A footprint to soil and plant health
Diagnose plant
health problems
– AHCPCM501A
Workforce Innovations Program Project 275
Materials produced by Regional Skills Training Pty Ltd
Funding provided by the DIISRTE Workforce Innovations Program
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
WEB
Activity I Fact I Website
Contents
01
About yourself
3
02
Trouble with website links
3
03
How are these materials used
3
04
What are these learning materials about
4
05
Employability skills
5
06
Unit descriptor and how the unit applies to your workplace
5
07
Monitor factors that influence plant health
6
08
Diagnose plant health problems
17
09
Remedy plant health problems
37
10
Evaluate treatment program
43
11
Summary of key innovations/opportunities identified as a result of adopting these skills
48
12
Bibliography and source material
49
13
Being confident about your skill levels
52
14
Assessment
54
Copyright Notice
Bridging the Gap between Chemical and Organic Food and Fibre Production.
These interactive workbooks were produced by Regional Skills Training and funded by Department of Industry,
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use to any student, RTO or school. Note that any work is copyright and should not be reproduced or copied for
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
1
About yourself
Please fill in your details below and save this PDF to your files.
Name
Phone
Email
2
Trouble with
website links
Sometimes you may click on a web link and the
site will say it is not available. Please revisit the
site when you are next working on your resource
materials as web sites are sometimes “off line” for
maintenance reasons.
If you are consistently unable to access a site
you are free to answer any associated work book
activity or assessment question by searching
for and finding an alternative site that you feel is
applicable. PLEASE INCLUDE THE LINK IN YOUR
ANSWERS so we know where to look to check
your information.
3
How are these
materials used
This workbook has a strong focus on the
self‑directed application of knowledge.
Completing this workbook and all formative
assessments will thoroughly prepare you for your
summative assessment. On successful completion
of appropriate summative assessments provided
by your Registered Training Organisation (RTO),
you will achieve competency in this unit.
Please complete the feedback form at the back of
the unit and advise us of any links that do not work.
Please complete the feedback
form at the back of the
unit and advise us of any links
that do not work
3
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
This workbook has a
focus on those working
in an arboricultural
or horticultural
enterprise required to
diagnose and resolve
plant health problems.
4
What are
these learning
materials about
This workbook applies to any person working in an
agricultural or horticultural enterprise where they
are required to diagnose and resolve plant health
problems. The scope of this workbook includes the
following activities:
• Identify plant species and describe their growing
requirements and characteristics
• Assess the suitability of the growing environment
and the level of beneficial organisms
• Diagnose and record plant disorders and diseases
• Formulate a weed, pest or disease control
program using the principles of Integrated Pest
Management
• Implement modifications to plant growing
conditions
• Document a treatment program report.
• Plant nutrition issues associated with the growth
media used, and horticultural region for specific
plant species.
• Weeds, pests and disease detection methods,
taxonomic identification, life cycle stages
and characteristic symptoms for the specific
horticultural plants of the enterprise.
• Chemical, cultural and biological control methods
included in the integrated pest management (IPM)
strategy of the enterprise.
• Chemical use, toxicity and compatibility with
target plants, growth media, and environmental
characteristics of the horticultural region.
• Sustainable horticultural practices relevant to the
enterprise and/or horticultural region.
• Evaluation procedures, including cost/benefit
analysis, for plant and growth media treatments
in relation to plant health, enterprise budget and
performance targets.
Enterprise and industry record keeping and reporting
policies and requirements:
• Workplace health and safety (WHS) hazards
associated with activities to promote plant health
and the controls necessary to remove or minimise
risks associated with them.
This workbook has a strong focus on the self-directed
application of knowledge with substantial depth in the
areas of:
• Plant anatomy, morphology, physiology, histology,
pathology, taxonomy and nomenclature.
• Taxonomic descriptions, horticultural function,
cultural and growth requirements, and target
growth and performance characteristics of
specific horticultural plants for the achievement of
enterprise production and business plans.
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
5
Employability
Skills
This workbook provides an opportunity to develop
and apply employability skills that are learnt
throughout work and life to your job. The statements
below list the typical employability skills that would
be applied in a situation related to diagnosing and
resolving plant health problems for an agricultural
or horticultural enterprise. In completing your
daily work tasks and activities and summative
assessments related to this unit of competence,
you must be able to demonstrate that you are
applying the “employability skills” listed below to
this competency.
•
•
•
•
Communication skills
Identify and accurately report problems
Organisational and teamwork skills
Technological skills and using mathematical
ideas and techniques.
6
UNIT DESCRIPTOR
AND HOW THE
UNIT APPLIES TO YOUR
WORKPLACE
This unit of competency covers the process of
diagnosing and resolving plant health problems.
