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Right of Way Pest Control in VA
Ballast - Answers -Coarse material, such as gravel or cinder, placed between and below RR ties Berm - Answers -The gravel zone just beyond the ballast of a RR or a slightly raised area next to a roadway Brownout - Answers -The discoloration of plant foliage after treatment with an herbicide or plant growth regulator Frog - Answers -A device that permits the wheels on one rail of a track to cross an intersecting rail "Green Tunnel" effect - Answers -A dangerous driving condition caused by tall, woody plants near roadways. Why is the green tunnel effect dangerous? - Answers -The plants block sunlight most of the day, snow and ice on the road will not melt. Additionally, ice accumulating on trees can cause branches to break and fall on the road. Line of road - Answers -A weed control program along the main and branch lines of a RR. This treatment includes bridges, highway grade crossings, and signs. Line of sight - Answers -The view from an observers eye to a distance point. Right of way pest control greatly improves line of sight for both trains and cars. Noxious weeds - Answers -Plants harmful to public health, farm crops, or animal production Sight distance - Answers -The length of the road the driver can see Subgrade drainage - Answers -Subsurface drainage of water away from a roadbed Define right-of-way areas - Answers -Areas used for transportation, utilities, or other public services Name at least four right-of-way areas in Virginia - Answers -Corridors for federal, state, county, and local highways and roads Airport runway approaches and RRs Telephone, pipeline, and electric line utility corridors
Transformer stations and substations Fence lines and structural perimeters Sidewalks Parking lots Bicycle paths, bridle paths, and footpaths What does "roadside right-of-way" mean? - Answers -The area between the edge of the pavement and the right-of-way boundary. It includes the median strips on multilane highways and interchanges. Give at least four examples of utility rights-of-way - Answers -Pole yards Electrical substations Meter stations The areas around distribution lines, power poles and transmission towers What areas are considered RR rights-of-way? - Answers -The ballast section, the berm, the shoulder, highway grade crossings, signs and switch stands, and nearby bridges. What is the most common right-of-way pest? - Answers -Nuisance vegetation or weeds are the most common Which pests are outside the scope of the VA right-of-way pest control manual? - Answers -Vertebrate, forestry, agricultural plant, and ornamental pests. What are the two main reasons for right-of-way pest control? - Answers -Ensure public safety on roads, near railways, around utility lines, and near airports. Provide uninterrupted utility service Name three main right-of-way categories in VA - Answers -Roadsides Electric and telecommunication utilities and pipelines Railroads What are some environmental benefits from weed control in right-of-way areas? - Answers -Preserve scenic beauty, protect wildlife habitat, naturalize right-of-way with adjoining land, encourage the regeneration of native plants, promote a compatible plant cover that resists invasion of incompatible plants and reduce erosion and sedimentation Why is it important to control weeds on roadside rights-of-way? - Answers -To ensure safe travel for motorists, specifically to:
perennial grass after piepes are laid. Treat soil around oil and gas wells, pumping stations and storage tanks with nonselective residual herbicides. Name at least four reasons to control weeds along railroad tracks - Answers -Allow proper inspection of tracks, ties, and roadbed Reduce the chance of trackside fires Adhere to local and state laws Maintain visibility at road crossings Reduce drifting of weed seeds onto adjacent land Why must the ballast and berm be weed-free? - Answers -Plants growing in the ballast hold moisture and cause the ties to rot. A weed free environment improves visibility and reduces the threat of fire caused by sparks from train wheels. What are line-of-road programs? - Answers -Postemergence treatments that include a mixture of residual, systemic, and contact herbicides. How do line-of-road weed control programs help improve safety on RR rights-of-way? - Answers -Reduce deterioration of the roadbed Minimize fire hazards at bridges Ensure that signals, switches, signs, and crossings are clearly visible Why is it necessary to treat RR yards? Explain the best way - Answers -Improve drainage around the roadbed, increase safety by preventing fires and increasing visibility and improve appearance. Use a residual herbicide early in the growing season. This will prevent weed and grass growth. How should you approach a pesticide operation? - Answers -Be well informed about the target pest, the site, and the specifics of the operation Listen to and respect public concerns Deal tactfully with landowners Use great care every time you apply pesticides
How can you lessen the impact of brownout? - Answers -Applying herbicides late in the growing season will mask the discoloration of brownout. Also treating weeds when they are small can reduce the eyesore effect and eliminate the need for cutting. How should you deal with a landowner who objects to your pesticide application? - Answers -Explain what the crew will be doing, when and why Describe past treatments and their benefits Ask about areas of concern such as fruit trees, gardens, vineyards and crops List as many best management practices for right-of-way pest managers - Answers - Understand what you are doing and why Know what kinds of pesticides you are using Be aware of laws the regulations Keep product literature (labels and SDS) handy when you are at the site Use the least toxic and least invasive methods Use the correct equipment Keep your equipment in good condition and calibrate if regularly Begin each job with an onsite inspection Never continue a spray operation in poor environmental conditions (Windy day or too hot or cold) Clean up after each application Clean up spills properly and quickly Beneficials - Answers -1. Predatory, pathogenic, or parasitic organisms released to control pests
- Plants (or animals) that are helpful to people Exotic (nonnative) species - Answers -An organism living in a region, country, or continent from which it did not originate Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - Answers -A system that uses all suitable pest control measures together in a way that keeps pest populations below the levels that cause economic loss.
