Overview
This unit covers planning and management of long-term weed, pest and disease control in crops, including the principles and practices of crop protection in a crop management system. You will identify the standard required to interpret information, implement and monitor control procedures and strategies, evaluate and record control strategies and plan land use according to control strategies. You will have access to real crop production systems to develop underpinning knowledge and practices.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite AGRI11002 Crop Management Systems
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2019
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student feedback
Add some practical activities.
Practical activities will be incorporated for next year delivery.
- Explain the pest, weed and/or diseases relevant to a given crop production enterprise.
- Analyse data to determine long-term weed, pest and/or disease control strategies.
- Assess the effect on crops of weeds, pests and/or diseases.
- Develop an integrated weed, pest and/or disease management plan for a crop production system.
- Evaluate weed, pest and/or disease control strategies for a crop production system.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.tausz@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction
During this week students will be introduced to the Unit and get an overview over learning outcomes, assessments and schedule.
General aspects of crop protection and its relationship to plant
pathology and weed science, the definitions of important terms such as disease, pests and weeds, and concepts of plant health and disease, and competition will be introduced.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Weeds
Students will be introduced to the principles of weed science and important aspects of weed biology. Some basics of weed identification and classification will be covered, and examples of important agricultural weeds discussed. Functional aspects of the interaction between crops and weeds, such as competition for resources, will be underlined.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Crop diseases
Introduction to plant pathology and pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, nematodes, and viruses will build the foundation to understand the biology of plant pathogen interactions. Aspects of disease symptoms and pathogen diagnostics will be introduced and plant defence and tolerance mechanisms will be pointed out.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pest insects
Students will receive an introduction to pest insects and other invertebrates as a foundation to understand plant-pest interactions. The biology of insects and aspects of plant defence responses to insect attack will be presented this week.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Non-insect pests and crop disorders caused by abiotic factors
In this week students will learn about other organisms that can be crop pests, such as vertebrates (mice, rabbits) or non-insect invertebrates (snails, nematodes).
Crop damages caused by abiotic factors will be explained and compared to pest and disease damages.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Weed control and management 1
The principles of control
and management options for weeds will be presented and
discussed, including aspects of chemical control (herbicides),
biological controls, and agronomic management options.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Piece 1 due - Crop Protection Handbook
Identification and diagnostic report Due: Week 6 Friday (30 Aug 2019) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Weed control and management 2
Continuation of week 6.
The significance of the evolution herbicide resistance in weeds will be discussed with special consideration to the engineering of glyphosate resistant transgenic crops. Control
and management options will be discussed in relation to an integrated weed management concept.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Disease control and management 1
The principles of control
and management options for crop diseases will be presented and
discussed, including aspects of chemical control (fungicides),
biological controls, management options and use of disease resistant
crop varieties.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Disease control and management 2
Continuation of week 8. The significance of the evolution in pathogens of resistance to control measures will be discussed. Control
and management options will be discussed in relation to an integrated disease management concept.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pest control and management 1
The principles of control
and management options for crop pests will be presented and
discussed, including aspects of chemical control (insecticides),
biological controls, management options and aspects of crop defence against pests. Biotechnology applications will be explained at the example of transgenic crops producing the Bt-toxin.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pest control and management 2
Continuation of week 10. Insecticide resistant pests and environmental effects of large scale insecticide use are underlined. Control and management options will be discussed in relation to the integrated pest management (IPM) concept.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Economics and Emerging Issues
The economics of pest, disease, and weed management decisions will be explained. Emerging issues in weeds, pest and crop diseases will be identified and used as an outlook.
Revision session
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2 due - integrated pest management plan.
Integrated Pest Management Plan Due: Review/Exam Week Friday (18 Oct 2019) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
You are required to write a report in form of information sheets on each of one selected pest, one selected disease and one selected weed of economical importance for Australia in a crop or in selected crops of your choice. For each pest, disease and weed, you must provide the scientific and common names, identify and describe the main symptoms in the selected crop, describe important aspects of the biology and their relationship with the crop (e.g. damage, susceptibility), provide data related about the importance in relation to geographical distribution, climate or weather variables and any other significant aspects in the spread of the disease. Word limit is 2000 words. The report should adhere to the format of a given exemplar so that the collected reports can form sections of a crop protection handbook.
Week 6 Friday (30 Aug 2019) 11:59 pm AEST
10 working days after due date.
Marks are awarded for:
1. the quality of the background information review (40%);
2. the discussion of this information in context of the question asked (40%);
3. the clarity of English expression, spelling, grammar, accuracy of referencing, use of figures and tables, appropriate length, adherence to the given template (20%).
- Explain the pest, weed and/or diseases relevant to a given crop production enterprise.
- Assess the effect on crops of weeds, pests and/or diseases.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
Integrated Pest Management Plan.
In this assessment you will develop an Integrated Pest Management Plan for a selected cropping system with the aim of ensuring a profitable crop. The written assessment will include the identification of weeds, pests and diseases that affect the selected cropping system, and provide economical data that describe the importance of the disease, pest and weed for the selected crop. You will evaluate the practical and financial viability of your plan, its environmental sustainability and possible impacts on other farm enterprises. Total word limit is 3000 words. The report should include an introduction, main body of your report containing the points above and a summary or conclusion.
Review/Exam Week Friday (18 Oct 2019) 11:59 pm AEST
10 days working days after due date.
Marks are awarded for:
1. the quality of the background review (30%);
2. the discussion of this information in context of the required integrated pest management plan (50%);
3. the clarity of English expression, spelling, grammar, accuracy of referencing, use of figures and tables, appropriate length (20%).
- Analyse data to determine long-term weed, pest and/or disease control strategies.
- Develop an integrated weed, pest and/or disease management plan for a crop production system.
- Evaluate weed, pest and/or disease control strategies for a crop production system.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