This is achieved by developing, implementing and
reviewing a weed, pest or disease control program
using sustainable practices.
Acronyms used in this workbook
AAAC
Australian Association of Agricultural
Consultants
AIAST
Agricultural Science and Technology
BCA
Biological Control Agent
CRCNPB Cooperative Research Centre for
National Plant Biosecurity
DECCW
Department of Environment, Climate
Change and Water
DPI
Department of Primary Industry
EMS
Environmental Management System
FS-IRMS
Farming Systems Insecticide
Resistance Management Strategy
HAL
Horticulture Australia Ltd
IPM
Integrated Pest Management
N
Nitrogen
NASAA
National Association for Sustainable
Agriculture Australia
WHS
Workplace Health and Safety
PHA
Plant Health Australia
PHDS
Plant Health Diagnostic Service
QA
Quality Assurance
SIT
Sterile Insect Technique
TSWV
Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus
USDA
United States Department of
Agriculture
WFT
Western Flower Thrips
WHP
Withholding Period
WUE
Water Use Efficiency
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
7
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Monitor Factors
That Influence
Plant Health
As an introduction to this entire workbook, please take
some time to review the following YouTube videos.
These videos ‘set the scene’ for what you are about to
learn throughout this workbook.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmsZG7T5l6g
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EB
This provides an overview of how Integrated Pest
Management principles have been applied by Peter
Schreurs and Sons at their Vegetable Farm in Victoria.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VER4_4PSiF0.
Integrated Pest Management (USA; 2004)
As you can see from these videos, there is a lot to
consider when planning, implementing and reviewing
a pest and disease management program. To do so
effectively, takes considerable time, research and
commitment so that a holistic, sustainable pest and
disease management approach is able to be adopted.
The process of understanding plant health is the same
irrespective of the plant/crop type.
We need to understand the plants that we are working
with and what a healthy plant looks like. Only then can
we identify if that plant is not healthy. This section will
cover the following topics:
The plant species is correctly identified (preferably
genus and species to ensure you are correct).
The seasonal growth stages of the plant are
determined (to support the development of an
appropriate health management plan specific to the
plant type).
Day to day cultural practices are recorded (knowing
the cultural practices is critical to developing a
complete plant health management system).
Characteristics of the growing environment that affect
the growth of a specific plant species are determined.
Throughout the workbook you will complete a
variety of activities. Please complete all activities
in the context of your workplace. Activities are
divided into a sequence that allows you to develop
a plant health calendar useful to your workplace.
Activities will include:
• Identify plant species for your enterprise
• Prepare a seasonal growth calendar for major
plant species
• Identify and review current record keeping
practices
• Identify climate and environmental conditions for
major plant species relevant to your enterprise
• Identify and review current climate and
environmental growing condition records
• Identify beneficial organisms relevant to your
enterprise, the benefit they provide and how to
monitor their prevalence
Identifying your plant species
Identification of affected plants is one of the first
steps in diagnosing a plant disease. Both scientific
and common names of the plant should be noted.
Common names should not be relied upon since some
distinctly different plant species may have the same
common name, and the common name used in one
area may be used for a completely different species in
another area.
In addition to knowing the common and scientific
names of your plants, it is important to know the
specific variety or cultivar, whenever possible. A great
variation in susceptibility to a specific disease may
occur within different cultivars of a plant species. For
example, when we look at the susceptibility of wheat
to wheat stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis f.
sp. tritici, we know that all wheat cultivars are not
susceptible to all races of P. graminis. The major
control measure for this disease is based on planting
wheat cultivars each year that are resistant to the
pathogen races predicted to be present during the
growing season.
Tomato cultivars having the “Better Boy” genetic
background are generally resistant to root-knot
nematodes while those with the genetic background of
the variety “Rutgers” are susceptible, so knowing the
genetic background of a cultivar can be important.
Climatic data and environmental growing conditions
are recorded to allow for accurate assessments of how
the climate and environment may affect plant health.
The presence of beneficial and non beneficial
organisms is recorded to allow for accurate
assessments of how they may affect plant health.
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 1
List the plant species that are the most important to your enterprise. Clearly these species will be quite different
based on your business type e.g.:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cropping
Nursery
Vegetable growing
Pasture for livestock
Viticulture, Production horticulture i.e. citrus
Park, garden, tree management, natural area management
Complete the table below related to the plant species and “typical” plant health problems for these species.
Remember that the species you select must be applicable to your enterprise. Select the 4 plant species most
significant to your workplace. Against your 4 selected plant species you are required to list the 3 most significant
health problems that may affect the plant.