New chemicals and/or formulations becoming available Better application equipment and/or methods coming into use What is the benefit of scouting? - Answers -Helps to assess the pest population size and distribution. This will allow you to more accurately gauge what sort of problem the weeds present. When recording the results of your control program, what details should you include and why? - Answers -How well the measure worked, any problems you found, the environmental conditions, the pesticide application details. These records will help you improve your strategies and avoid costly mistakes. Where could you get help identifying a weed? - Answers -From a Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) agent or by consulting Virginia Tech's online weed identification guide True or False. You will find specific pesticide names given as control recommendations in the VA right-of-way pest management manual - Answers -False, it does not contain specific pesticide names. For guidance, consult the Pest Management Guides. What are some dangers in relying only on pesticides to control a pest? - Answers -Can be expensive and harmful to the applicator or the environment. It may also contribute to pesticide resistance and secondary pest outbreaks. Additionally, overuse of pesticides may harm beneficial insects or nontarget beneficial plants. What is an economic threshold? - Answers -The point at which pest management becomes necessary in order to avoid economic or other damage. What is biological control and an example of its use on a right-of-way? - Answers -Using living organisms or biological control agents to manage pests. Many biocontrol agents are natural enemies of the pest. EX: The musk thistle head weevil is the natural enemy of musk thistles. They will feed on musk thistle seed heads each spring. It destroys the musk thistle seed. When is biocontrol most effective? - Answers -When targeting one specific pest. Is biocontrol a quickfix or long term management strategy? - Answers -It is a long term management strategy, and is sometimes slow to show results, complex to use, and somewhat unpredictable. What is cultural control on a right-of-way? - Answers -Changing the habitat where weeds grow How does cultural control help manage pests? - Answers -It can encourage beneficial plants and discourage pests.
Name two types of cultural control tactics used in right-of-way weed control - Answers - Cultivation practices and sanitation What are some common right-of-way cultivation practices? - Answers -Controlled seeding/reseeding which helps desirable grasses compete against weeds. Fertilization: encourages dense turf and discourages weeds Lime: alters pH of soil making some sites less suitable for certain weeds Mulches: suppress weed growth around landscaped areas Native plants: May compete with weeds for vital resources Nurse crops: compete with weeds while desirable perennials mature. Why is sanitation so important in right-of-way weed control? - Answers -It's the best way to prevent the spread of weed seeds. What are some examples of sanitation techniques that might prevent a weed problem from developing along a roadway? - Answers -When seeding new areas, use weed free seed. Clean mowers and other equipment when moving from one site to the next. Try to remove small patches of weeds before they infest larger areas. Inspect straw, hay, and other mulching material for weeds. What are some examples of equipment used in mechanical/physical control on a right of way? - Answers -Rotary, flail, mower, tiller, hoes, string trimmer, chainsaws, shovels, scythes. What type of weeds is mowing most effective against as a weed control technique? - Answers -Annual broadleaf weeds What type of weed is mowing less effective against? - Answers -Grassy weeds, they can withstand mowing because their growing points remain untouched What is chemical control on a right-of-way? - Answers -Use of pesticide or herbicide Under what circumstances should you use herbicides on a right-of-way? - Answers -As part of an IVM approach combined with other types of control methods
What are some variables that increase the life of an herbicide? - Answers -Soils with high clay content compacted soils low temperatures lack of rain or dry conditions high application rate What do anti-gibberellins or gibberellin INHIBITORS do? - Answers -Alter the plant cells' ability to elongate. It causes the tree to not grow as tall. By whom and where are gibberellin inhibitors used? - Answers -By utility companies around power lines to reduce the amount of tree trimming required around power lines. What factors determine how well an herbicide will work? - Answers -Plant characteristics Weather Time of year Light Soil texture and content What are some examples of operational factors? - Answers -Safety and the label Application equipment Formulations Staining Odor Cost Auricle - Answers -A small lobe or projection that extends from either side of the collar of a grass leaf. They may be long and clawlike, short and stubby or absent. Cotyledons - Answers -The first leaf or paid of leaves of a sprouted seed Deciduous - Answers -Tree that sheds its leaves once a year usually in the fall What are some characteristics of a dicot? - Answers -Two seed leaves Have broad net veined leaves Thick fleshy taproots What are some characteristics of a hardwood? What are some examples? - Answers - Broadleaf tree
