AP202 Integrated Pest Management

DESCRIPTION

This unit will provide a perspective and understanding of the management of a variety of pests including plant  pathogens and weeds in agricultural ecosystems. This unit will cover a broad and comprehensive range of topics in integrated pest management, focused primarily on theory and concepts such as using natural predators, pest-resistant  plants, and other methods to preserve a healthy environment in an effort to decrease reliance on harmful pesticides. It will also consider the economic, environmental and social implications of disease and stress to the development of sustainable production systems. This unit includes field trips which will demonstrate the practical application of IPM concepts presented in lectures.

RELEVANT COURSES

Bachelor of Agribusiness*

*Core unit

CREDIT POINTS

10

DELIVERY MODE

On campus

PREREQUISITE OR CO-REQUISITE

AP201 Agriculture Production systems and Farm Management

UNIT LEARNING OUTCOMES

LO1 Critically analyse the wide spectrum of practices that are used to manage insects, diseases and weeds

LO2 Evaluate the economic factors that constrain small and large scale pest management programs

LO3 Analyse reasons for plant damage, particularly by pests, and describe the biological attributes of pests

LO4 Compare and contrast integrated approaches to the various suppression practices available for the control of insects, diseases and weeds

CONTENT

  • Introduction to IPM
  • Economic impact: decision making and economic risk in IPM
  • IPM as an applied ecology: biology, population dynamics and species interaction
  • Sampling for detection, estimation and IPM decision making 
  • Application of aerobiology, biological control agents and crop diversification in pest management
  • Barriers to adoption of biological control agents and bio pesticides
  • Pesticide Resistance management and weed management
  • Insect management using physical methods in pre- and post-harvest situation
  • Assessing risk of pesticide to humans and environment
  • Integrated Pest Management for selected Crops: Case Studies
  • Advances in IPM
  • IPM and sustainable agriculture

ASSESSMENT METHODS

  1. Online Quizzes – 25%
  2. Essay – 25%
  3. Case Study Report and Poster – 50%

PRESCRIBED READINGS

Dent, D. R., Binks, R. H. (2020). Insect Pest Management. United Kingdom: CABI

Check with the lecturer each semester before purchasing any textbooks