Plant species
Health problem
The seasonal growth stages of the plant
are determined
Plant growth is reasonably predictable. If the way
in which a plant grows and therefore subsequently
responds to the environment (e.g. temperature,
rainfall) and management practices (e.g. grazing,
cropping, pruning, pest and disease control) is
understood, then you can work towards management
strategies that work with nature and promote plant
health. As such, understanding the seasonal growth
stages of a plant is essential to the development of
successful management strategies?
Specifically research your enterprise plant
species and complete activity 2 on the next page.
The following extracts are provided as a guide to
useful resources related to plant growth.
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 Grains Research and
Development Corporation;
“Cereal Growth Stages”;
ISBN 1-875477-40-3;
Australia; 2005; pp2,5
Health problem
Health problem
 Meat and Livestock
Australia; “Pasture
Growth”; Australia.
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www.mla.com.au/Livestock-production/Grazingand-pasture-management/Improved-pasture/
Pasture-growth
 Growth Stages in Fruit
Trees, from Dormant to
Fruit Set, P. J. Chapman
and Gertrude A. Catlin WE
http://fls.cals.cornell.edu/OCRPDF/58a.pdf
B
 The Four Stages Of
Tree Growth
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http://fwf.ag.utk.edu/physlab/tree_module/
index.html
www.grdc.com.au/uploads/documents/GRDC%20
Cereal%20Growth%20Stages%20Guide1.pdf
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 2
For the 4 major plant species identified in activity 1 you are now required to prepare a seasonal growth calendar
for each species. Please include average rainfall and temperature range for each season in your region as the
climatic data is an important tool when diagnosing plant health problems.
Plant
name
Season,
climate
conditions
What
growth
occurs?
Season,
climate
conditions
What
growth
occurs?
Season,
climate
conditions
What
growth
occurs?
What
Season,
growth
climate
conditions occurs?
Cultural practices used on each plant species are recorded
Irrespective of the type of plant species or the type of production system, an enterprise must maintain good
record keeping and monitoring related to plant cultural practices. Without accurate and up to date records,
agricultural and horticultural producers have no evidence that what they are doing is working towards an
improvement in plant health or pest/disease management. The level of record keeping that is completed on your
enterprise will depend upon your specific requirements.
There is no perfect formula to record keeping. Some producers find that keeping clear notes in a diary works
well for them, others use spreadsheets on their computers or industry specific computer software programs.
Regardless of the method, it is important that all relevant management activities be accurately and consistently
recorded over a period of time. This will:
• Ensure accurate recording of plant cultural practices and factors that are variable such as the weather
• Enable you to monitor what is working well and what requires improvement
• Provide you with the baseline and comparative data required to make informed decisions about plant health
and developing effective pest and disease programs.
Also remember that record keeping practices are dynamic. They should change over time as you develop
an understanding of the data that you require to manage your enterprise. If you are a member of an industry
organisation (e.g. Meat and Livestock Australia), or an organisation like TreeNet you will find examples of record
keeping practices and templates through their relevant websites and publications.
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 3
Ask yourself the following questions and provide an honest appraisal:
What records do I keep that monitor plant health and cultural practices?
Do the records meet my needs and provide the enterprise with appropriate data e.g. consider whether
you can make informed decisions based on these records (now and in the future)?
What improvements could I make?
What benefits would these improvements provide?
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Search the internet and find organisations/industry associations that provide you with information, recording
systems and data that is appropriate to your business and the applicable plant species. Include ALL of the
websites that may be useful.
Web site address and name
Why is this website applicable to your workplace,
business and the plant species you work with?
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
The following statements are extracts. These are
provided to help you consider appropriate record
keeping practices for your enterprise.
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 Department of Primary
Industries Victoria; “Section
5: Paddock Record Keeping
and Farm Monitoring”;
Australia; 2011.
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/farmingmanagement/business-management/ems-invictorian-agriculture/stage-two-ems/paddockrecord-keeping
Keeping good records is essential for monitoring
your progress towards achieving your goals and
targets. Keeping accurate records such as spray
records, procedures, crop yields and rotations is
crucial to making sure there is a consistent and
traceable approach to plant health management.
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 National Association for
Sustainable Agriculture
Australia Limited; “NASAA
ORGANIC STANDARD”;
Australia; 2012; pp17-18.
 Grains Research and
Development Corporation;
“GRDC Paddock Diary;
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Australia; 2012.
EB
www.grdc.com.au/~/media/5BC8A5E760164EEC
84969FCE710DF552.pdf
 Australian Farm Record
Keeping Software:
W
www.dpi.qld.gov.au/documents/
BusinessAndTrade_ServicesAndGeneral/AFSDSoftware-catalogue.pdf
EB
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 Grow Data
www.growdata.com.au/index.php?option=com_
content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=2
 Native Vegetation Health
http://live.greeningaustralia.org.au/
nativevegetation/pages/page112.html
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www.nasaa.com.au/data/pdfs/AAAA%20
NASAA%20Organic%20Standard%2006-022012.pdf
The operator is to maintain records that enable
NASAA to scrutinise the products and processes
that are used on the property. Records are the most
acceptable and consistent way of supporting the
operator’s organic production and handling claims
and provide the basis for ongoing monitoring of
management strategies.