Leaves usually fall off seasonally Beech, maple, oak Ligule - Answers -Structure that particularly clasps a grass stem at the junction of the blade and the sheath. It varies between grass species Meristem - Answers -Plant tissue usually consisting of small cells that can divide indefinitely, also called the growing point. What are some characteristics of a monocot? - Answers -Plant with one seed leaf Usually have narrow leaves with parallel veins Fibrous roots What is the function of the phloem? - Answers -Conducts nutrients What is a Rhizome? - Answers -A horizontal plant stem that grows on or under the soil. Rosette - Answers -A low growing, circular cluster of leaves. Biennial plants (like thistles) normally form a rosette Stolon - Answers -AN aboveground runner or rooting structure found in some species of plants. What (general) species spread by stolons? - Answers -Grasses What is the function of xylem? - Answers -Conducts water and supports the plant. What makes a plant growing along a right-of-way a nuisance weed? - Answers - Obstructs visibility Encroaches on right-of-way Poses a fire hazard Provides a source of weed seed that can drift to nearby areas Competes with desired plants Interferes with utility lines and electronic transformer stations Prevents the free flow of water from roadways or along irrigation canals
Boxelder Tree-of-heaven Tulip-poplar Name some common biennial weeds - Answers -Common burdock Musk thistle Queen Anne's lace Yarrow Back-siphonage - Answers -A vacuum caused by reduced pressure in a supply line of a piping system. Biofilter - Answers -An untreated area of vegetation between a treated area and a sensitive area LD50 - Answers -A measure indicating a chemical's lethal dose to 50% of a test population Nonpoint source pollution - Answers -Contamination from pesticides that comes from a wide nonspecific area or from broadcast applications. Weather events often contribute to this type of pollution Point source pollution - Answers -Contamination that comes from a specific identifiable place Setback zones - Answers -Buffer zones around wells, streams, lakes, schools, hospitals, and other sensitive areas where certain chemicals may not be applied due to the risk of water contamination or harm to vulnerable populations What are the three main causes of groundwater contamination? - Answers -National processes (salinity and very hard water) Waste disposal (sanitary, industrial, and solid waste) Non waste disposal (leaks, spills, and agricultural use) How can you minimize drift? - Answers -Spraying at low pressure Using spray tips with narrow discharge angles
Using the largest practical nozzle openings Using additives to increase solution thickness Spraying during the calmer parts of the day What are three factors that affect spray drift? - Answers -Finished spray mix properties Application equipment characteristics and configuration Environmental factors Which are more prone to drift, volatile liquid pesticides or granular formulations? Why? - Answers -Volatile liquid pesticides Because the active ingredient changes from a liquid to a gas. What is the difference between leaching and runoff? - Answers -Leaching is the water moving downward in the soil and runoff is the water moving laterally, across the soil surface in flowing water. What are the causes of backflow? - Answers -A loss of pressure in the water system Connections to the system that have a higher pressure than the water supply system itself What are three things you can do to protect the water source from backflow? - Answers -Maintain an air gap by keeping the filler hose discharge above the water level in the tank Use a reduced pressure principle backflow-prevention device Install a double-check valve assembly in the filler hose In terms of the LD50 value, what does a higher value mean? What does a lower value mean? - Answers -A higher value means less toxic A lower value means more toxic Name at least 5 things that are included on a pesticide label - Answers -Directions for use Application sites Application rates
What is a pesticide applicators greatest risk of pesticide exposure - Answers -From skin contact, this can result from a splash, spill, or a drift Name some ways to control drift while spraying herbicides - Answers -Spray at low pressure Use spray tips with narrow discharge angles Use the largest practical nozzle openings Use additives to increase solution thickness Spray during the calmer parts of the day Name 3 factors that affect pesticide drift - Answers -Finished spray mix properties Application equipment characteristics and configuration Environmental factors What is temperature inversion and how does it affect pesticide operations? - Answers - A layer of warm air traps a layer of cool air closer to the ground. Spray droplets don't fall, they tend to float in a concentrated cloud and may move off site. Drift is very likely during a temperature inversion. What resources gives detailed information about human health and safety for pesticide applicators in VA? - Answers -The Virginia core manual What two factors mainly determine your risk of pesticide injury? - Answers -Toxicity of the product and exposure to it Name five pesticide handling operations that may require special safety precautions - Answers -Mixing/loading operations Using hand held equipment Entering the path of just released pesticide Walking into a recently treated area Applying fine particles What is a rotary spreader - Answers -A type of granular applicator that distributes granules to the front and sides of the spreader, usually with a spinning disc or fan
