are trying to pro-
 tect is not susceptible to  the weed control  method
 that you choose. Read the herbicide label.
   Cultivation—-This is  a  traditional  and often-used
 method to kill or control weeds in row crops. How-
 ever, cultivation may bring buried seeds  to the sur-
 face where they can  either germinate and compete
 with the newly-planted crop or be spread to nearby
 fields. Cultivation may also increase soil erosion and
 may help to spread established plant diseases to un-
 infected areas of the field.

   Planting Timing—Fall-planted crops compete well
 against  summer  annual weeds. Spring-planted crops
 compete well  against winter annual  weeds.  Some-
 times the  crop planting date can  be delayed until
 after  weeds  have sprouted and have been removed
 by cultivation  or by herbicides.

   Nurse Crops—-Plant species  (usually  annuals)
 which germinate quickly and grow rapidly are some-
 times planted with a perennial crop to compete with
weeds and  allow the  major crop to  become estab-
 lished. The nurse crop is then removed or harvested
to allow the perennial  crop to take  over. For ex-
ample, oats  are  sometimes used  as a nurse crop to
 aid in establishing a crop of alfalfa or red clover.

   Fire—Fire may be used to control  limited infesta-
tions  of annual or biennial weeds.  Fire usually  des-
troys  only the tops  of weeds and is not effective
against perennial weeds.

   Mulching—Mulching is  used to prevent light from
                                                    21

-------
reaching  seedling  weeds,  thus  preventing  weed
growth  between  crop  row,s or  around  trees  and
shrubs.

  Mowing—Mowing may be used to reduce com-
petition and prevent flowering and seeding of annual
or biennial weeds. Mowing is often used in orchards
to control weeds  and prevent soil erosion.

  Flooding—Flooding has long been used for weed
control  in certain  crops  such as  rice.  The  water
covers the entire weed, killing it by suffocation.


Vertebrate  Pests

  Vertebrate animals may damage or destroy agri-
cultural crops and  equipment either in the field or
in storage. Some  pests, such as birds, rodents, rac-
coons, deer, or coyotes, may damage crops or live-
stock in the  field.  Beavers may  flood  low-lying
cropland by building dams in creeks flowing through
the area. Birds and rodents often contaminate and
ruin more food in storage than  they consume.
  Barriers, trapping, repellents,  and pesticides  all
help to  control vertebrate pests. Pesticides cannot
be used unless the specific pest can be legally con-
trolled with pesticides under State and Federal laws.
Always  check  with local  authorities  before  using
pesticides to control vertebrate animals. Local and
State laws may prohibit the killing of some vertebrate
animals such as birds, coyotes,  and beavers.

              Vertebrate Pest Animals
                PESTICIDES

Insecticides

  Insecticides are chemicals used to control insects.
Insecticides such as malathion or parathion kill the
insect by touching it  (contact poison). Insecticides
such as lead arsenate and Paris green have to be
swallowed to be effective (stomach  poison). Insec-
ticides called systemics, such as dimethoate or aldi-
carb,  are absorbed,  injected, or fed into the plant
to be protected. When the insect  feeds  on  a plant
protected by a systemic insecticide, it eats the chem-
ical and is killed. Some insecticides, such  as demeton
or aldicarb, have all three properties. They can kill
either by contact or if eaten, and they are systemic.
                Ways Pesticides
                  Attack Pests
   Contact Poison
                                    Systemic Poison
   Insecticides vary in the number of different kinds
of insects that  they kill. Some insecticides, such as
methoxychlor or carbaryl, are highly selective  and
kill only certain kinds of insects. Sometimes you can
choose insecticides that will kill only the pest insect
and  not  harm  beneficial insects in the  area. Many
insecticides, such as parathion or pyrethrins, are non-
selective and kill  most kinds of insects. Every  in-
secticide is different.  One  that  is highly  effective
against one pest may not be effective against another
insect.
   Insecticides  also vary in how long they last as a
killing agent after they have  been  applied. Some
chemicals,  such as chlordane, are persistent, remain-
ing active  for weeks  or months. These insecticides
are often used when control over an extended period
of time is needed. Other insecticides, such as carbaryl
or pyrethrins,  are nonpersistent  and  break down
quickly (several hours to a few days)  into byprod-
ucts.
   Read each insecticide label carefully  to determine
the insects  it will control and how to use it properly.
Always choose the safest insecticide for your situa-
tion.