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 4
Review the previous activity now that you have had time to research other record keeping systems. For each of
your selected plant species answer the following questions.
Plant
species
What additional records or new record keeping Why/how will these records contribute to
systems would you like to incorporate into
plant health?
your enterprise?
Characteristics of the growing environment that affect the growth of a specific plant species
are determined
By now you have an understanding of the species that are important to your operation, relevant seasonal growing
conditions and what actions you currently take on a day-to-day basis to manage these species. You now need to
determine the characteristics of the growing environment that affect the growth of these species.
With this knowledge you will be able to determine:
• If the desired plant species will grow well within the constraints of your enterprise/climate.
What characteristics of the growing environment are:
• Within your control and can therefore be managed?
• Beyond your control?
The internet provides a number of sources to identify growing conditions for plant species within a geographical
area (e.g. State Departments of Primary Industries) or an industry (e.g. grower organisations). Other sources of
information may include:
• Publications/Internet
• Local professionals such as wholesale nursery suppliers, rural produce suppliers, landcare groups, council
weed control officers, agronomists, TreeNet
• Industry networks
• Neighbours (particularly leading, innovative and successful managers)
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 5
For each species identified in activity 1 research the characteristics of your growing environment that affect the
growth of these specie. Include mitigation actions and information sources.
Plant species
What growing
environment
characteristics typically
affect this plant?
What actions can
realistically be
taken to minimise
negative affects?
Include information/
internet source to
substantiate your data
Climatic data and environmental growing conditions are recorded
Determining what records to keep can be challenging. If record keeping requirements become too onerous or
are of little relevance to your enterprise, you are unlikely to continue keeping them. Conduct your own research
to gain an appreciation of the different types of records that producers use. Use this research to form an opinion
about the records you keep and whether they are meeting your needs.
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 6
Ask yourself the following questions and provide an honest appraisal.
What records do I keep that monitor climatic and environmental growing conditions for my enterprise
and applicable plant species?
You need to be certain that the records you keep allow you to extract useful data. From the records listed
above, what data is available and how is this data used?
What improvements could I make to:
• How I collect and record information?
• What information I collect?
• How I analyse and use the data?
What benefits would suggested changes to record keeping provide?
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
The presence of beneficial organisms is recorded
according to enterprise guidelines
Historically, commercial horticulture and agriculture, as
well as the management of amenity recreation spaces
and natural resources, have routinely used chemicals
(pesticides and herbicides) as a ‘one stop shop’ for
the management of pests and diseases. For many
situations, it was/is the first and last solution applied.
The problems of this approach are now becoming
more apparent. As pests and diseases continue
to evolve and become resistant to many of these
treatments, the treatments become stronger and more
frequent. Stronger and more frequent treatments not
only kill the pests and diseases but they also kill the
beneficial organisms.
• Diversity of soil life – Note how many different
varieties of soil animals you see such as ants,
beetles, spiders, slaters, millipedes etc. It is the
variety that is important, not the numbers.
• Earthworms – Higher numbers of earthworms
indicate conditions that are favourable (more
organic matter, high pH, low chemical residues).
Mostly these are also conditions favourable for
plant growth.
• Microbes in the soil (bacteria, protozoans and
fungi) play a major role in the break-down of soil
organic matter.
Sustainable management practices may still include
the need for chemicals, but preferably as a last
resort. Nature provides a host of beneficial organisms
whose role it is to attack pests/diseases. This creates
a win/win opportunity for land managers and the
environment. A land manager must understand
the whole eco system, including the important role
of beneficial organisms and the need to manage
environments to support these organisms.
 CESAR; “Back Pocket
Guide – Beneficial Insects in
Southern and Western Grains
Regions”; GRDC; Australia.
For your workplace you need to ask the
following questions:
www.cesaraustralia.com/sustainable-agriculture/
success-stories/
• What organisms are of benefit to my enterprise?
• Can I recognise these organisms in the field?
• How many of these organisms do I have (type and
volume)?
• Where can I source these organisms?
• How can I monitor and promote their populations?
Information about pests and beneficial insects
applicable to growers establishing integrated pest
management (IPM) programs on their properties.
Review the following extracts and conduct your own
research before completing activity 7.
 Tuckombil Landcare Inc.,
NSW Agriculture, the Natural
Heritage Trust; “Northern
Rivers Soil Health Card –
A Soil Management Tool
Developed by Farmers for
Farmers”; Australia; 2002.
