Ace the DPR Qualified Applicator's License Exam 2026 – Cultivate Your Success!

A systemic pesticide is a type of pesticide that is absorbed by the plant and translocated throughout its tissues, effectively making the entire plant toxic to pests. Among the choices provided, neonicotinoids are a class of systemic pesticides that target specific receptors in the nervous system of insects, leading to their paralysis and death. Their ability to be absorbed and move through the plant’s vascular system distinguishes them as systemic.

Glyphosate, while a widely used herbicide, is a non-selective contact herbicide that primarily kills plants by interfering with amino acid synthesis and is not classified as systemic in the traditional sense. Pyrethroids and organochlorines are primarily contact pesticides that act quickly on contact with the target organism, rather than being absorbed and distributed throughout plant tissues.

This characteristic of being capable of moving through plant systems makes neonicotinoids particularly effective for controlling pests that feed on the plant, as they remain present in the plant tissue over time, ensuring ongoing protection.