Miticides

   Miticides are chemicals used to control mites. Us-
ually these are contact poisons  (such  as acarol,
                                                     22

-------
chlorobenzilate,  or Plictran)  or systemic poisons
(such as demeton). Thorough coverage is  usually
necessary to control the pests. A few, such as Acrex,
are stomach poisons. Miticides  are similar in action
to insecticides. Often the same chemical, such as car-
bofuran or parathion, kills both insects and mites. A
miticide  may  be selective, like Plictran  or  chlor-
opropylate, or nonselective, like Acrex or chlordime-
form. A  miticide may also  be persistent, like acarol
or chloropropylate, or nonpersistent like  Acrex or
chlorobenzilate.
 Fungicides

   Fungicides are chemicals used to control the fungi
 which cause plant diseases. All fungicides are  con-
 tact or systemic  poisons. Most fungicides,  such  as
 captan or maneb, must be applied to cover all plant
 surfaces in order to control fungus  organisms.  Sys-
 temic fungicides such as benomyl move in the plant
 to be protected.
   There are two approaches to the use of fungicides.
 One is to prevent the plant from getting the disease.
 Used this way, fungicides are called protectants. They
 are applied before the disease gets a start. This  type
 of fungicide, such as zineb, thiram or Bordeaux mix-
 ture, is the most commonly  used.  Some  fungicides
 control the fungi after they appear  on (or in) the
 plant. This use of fungicides is called "eradication."
 Eradicants are  much less common than protectants.
 Benomyl  may  be  used  as  both  eradicant  and
 protectant in some disease control programs.
Bactericides

   The word "fungicide" is often used to describe all
chemicals which are used to control plant disease
agents. The correct term for chemicals used to con-
trol  bacteria-caused  plant  diseases is  bactericide.
Some chemicals, such as fixed copper, help to con-
trol both fungi and bacteria. Others,  such  as  strep-
tomycin, are only effective against bacteria.
   Because bactericides are contact poisons, thorough
coverage is necessary to control all the bacteria. Bac-
tericides  are similar  in action to fungicides and are
applied  either as protectants or  eradicants.  Some-
times the same chemical may be both a protectant
and an eradicant.
Controlling Viruses  and

Mycoplasmas

  No chemicals are presently used  to directly con-
trol viruses or mycoplasmas that cause plant diseases.
Control of these plant disease agents may be  accom-
plished by:
     • Using disease-free plants—"certified" means
       that plants  have been inspected during the
       growing  season  and found  free  of  certain
       diseases.
     • Using plants  or seeds  resistant to specific
       virus or mycoplasma diseases.
     • Eliminating alternate plant hosts.
     • Using cultural practices such as crop rota-
       tion.

 Nematicides

   Nematicides are chemicals used to control nema-
 todes. Because most nematicides are contact poisons,
 thorough application is necessary to protect the plant
 against nematodes in  an area. Most of the early ne-
 maticides were soil fumigants. These must be applied
 before  planting because they  kill  most  living  or-
 ganisms in the soil.  More  recently, several  contact
 nematicides have been  developed. They kill nema-
 todes without injury to newly seeded crops or peren-
 nial plants.  Some  of  these contact nematicides  are
 also effective insecticides. Crop rotation and the use
 of nematode-resistant plant varieties can be effective
 methods of controlling nematodes. Some common
 nematicides are carbofuran, aldicarb, Nemacur, and
 Mocap.