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By testing regularly and keeping the ‘soil health’ cards,
you can build up a record of your soil health, and
understand the effect of management practices on soil
health. Important “pointers” toward good soil health are:
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 Industries NSW; “Dung
Beetles Working For You”;
Prime Fact 442; Australia;
2007; pp1,2.
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www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_
file/0011/110171/dung-beetles-working-for-you.pdf
By rapidly burying dung pads, dung beetles reduce fly
breeding sites and therefore fly numbers. Dung burial
also reduces the infective stages of gastrointestinal
parasites of livestock. Dung beetles can also clean up
pastures and replace nutrients in the soil. The beetles’
tunnels result in greater water retention and less run-off
and they improve root penetration and soil aeration.
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_
file/0007/168703/northern-rivers-soil-health-card.pdf
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity7
Please complete the following Table 1 and include information about beneficial organisms that are of relevance to
your enterprise, business or industry.
Identify:
•
•
•
•
The organism
The benefits provided
Monitoring requirements (when, where, how, who)
Performance indicators that identify good/medium/poor results
An example has been included to assist you. Please also include your enterprise details in the table heading.
Table 1:
<insert your enterprise details>Beneficial Organisms
Beneficial
Organism
Benefits
Earthworm
Monitoring and Record Keeping
When
Where
Improve soil texture
Annual
Aerate soil
1 April
All
Owner operator to conduct
paddocks test
Improve water
filtration
Decompose
organic matter
Provide nutrients
via castings
(see
map)
How/Who
Materials required (pad
and paper to record results,
shovel, black plastic sheet)
Go to nominated paddock
site to commence test
(same site each year)
Performance
Indicator
Reference
>7 worms (good)
www.dpi.nsw.
gov.au/__data/
assets/pdf_
file/0007/168703/
northern-riverssoil-health-card.
pdf
4-6 worms
(medium)
<3 worms (poor)
Dig up one shovel of soil
Place soil on plastic
Sort through soil sample
and count worms
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
8
Environmental and cultural factors that
predispose plants to attack by pests and
diseases are identified
Now that you have an understanding of what a
healthy plant looks like and the growth cycles of
the plants applicable to your workplace, you need
to understand the problems that these plants are
predisposed to. Once signs and symptoms of a
problem are evident, you need to recognise and
diagnose the problem/s correctly. This information
is critical and will support decisions about the most
appropriate management responses to utilise.
“While you cannot change a pest’s basic character,
you can adjust management practices to decrease
plants vulnerability. Understanding what makes
a plant susceptible to pest attack is critical to
devising management strategies that reduce plant
losses, pesticide use and associated costs.
Diagnose
Plant Health
Problems
This section covers the following topics:
• Environmental and cultural factors that
predispose plants to attack by pests and
diseases are identified
• The symptoms and signs of plant health
problems are identified using accepted
nomenclature
• The severity and extent of the problem in a
plant species are assessed
• Observations are compared with published
data, historical records and own experience
• The possible causes of the plant health
problem are determined
• Consult with specialist services in severe,
complex or rapid onset cases
• Plant or soil specimens are sampled and
dispatched for specialist diagnosis or
laboratory testing where required
• Plant disorders and problems are recorded and
documented in a report
So far you have developed an understanding of the
conditions required to promote plant health. Now
you need to understand the factors that promote
pests and diseases. The following extract provides
an excellent introduction to this topic.
Monoculture plantings are more susceptible to pest
pressure than mixed stands. Specialised diseasecausing organisms and plant-feeding insects are
less likely to bother plants that grow amid other
types of plants. Not only does a pest find it more
difficult to locate its preferred host in a mixture, but
the pest’s natural enemies are often more abundant
or effective. Conversely, large fields of single plants
create an ideal environment for pest attack. When
plants are genetically uniform, as most modern
varieties are, the opportunity for pest damage is
greater still.
Plants under stress from drought, a lack of
nutrients, soil compaction, or other factors are
more vulnerable to pests such as aphids. Practices
that promote the growth of healthy plants – ones
that are able to better compete with pests or
protect against them – are key to minimising pest
problems.” (Sustainable Agriculture Network
“A Whole Farm Approach to Managing Pests”;
United States, P5).
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http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Bulletins/
A-Whole-Farm-Approach-to-Managing-Pests
There are a number of environmental and
cultural factors that predispose plants to
attack by pests and diseases. Understanding
these and how they apply to your enterprise is
critical when commencing a pest and disease
management program.
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 8
Start your initial research for this section and identify the main 4 pests and 4 diseases that are likely to affect your
enterprise, business or industry sector.
Then research the environmental and cultural factors that predispose plants to attack by these pests
and diseases.
