PSC201 Invertebrate Pest Management (8)

The subject deals with forms, function, life-cycles, biology and approaches to the control and management of invertebrate pests in Agriculture and Horticulture.

Subject Outlines
Current CSU students can view Subject Outlines for recent sessions. Please note that Subject Outlines and assessment tasks are updated each session.

Availability

* Offering has a residential school. Please view following information for further details.

Session 2 (60)
On Campus
Wagga Wagga Campus
Online *
Wagga Wagga Campus

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: PSC201. Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • Be able to accurately describe the classification, biology, life cycles and population dynamics of invertebrate pests, including;
  • Define and characterise pest species.
  • Identify major pest and natural enemy types.
  • Economic, environmental and societal costs of pests.
  • Population biology and pest dynamics.
  • Be able to discuss the principles and approaches for the control and management of invertebrate pests including chemical, biological and cultural including;
  • Define integrated pest management (IPM) and identify the fundamental principles related to this approach.
  • Analyse and evaluate the major techniques used within IPM strategies.
  • Describe biosecurity approaches.
  • Be able to demonstrate techniques in working with invertebrate pest management including;
  • Apply the economic injury level concept and its importance in an IPM program.
  • Analyse the major techniques used for pest monitoring and surveillance.
  • Identify and integrate pest management tactics.
  • Evaluate interactions between pest management tactics in terms of implementing an integrated approach for various production and environmental systems.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:

Module 1, Pests and their biology - Properties of pestiferous arthropods. - Pest identification and its importance. - Applied population biology - Socioeconomic impacts of pests. Module 2 Pest management approaches - A brief history of pest management, control and biosecurity. - Pesticides (inc semiochemicals) - Biological control - Host plant resistance (inc transgenic crops) - Cultural control - Regulatory approaches (inc sterile insect technique) - Monitoring and thresholds in IPM - Planning and implementing IPM (including field scale tactics to area wide management) - Future of IPM (including barriers to and drivers for adoption, organic production, climate change)

Residential School

This subject contains a 2 day Compulsory Residential School.Primary focus is practical skills in insect handling, preservation, identification etc. Some work on use of Pebble Pad and raising awareness of the student-centred approach taken in the subject.

Contact

Current Students

For any enquiries about subject selection or course structure please contact Student Central or ask@csu.edu.au or phone on 1800 275 278.

Prospective Students

For further information about Charles Sturt University, or this course offering, please contact info.csu on 1800 275 278 (free call within Australia) or enquire online.

The information contained in the 2018 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: August 2018. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

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