 Controlling  Parasitic  Seed  Plants

  Parasitic seed plants may be controlled through the
use of herbicides. Dodders, broomrape, and witch-
weed all may be controlled with certain  herbicides.
Special  attention must be paid to the type of crop to
be protected. The  same herbicide may not be used
with every crop host. Other means of control include
avoiding seed  that is infested with parasitic plants
and controlling the plants before seed is set for the
next season.
Molluscicides

  Pesticides used  to control  snails and  slugs  are
                                                    23

-------
called molluscicides. They are formulated as baits,
dusts, or  sprays. Baits  should  be placed in areas
where birds and other  non-target animals  cannot
reach them. Dusts and  sprays are contact poisons
and should be directed at the surfaces which snails
and slugs  may  crawl over or feed upon. Common
molluscicides include metaldehyde, arsenic, and Bay-
luscide.


Herbicides
  Both the use of a herbicide and the way it is ap-
plied depend upon these characteristics of the active
ingredients:
    • foliage-absorbed or root-absorbed,
    • contact or translocated,
    » selective or nonselective,
    • persistent or  nonpersistent.

          Selective vs Nonselective Herbicide
         Selective
            Nonselective
          Preemergence and Postemergence
  Preemergence to the
   Crop and Weeds
Postemerged Crop
Preemerged Weeds
Postemergence to the
 Crop and Weeds
Foliage-Contact-Nonselective-
Nonpersistent

  These herbicides kill all foliage contacted. Because
they are nonselective, they must be applied in the
absence of a crop or as a spray  directed towards
                                     certain plants or plant parts. There is little or no
                                     translocation to underground or shaded parts of the
                                     weed. Grasses and perennial broadleaved weeds with
                                     below-ground growing points will recover after treat-
                                     ment. Seedling plants and annual and biennial broad-
                                     leaved weeds can  best be  controlled  with  these
                                     herbicides. Examples: dinoseb, paraquat, diquat.
                                                          HERBICIDE
                      Foliage-Contact-Selective-
                      Nonpersistent

                        These herbicides kill certain kinds of plants when
                      they contact the foliage. Differences in foliar char-
                      acteristics of crop  and weeds determine the selectiv-
                      ity. These herbicides  are most effective on seedling
                      weeds. Established grasses and biennial and peren-
                      nial broadleaved weeds may regrow after the foliage
                      is killed. These herbicides are  generally not trans-
                      located and some  may have a short effective life in
                      the soil. Examples: endothall,  dinoseb-salts, Stod-
                      dard solvent.
                                                                             HERBICIDE
                                     Foliage-Translocated-
                                     Nonselective-Nonpersistent

                                       These herbicides are absorbed by the foliage and
                                     translocated throughout the plant. Since they  are
                                     nonselective, they cannot be applied when a crop is
                                                  24

-------
present, but they can be  used  before planting or
after harvesting. Examples) TEA, glyphosate.
       HERBICIDE
chloropicrin, methyl bromide, calcium cyanamide.
                                                                         HERBICIDE
                                                                                         2 DAYS
Foliage-Translocated-Selective-
Nonpersistent

  These herbicides are applied to the foliage and are
absorbed and translocated throughout the living por-
tions of the plant. Their selectivity results from the
ability  of  some plants to deactivate the herbicides
and therefore they can be applied over the top of
the  crop. Selective translocated herbicides are most
effective when applied during the vegetative stage of
development of the weed. Examples: 2, 4-D; 2, 4,
5-T; MCPA; silvex; dalapon.
      HERBICIDE
Soil-Nonpersistent-Nonselective

   A small number of herbicides belong to this group.
The most widely  used are fumigants, but there are
other chemicals also. Fumigants are gases at normal
air temperature and escape into the air if the treated
soil is not covered. Most fumigants are released un-
der a sheet of plastic or other gas-tight cover which
remains for about 24 hours.  All  weeds and  other
plants, including seed, are killed. These  are always
preplant applications. Examples: carbon  bisulphide,
Soil-Nonpersistent-Selective