This is a risk assessment activity. It is important that you understand the risks and the conditions that favour the
likelihood of the risk being realised.
Summarise your findings by completing the table below. Remember to look at the bibliography and source
material at the end of this section to get you started in your research. Include source documents that will be of
use to you in the future. This will enable you to quickly source information about pests and diseases if they occur.
Where possible, also source illustrations.
Table 2:
<<Insert Enterprise>> Pest and Disease Risks
Pest or
Disease that
is Likely to
Affect Your
Enterprise
Pest Description
and Lifecycle
Plants
Affected
Environmental
and Cultural
Factors that
Predispose
Plants to Attack
Controls
Source
Psyllid pest
Small, yellow
green insect
about 1-2 mm
long that hatches
from the plant’s
growing terminal
in 2-4 days and
develops to an
adult 10-16 days
later.
Leucaena
species
and
accessions
Humid coastal
regions
Low humidity and hot/dry
or frost conditions
www.leucaena.net/
leucaena%20psyllid.pdf
Wet season
Hot winds
Under grazing of
crops
Heavy grazing
Heteropsylla
Cubana
Cattle movement
Spray with Dimethoate
insecticide (3-4 wks
control but should only be
used if pests are likely to
threaten young crops)
Breeding new cultivars
resistant to psyllid in
progress (University of Qld)
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
The symptoms and signs of plant health
problems are identified using accepted
nomenclature
Symptoms and signs of plant health problems can
be broadly defined as follows:
• Symptoms are plant reactions or alterations
of a plant’s appearance due to a disease
or disorder.
• Signs are actual pathogen, parts or
by-products seen on a diseased host plant.
It is important to know what the normal appearance
of a plant is before you decide there is a problem.
It is also important to remember that appearance
can vary with different cultivars. Some plant
cultivars have naturally yellow to pale green
leaves (e.g. new hosta cultivars, herbs like golden
oregano, and coleus varieties) which at first glance
appear to have symptoms of under-fertilisation, root
stress or soil pH problems.
Once the “normal” appearance of the specific plant
is determined, several comparisons can be made
between the problem plants and healthy plants.
Compare characteristics such as:
•
•
•
•
overall size, shape, and coloration
leaf shape, size, coloration, and distribution
root distribution and coloration
bark, stem or trunk texture and coloration
It is also important to note normal events, such as
leaf drop, that may occur in a healthy plant.
The affected parts of the plants should also be
noted. Are there symptoms on the roots, leaves,
stems, flowers, or fruit? Is the entire plant involved?
Is only one limb or side of a plant involved?
Answers to these questions can assist in the
identification of the problem.
Check for symptoms and signs
Describing the characteristic symptoms exhibited
by a specimen can be very difficult to do
accurately. Because of this, it is often difficult, if not
impossible, to determine what is wrong with a plant
when a person is describing symptoms without an
actual sample to view.
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Symptoms can often be grouped as follows; for
definitions of terms:
Underdevelopment of tissues or organs –
Examples include such symptoms as stunting
of plants, shortened internodes, inadequate
development of roots, malformation of leaves,
inadequate production of chlorophyll and other
pigments, and failure of fruits and flowers
to develop.
Overdevelopment of tissues or organs –
Examples include galls on roots, stems, or leaves,
witches’ brooms, and profuse flowering.
Necrosis or death of plant parts – These may be
some of the most noticeable symptoms, especially
when they affect the entire plant, such as wilts or
diebacks. Other examples include shoot or leaf
blights, leaf spots, and fruit rots.
Alteration of normal appearance – Examples
include mosaic patterns of light and dark green on
leaves, and altered coloration in leaves and flowers.
Diseases also involve a progression of symptoms
that can vary significantly. The progression
of symptoms is one of the most important
characteristics associated with problems caused
by biotic agents. Diseases can result in primary
and secondary symptoms. For example, decayed
roots on a tree may be a primary symptom while
the toppling over of the tree or wind throw is a
secondary symptom.
At later stages of a disease, secondary invaders
may also obscure the original disease symptoms so
that symptoms observed at the later stages of the
disease are not typical of the symptoms developed
in response to the original pathogen.
It is important to look for a progression of disease
symptoms in plants exhibiting problems.
In some cases, such as improper herbicide
usage, symptoms observed may be similar to
spots present as a result of an infectious agent.
The difference is that with herbicide injury, the
symptoms usually appear suddenly and there
is no observable progression of symptoms.
The spots may also follow spray patterns of the
herbicide. Herbicides can cause leaf distortion
which may be confused with viral diseases.
However, when new leaves form, they will
generally be free of symptoms, indicating a lack of
symptom progression.
www.apsnet.org/edcenter/illglossary/Pages/
default.aspx
19
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Variations in symptoms expressed by diseased plants
may lead to an improper diagnosis.
