208-265 Integrated Pest and Weed Management

Upon completion of this subject students should be able to:

• identify the principles of integrated pest and weed management;

• identify the common range of pests and diseases that impact on crops and pastures;

• recall how population change occurs under different climatic and other factors; and

• document physical loss from pests and disease, and identify suitable time for control for economic control.

The content includes:

• causes of crop and pasture loss including arthropods and animal pests, weeds and plant pathogens;

• crop health assessment;

• principles and methodology of crop protection including pest exclusion, crop management practices, chemical control, biological control, and genetic resistance;

• economic assessment of control strategies;

• monitoring pest and weed populations and determining optimum control strategies; and

• case studies of current and proposed integrated pest and weed control programs.

One 2.5-hour written examination (50% of final marks); one 2000-word essay (20% of final marks); one 3000-word essay (30% of final marks).

Hurdle Requirement: In order to pass the subject students must attend 4 of the 5 practical sessions, 4 of the 5 tours/excursions and both the practical workshops in week 1 and week 12.