  These herbicides are applied to the soil before, at,
or immediately after planting. Their  active residues
last less than a year. Most herbicides used for vegeta-
ble and grain crops are in this group. Since the crop
is present at the time the herbicide is applied,  or is
planted soon after application, the herbicide must be
selective. The selectivity is usually due to differences
in the internal chemistry between the crop and weed
species. These herbicides  are often  called  preemer-
gence herbicides or preplant, soil incorporated her-
bicides. Examples: CIPC, EPTC, CDAA, substituted
ureas (diiiron, linuron, monuron),  TCA, amiben,
trifluralin,  atrazine at low rates.

                  HERBICIDE
                              6-8 WEEKS
Soil-Persistent-Nonselective

  These herbicides are used to control all plants in
noncrop situations to maintain a bare ground.  They
are used on parking lots, around warehouses, along
fences and highway guardrails, and in storage areas.
Examples:  bromacil, boron, sodium, chlorate,  and
                                                   25

-------
simazine and atrazine at high rates.
         HERBICIDE
                    MORE THAN 1 YEAR
Soil-Persistent-Selective

  These herbicides have a low solubility in water
and do not leach readily, so they stay near the soil
surface. The selectivity is often based on the inability
to reach deep-rooted crops. They may be applied to
the  foliage of the weeds, although  most of the her-
bicide  is eventually absorbed through the root sys-
tem. They persist and  will give weed  control for
more than a year. Some can be used to control weeds
in fruit trees, nut trees,  and grapes. Examples: ter-
bacil, picloram, dichlobenil, simazine at low rates.

          HERBICIDE
                   MORE THAN  1 YEAR
 Controlling  Vertebrate   Pests

   Pesticides  used to control vertebrate  pests  are
 often named for the type of animal they control.
 Common pesticide categories include:
     • rodenticide—rodents,
     • avicide—birds,
     • piscicide—fish, and
     • predacide—predatory animals.
Pesticides for control of vertebrates may be  fumi-
gants,  chemical repellents, reproductive inhibitors,
baits, or broadcast poisons.
   Fumigants kill vertebrate pests in burrows, storage
bins, or other areas which can be easily sealed. The
pests  cannot escape  and are  killed by inhaling  the
toxic gas. Examples are cyanide and methyl bromide.

   Chemical repellents may make treated areas unac-
ceptable to  pests by odor  or taste and  thus  deter
damage. In  this way, the offending animal may be
forced to find a different location or new food source.
Examples are Mesurol, used as  a repellent on seeds;
and napthalene, which repels by odor.

   Reproductive inhibitors  that control  vertebrate
populations  show considerable promise with  some
species. Research is continuing and the future may
see birth control for pest species  as an  acceptable
means of  combating pest problems. An example is
Ornitrol on  pigeons.
   Poison baits usually are in one of two categories:
    • multiple-dose  poisons  (usually  anticoagu-
       lants) , which must be eaten repeatedly during
       a period of several days to be effective. Ex-
       amples  are Warfarin  and  Pival for rodent
       control.
    • single-dose poisons,  which kill  quickly  if
       enough  is consumed  at one  feeding. Place
       baits so that they will be eaten by the target
       pests but not  by other animals or  people.
       Avoid  secondary poisoning by  picking  up
       carcasses  before  dogs,  cats,  or protected
       predatory animals find  them. Examples are
       Avitrol  for bird control, and zinc phosphide
       and Vacor for rodent  control.
                                                          POISONOUS BAITS
                                                    26