Swath - Answers -The width of an area treated by a sprayer What is a spot gun good for treating? - Answers -When applying soil active herbicides for woody plant control. What level of pressure does a low pressure sprayer operate at? - Answers -15-40 psi What level of pressure does a high pressure sprayer operate at? - Answers -up to 800 psi What are radiarc sprayers used to treat? - Answers -Weeds or brush alongside roadways, railways, and utility right of ways When is a handgun sprayer used? - Answers -Spot treatment of undesirable woody plants or for broadcast treatment of weeds within or along a right of way. What are the most common pumps for pesticide sprayers? - Answers -Roller Centrifugal Piston diaphragm Do high pressure sprayers usually produce large or small droplets? - Answers -Small droplets What are the 4 factors to consider when choosing a sprayer hose? - Answers - Composition Construction Working pressure Size Cambium - Answers -In woody plants, a sheath or layer of tissue just under the bark. The cambium makes new layers of cells. Responsible for secondary growth. Carrier - Answers -A gas, liquid, or solid substance used to dilute or suspend an herbicide during its application. Check valve - Answers -A device within a nozzle that prevents dripping when the spray boom is off. Density - Answers -Mass per unit volume.
Pressure and output may fluctuate Some do not have a good way to provide agitation What are some characteristics of back pack sprayers? - Answers -They're self contained units (tank and pump) They can either be powered or non powered The capacity usually ranges from 2-4 gallons What is the capacity of a trigger pump sprayer? - Answers -1 pint to 1 gallon What are trigger pump sprayers commonly used for? - Answers -Ready-to-use formulations for treating individual weeds or cut stump What type of sprayer will you commonly see used to apply herbicide on a right-of-way? - Answers -Hydraulic What pressure does a low-pressure boom sprayer with a multi-nozzle boom operate at?
- Answers -15-40 psi Do low pressure systems deliver high or low volumes? - Answers -Low to moderate volumes Do high pressure systems deliver high or low volumes? - Answers -High volumes What kind pumps do high pressure sprayers use? How many gallons can be delivered and at what pressure? - Answers -Piston pumps They can deliver up to 50 gallons of spray per minute at pressures up to 800 psi What kind of agitators are standard for high pressure sprayers? - Answers -Mechanical agitators What is a computer injection sprayer - Answers -An electronic-controlled pesticide injection system that uses a computer to monitor the spraying operation. What are some of the computers main jobs for a computer injection sprayer? - Answers -Monitor equipment speed and swath width Adjust the amount of chemical injected into the spray stream to maintain a constant rate of application What are some advantages of computer injection sprayers? - Answers -Chemicals flow directly from supply reservoirs (No tank mixing)
The spray heads tilt and adapt to cut and fill slopes The computer will tell you if the desired application rate is possible Spray pressure remains constant so the spray pattern is uniform You can change the application rates at will Multiple nozzle assemblies are under separate control You can simplify recordkeeping by adding a printer to record spray application data What is a Radiarc sprayer? - Answers -A precision boom-less spray device composed of a series of nozzles and/or plugs that are mounted on a vehicle What size droplets do radiarc sprayers usually produce? Describe the droplet spectrum - Answers -Usually greater than 1,000 microns The droplet spectrum is narrow which provides precise targeting with accurate sharp edges to the spray swath What type of formulations are radiarc sprayers suited for? - Answers -Particulates, suspensions, wettable powders, and emulsifiable concentrates. What is the most versatile and most common spray equipment? - Answers -Handguns What are handguns attached to backpack sprayers useful for treating? - Answers -Spot treatment of undesirable woody plants or for broadcast treatment of weeds within or along a right-of-way What type of application are handguns mostly used for? (High or low volume) - Answers -High volume applications When can handguns be used as boom-less sprayers for low-volume applications? (What are they equipped with) - Answers -If they are equipped with off-center nozzles What are the 4 components of any spraying system? - Answers -A mixing/holding tank A pump One or more nozzles A hose or plumbing connecting the tank to the nozzle
