PSC255 Plant Protection (8)

This subject is designed to give students a broad understanding of plant protection in the context of broadacre cropping, horticultural enterprises and pastoral systems. Students will be able to develop their knowledge in one of these areas via choice in assignment topics. The emphasis is on developing the knowledge, skills and analytical attitude needed to manage plant protection within such agricultural systems. Students will become familiar with vertebrate and invertebrate pests, weeds and pathogens, and the symptoms shown by plants under attack. This involves the study of the key features of the threatening species' biology and the influence that environmental factors can play. Students will consider the pros and cons of various plant protection methods and how to select and use them. The subject also deals with techniques for monitoring the incidence of pests, weeds and diseases, and introduces the idea of thresholds, for this forms the basis of integrated pest management (IPM). No rural manager can afford to ignore these issues

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

No offerings have been identified for this subject in 2018.

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 Rural Management

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • Be able to use their knowledge of pests, weeds and pathogens, and the signs and symptoms of their attack to define a plant protection problem
  • Be able to relate the incidence and severity of plant protection problems to key environmental factors such as temperature and humidity
  • Be able to use a knowledge of the life cycle of an identified organism and other aspects of its biology to determine most appropriate stages for control
  • Be able to access information from a range of sources and interpret it to compile relevant facts on specific weeds, pests and diseases
  • Be able to explain the key features of plant protection methods (pesticides; biological control; resistant varieties; cultural methods and regulatory control)
  • Be able to use information on the target organism and crop system to determine, where appropriate, a suitable pesticide type and method of application
  • Be able to use information from a range of sources to analyse the pros and cons of plant protection methods for a given situation
  • Be able to explain the importance of monitoring and of thresholds in plant protection
  • Be able to discuss the meaning of the term 'integrated pest management' (IPM)
  • Be able to critically review information from a range of sources to propose and argue for an IPM strategy for a specific situation.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:

MODULE 1: Weeds, Pests and Diseases introduction weeds pests diseases MODULE 2: Plant Protection Techniques chemical methods non-chemical options MODULE 3: Integrated Pest Management introduction to integrated pest management (IPM) implementing IPM

Residential School

This subject contains a 1 day Compulsory Residential School.The purpose of the Residential School is to aid students in planning their assignment work and to complement the Learning Guide material by providing a forum in which students can interact and share knowledge and experiences with each other and with staff. More specifically the day will afford an opportunity to see in real life a wide range of pests, weeds and plant diseases and so boost familiarity with specific organisms and the key characteristics of the economically important groups. The school will also show how an integrated pest management (IPM) program may be developed and implemented. The latter will be of direct relevance to assignment 3.

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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