-------
   Broadcast poisons—A few pesticides registered
for use on vertebrate pests are formulated as wettable
powders or emulsifiable  concentrates.  They  are
sprayed on or released into the application site. The
target species present in or entering into the applica-
tion site are controlled. Piscicides are usually in this
category. The chemical is released into the pond or
stream and susceptible aquatic species are controlled.
Examples are endrin for rodent control and rotenone
for fish control.
   Few  pesticides  are registered  for  use on verte-
brates. Registered pesticides have labels which name
the offending or target species, details of application,
and precautions to be taken. Poisons or repellents
may not be used on  species  other than those listed
on the label. Pay special  attention to State and local
regulations,  which may be more stringent than Fed-
eral regulations.
                Pollution by Pesticides
   Many  combinations of these and  other  factors
 may  lead to  soil  and water  problems.  Use  good
 judgment and seek good professional  advice.  Be
 aware that as  the risks in a given situation arise, you
 may need to consider  changing time of application,
 pesticides, or  your normal application method.
            ENVIRONMENTAL
                PROTECTION

 Soil  ond  Water

   A number  of factors are involved in the risk of
 soil and water contamination. On crops where re-
 peated pesticide applications are necessary, pesticides
 (especially  those  that  are persistent,  such as lead
 arsenate or  copper) may build up in the soil.
   On  row  crops where tilling is  common  and the
 water drains into  aquatic areas, runoff of contami-
 nated soil particles and pesticides is likely. Do not
 apply pesticides just before predicted heavy rains or
 just before some types of irrigation.
   Some  protectant fungicide  sprays should be ap-
 plied before  and  during a rain.  Some  herbicides
 should be applied just before  rain. However, heavy
 rains cause  runoff and tend to wash  the pesticide
 away from  the  target area. The  runoff  can carry
 the pesticide into sensitive areas where crop  injury
 may result.  Runoff  may also reach  farm  ponds,
 streams,  and waterways, causing contamination, fish
kills, or  injury to  domestic animals such as dairy
cows.
 Drift

   Drift is  a main cause of contamination  of non-
 target areas. Factors affecting  drift include:
     * pesticide formulation,
     • particle size,
     * velocity and direction of wind,
     • type of application equipment used,
     • volatility of the pesticide, and
     • temperature inversions.
 A temperature inversion exists  when  cool air is
 trapped close to the ground by a warm  layer of  air.
 Particles released into the cool  air layer at ground
 level have minimum upward movement. The slightest
 air movement can cause  the  particles  to  drift  for
 great distances before they fall.
   In addition, the toxicity of  the pesticide  and  the
sensitivity of the  nontarget  area will influence  the
potential damage.
  When other conditions are the same:
     •  Smaller droplets or dust particles drift farther
       than larger ones.
     •  There is more chance of drift with  air blast
       sprayers than with boom sprayers.
     •  There is more  chance of drift with  high-
       pressure  sprayers  than  with  low-pressure
       sprayers.
     •  Low-volume concentrates are more likely to
       drift than high-volume dilutes.
                                                    27

-------
     « ULV sprayers have one of the greatest poten-
       tials for creating drift because they produce
       very small droplets.
     • The chance of wind effect and drift increases
       as the boom  or outlet is  raised  above the
       crop.
     * Air currents which may cause drift are us-
       ually greater  during the middle  of the day
       than in early morning  or late afternoon.
     • High pressure  and small  nozzle  openings
       produce fine spray droplets which drift  more
       readily.


Reentry  and  Preharvest  Intervals

  The preharvest interval is the least number of days
allowed between  the  last pesticide  application and
the harvest  day. "Days to  slaughter" and "days to
grazing" intervals apply to  livestock feeding. When-
ever these intervals  are applicable, they are listed on
the pesticide label. You should advise your customer
of the number of days involved for  each.