Identify symptom variability
Variations in symptoms expressed by diseased plants
may lead to an improper diagnosis. These variations
can result from a couple of factors. It is possible that
there is more than one problem present, and in some
cases there may be more than one pathogen infecting
a plant.
Symptoms associated with these infected plants
may be significantly different from the symptoms
expressed in response to each of the different
pathogens acting separately. The disease symptoms
exhibited by multiple pathogens infecting a plant may
be either more severe or less severe than if the plant
were infected with just one of the pathogens. This is
commonly seen in multiple infections due to viruses.
Look for signs of biotic causal agents
Signs of plant disease agents are the observable
evidence of the actual disease-causing agent.
Signs may include:
• the mycelia of a fungal agent
• fungal spores
• spore-producing bodies
Indications of insects causing problems may include:
•
•
•
•
the actual insect
insect frass
mite webbing
insect eggs
Signs are much more specific to disease-causing
agents than are symptoms and are extremely useful
in the diagnosis of a disease and identification of the
agent causing the disease.
The use of a hand lens and a knife can be valuable for
a diagnostician in the field e.g.
• Cutting into the bark of ornamental plants
and trees at the soil surface may lead to the
observation of mycelial mats of root rot fungi
such as Armillaria spp.
• Bacterial ooze can be observed by cutting stems
and placing them in water.
Identify plant part affected – Are symptoms
associated with specific plant parts?
It is important to note if the symptoms observed are
associated with specific plant parts. For example:
• Is a wilt observed correlated with a disruption of
the vascular system which may be indicated by
browning of the vascular system?
• Are the roots of the plants abnormal including rots,
decreased feeder roots?
• Are necrotic lesions observed strictly on younger leaves?
The symptoms of some diseases are most commonly
seen on specific plant parts and this observation can be
important in diagnosis.
Riley, M.B., M.R. Williamson,
and O. Maloy; “Plant Disease
Diagnosis”; The Plant Health
Instructor. DOI: 10.1094/
PHI-I-2002-1021-01; Western
Australia; 2002.
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www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/topics/Pages/
PlantDiseaseDiagnosis.aspx
EB
As you can see from this extract, there is a range of
factors to consider when identifying the signs and
symptoms of health problems. Take some time to have a
look at the above article on-line. Signs and symptoms are
discussed in detail and accompanied by illustrations.
20
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 9
For each pest and disease listed in activity 7, identify the signs and symptoms that will alert you to the fact that
you may have a problem that requires action.
Complete the row “signs and symptoms” in Table 3 on page 23 with your findings. Please note, that there is one
table per pest and disease and you will be required to update sections in later activities.
This will build a list of reference material that will be of use to you in the future.
Table 3 :
<< Enterprise Name> Pest/Disease Profile
e.g. Psyllid pest (Heteropsylla cubana)
Signs/
Symptoms
Symptoms
Growing point – dieback, dead heart, distortion, dwarfing; stunting, external feeding, honeydew or sooty mould.
Inflorescence – dieback, discoloration panicle, twisting and distortion, dwarfing; stunting, external feeding, fall
or shedding, honeydew or sooty mould, blight; necrosis, wilt.
Leaves – honeydew or sooty mould, abnormal leaf fall, honeydew or sooty mould.
H. cubana nymphs and adults feed on the phloem of shoots, young leaves and, to a lesser extent, flowers.
Older leaves are generally not attacked. Massive populations can cause necrosis of shoots, stunting, defoliation,
and even death of the tree. Complete defoliation and death of leucaena stands is known to have occurred in
some places. H. cubana produces copious amounts of honeydew which gives rise to the development of a
black sooty mould on shoots and leaflets. H. cubana infestations are determined largely by the presence of
nymphs and adults on the growing tips of Leucaena.
Signs
Eggs on underside of leaves, psyillid adult (see picture: www.plantwise.org/?dsid=27919andloadmodule=plant
wisedatasheetandpage=4270andsite=234)
Action
Threshold
Action Threshold
Action
<10% of crop affected
Monitor
Keep abreast of weather forecast and if weather favours outbreak (high rain, humidity),
implement IPM controls
>10% of crop affected
Implement IPM controls
21
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Prevention Cultural Control
and
Pruning and grazing of new Leucaena shoots.
Control
Cattle movement through Leucaena stands.
Host-Plant Resistance
Breeding for resistance against H. cubana has been slow, and the results are largely inconclusive. Some lines
of Leucaena lose resistance from generation to generation, year to year, and/or area to area, and others are
very susceptible to mealybugs. Studies indicate that some secondary metabolites of Leucaena might impart
resistance, but interactions of resistance with environmental factors must be determined in order to direct efforts
at obtaining resistance. Resistant or tolerant species of Leucaena (e.g. diversifolia and pallida) do not produce
as much fodder as L. leucocephala. Commercialisation of resistant varieties has been considered but the seeds
tend to be sterile or fail to germinate. Cuttings generally fare poorly.
