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.

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

For further information about courses and subjects outlined in the CSU handbook please contact:

Current students

Future students

The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: May 2019. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

Back