                 Days to Harvest
                            Al or Below
                           Tolerance. Ihe Crop
                            Can be Sold for
                           food and Feed
Deposit           Residue           Residue
       (Shading Denotes Pesticide Residue)

              Days to Slaughter

                         Deposit

                        At  Application


                         Residue

                           5 Days
                        After Application

                         Residue

                         Slaughter Day
                      At or  Below Tolerance
          (Shading Denotes Pesticide Residue)
                                                         The worker reentry period is the  minimum  tune
                                                      between the last pesticide application and reentry of
                                                      workers into  the  field  without protective clothing.
                                                      The worker reentry interval will be listed in the spe-
                                                      cial  "reentry" section on the new format pesticide
                                                      label. You should advise your customer of the num-
                                                      ber of days involved and the type of protective cloth-
                                                      ing that workers must  wear if  reentry is  necessary
                                                      before the period runs out. Workers may not reenter
                                                      treated  fields  without proper protective clothing at
                                                      least until the sprays have dried or dusts have settled.
                                                      Proper (and legal) minimum protective clothing for
                                                      early worker reentry includes a hat or other suitable
                                                      head covering, a long-sleeved shirt and long-legged
                                                      trousers, shoes, and socks.
                                                         Inform your customer of these intervals and reg-
                                                      ulations. Misunderstanding, injury, and possible lit-
                                                      igation may result if your customer is not properly
                                                      informed.

                                                                         Reentry Sign
                                                                      DANGER •  POISON

                                                                         Do Not Enter

                                                                         This Area Until
                                                                      Wednesday, June 2

                                                                         Treated With
                                                                           De Pesto
                                                           Phytotoxicity

                                                             Phytotoxicity is  injury to plants which can range
                                                          from slight burning  or browning of leaves to the
                                                          death of the whole plant. Such  injury to plants by
                                                          pesticides may be the result of:
                                                               • excessive dosage,
                                                               • direct application to a susceptible plant,
                                                               • drift onto the plant of spray, dust, or vapor,
                                                               * runoff from a treated field,
                                                               * persistent soil residues, or
                                                               • improper formulation.
                                                             Injury to the plant may appear as:
                                                               • dead, burned, or scorched spots on or at the
                                                                 tip of leaves,
                                                     28

-------
     • russeting of fruit,
     • misshapen fruit, leaves, or plants,
     • off-color,
     • stunting,
     • delayed development,
     • poor germination, or
     • complete death of the plant.
  Unfortunately, these signs of chemical injury often
do not appear until several days after  exposure  to
the pesticide. If they do  appear, they are not always
clear-cut and often may be confused with other prob-
lems. It may be necessary to call on experienced in-
dividuals to help identify the cause.
  The likelihood of plant injury resulting from the
use of a pesticide varies with:
     • the chemical,
     • the formulation,
     • the concentration,
     • the combination  of chemicals,
     • method of application,
     • growing conditions, or
     * the growth stage or condition of the plant.
  Emulsifiable concentrates, which contain solvents,
are more likely to  cause injury than wettable  pow-
ders. Mixtures of pesticides are more likely to cause
injury than the same materials applied individually.
     High-pressure  applications may cause injury when
     low-pressure applications would not.
        Plants  growing under  stress conditions, such  as
     those in shallow soils or wet spots, are more suscep-
     tible to injury than healthy plants. Young,  tender,
     fast-growing plants with much  new growth tend  to
     be  more  susceptible  to injury.  Some varieties  are
     more sensitive than others.

     Community  Problems

        Agricultural land close to urban development may
     have greater community problems than an all-agri-
     cultural area. Drift, phytotoxicity, and other nontar-
     get injury can cause problems in any community, but
     the denser  the human population or livestock ad-
     joining treated  areas, the greater the risk of injury to
     humans or domestic animals.
        When the crops on adjoining land are sensitive to
     the pesticides you are  using, be especially  careful to
     prevent drift.
        Aquatic areas, such as  ditches, ponds, or lakes,
     are particularly sensitive to pesticide contamination.
     Where reservoirs for community water supplies, fish-
     ing, and  other public uses are  involved, careless
     pesticide  application  may cause  fish  kills or con-
     taminated water supplies.
29
             *U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE  197B 0-720-335/6040

-------