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These 10 free MD-PEST questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Maryland Pesticide Applicator Core Exam blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
Three days after a broadcast herbicide treatment, turfgrass chlorosis appears in parallel bands and is darkest where adjacent swaths overlapped. Untreated margins and single-pass areas remain normal, and scouting finds no pest signs. The pattern most strongly points to:
Correct answer: B - Double application where adjacent swaths overlapped
A scouting program finds 18 larvae per 100 plants. The action threshold is 15 larvae per 100 plants, the economic injury level is 24, and no quarantine or zero-tolerance rule applies. The best IPM decision is to:
Correct answer: D - Select an appropriate control now, using a pesticide only when justified and legal
A pesticide label lists outdoor ornamental plants as a use site and permits 1 to 2 fluid ounces per 1,000 square feet. Aphids are not named, but the label does not prohibit use against an unnamed pest on that site. An applicator proposes 1.5 fluid ounces per 1,000 square feet, and Maryland has no more restrictive rule for this situation. Under FIFRA 2(ee):
Correct answer: A - Yes. The site is listed, the rate is permitted, and no prohibition applies
A 24-hour restricted-entry interval is in effect in a greenhouse when a broken irrigation line threatens serious crop loss. The labeling and Worker Protection Standard allow this emergency early-entry task under an exception. A trained adult worker, required PPE, task instructions, time limits, and decontamination supplies are available. Which staffing plan is authorized under these conditions?
Correct answer: C - Use the trained worker under the early-entry exception and required protections
A Maryland Category III ornamental/turf lawn treatment has been posted at every primary access. Assume each sign also carries the required back-side date, licensee name, and telephone number. The only compliant sign specification is:
Correct answer: B - A 4-by-5-inch yellow-and-black rigid sign, bottom 12 to 16 inches above soil, left 48 hours
A label states: 1.0 to 2.0 pints per acre per application; no more than two applications per year; at least 14 days between applications; maximum 3.0 pints per acre per year. The first treatment was 1.4 pints per acre 16 days ago, and current scouting supports a second treatment. A plan that satisfies all four limits is:
Correct answer: C - Apply 1.5 pints per acre now
Acute testing for a pesticide shows an oral LD50 of 420 mg/kg, a dermal LD50 of 3,400 mg/kg, an inhalation LC50 of 3.8 mg/L, and a corrosive eye effect. No oral, dermal, or inhalation endpoint is Category I. The required front-panel signal is:
Correct answer: B - DANGER without POISON or the skull-and-crossbones
A pesticide label directs the applicator to obtain the current Endangered Species Protection Bulletin for the county and month of use. The bulletin requires a 100-foot buffer. The SDS contains no buffer language, and no listed species are visible at the site. The applicator must:
Correct answer: D - Use the 100-foot buffer because the referenced bulletin is enforceable labeling
A proportional jar test of a fungicide and a copper-containing product remains uniform after 30 minutes. The fungicide label states, "Do not tank mix with copper-containing products." The controlling conclusion is:
Correct answer: D - Do not use it; a jar test cannot override the label prohibition
Minutes after mixing an insecticide concentrate, a worker develops heavy salivation and sweating, pinpoint pupils, vomiting, chest tightness, and muscle fasciculations. The findings are most consistent with:
Correct answer: C - Organophosphate or carbamate cholinesterase inhibition
The MD-PEST exam also covers these domains. Drill them in the full free practice test:
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