Biological Control
When H. cubana was found in Hawaii in 1984, efforts to find classical biological control agents to use against
it began with an IIBC search for natural enemies in tropical America. The survey yielded spiders, coccinelids,
mirids, reduviids, phymatids, wasps, ants, syrphids and predatory wasps; and two parasitoid wasps,
Psyllaephagus yaseeni and Tamarixia leucaenae, both of which attack nymphs. Each female wasp lays one egg
per nymph and can parasitize 50 nymphs; P. yaseeni is endoparasitic and T. leucaenae is ectoparasitic. After
careful quarantine, testing, and propagation in the laboratory, P. yaseeni was released in Hawaii in June 1987,
where it has become established. T. leucaenae did not propagate well in the laboratory and, therefore, was not
released. A third wasp, Sectiliclava sp., from Mexico, parasitizes adult psyllids and is associated with H. cubana
in Mexico, but has not been used in Hawaii or elsewhere as a biological control agent.
The beetles Olla abdominalis and Curinus coeruleus, originally from Mexico, were released in Hawaii in 1908
and 1922, respectively, for control of scale insects and mealybugs. These generalist predators feed on all
stages of H. cubana, but tend not to search widely for prey. Curinus was introduced into Thailand in 1987; India,
Myanmar, and Vietnam in 1988; and Guam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and the Northern
Mariana Islands (Saipan) in 1989. Olla was introduced into New Caledonia in 1987 and Thailand in 1989.
Tropical American pathogens of H. cubana include Conidiobolus coronatus, Entomophthora sp., Hirsutella
thomsonii, and Paecilomyces. Applications of American and Asian entomopathogens against H. cubana have
not been developed.
Keep abreast of research for potential biological controls.
Chemical Control
For the moment, we are not including any specific chemical control recommendations due to expense and
relative ineffectiveness (spraying is effective for 4 weeks only).
Source
www.leucaena.net/leucaena%20psyllid.pdf
www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Leucaena_leucocephala.htm
www.plantwise.org/?dsid=27919andloadmodule=plantwisedatasheetandpage=4270andsite=234
22
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Complete one table for each pest/disease identified.
<<Insert Pest/Disease>>
Signs/
Symptoms
Action
Threshold
Action Threshold
Action
Prevention
and Control
Source
23
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Complete one table for each pest/disease identified.
<<Insert Pest/Disease>>
Signs/
Symptoms
Action
Threshold
Action Threshold
Action
Prevention
and Control
Source
24
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Complete one table for each pest/disease identified.
<<Insert Pest/Disease>>
Signs/
Symptoms
Action
Threshold
Action Threshold
Action
Prevention
and Control
Source
25
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Complete one table for each pest/disease identified.
<<Insert Pest/Disease>>
Signs/
Symptoms
Action
Threshold
Action Threshold
Action
Prevention
and Control
Source
26
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Complete one table for each pest/disease identified.
<<Insert Pest/Disease>>
Signs/
Symptoms
Action
Threshold
Action Threshold
Action
Prevention
and Control
Source
27
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Complete one table for each pest/disease identified.
<<Insert Pest/Disease>>
Signs/
Symptoms
Action
Threshold
Action Threshold
Action
Prevention
and Control
Source
28
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Complete one table for each pest/disease identified.
<<Insert Pest/Disease>>
Signs/
Symptoms
Action
Threshold
Action Threshold
Action
Prevention
and Control
Source
29
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Complete one table for each pest/disease identified.
<<Insert Pest/Disease>>
Signs/
Symptoms
Action
Threshold
Action Threshold
Action
Prevention
and Control
Source
30
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
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The severity and extent of the problem in a plant
species are assessed
Now that you have identified the signs and
symptoms of plant problems, you need to
determine the severity and extent of the problem.
Before taking any pest control action, you need to
determine if the problem exceeds a threshold limit,
a point at which pest populations or environmental
conditions indicate that pest control action must
be taken. Sighting a single pest does not always
mean control is needed. The level at which pests
will become an economic threat is critical to guide
future pest control decisions. (US Environmental
Protection Agency; “Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) Principles”; USA, 2010 www.epa.gov/
pesticides/factsheets/ipm.htm)
Can you see that you are gradually building a more
complete assessment of the problem at hand?
This information will contribute to the decisions you
ultimately make about how to manage/control the
problem. There is no point ‘reacting’ to symptoms.
You need to understand all of the contributory
factors so that the management program you put
in place is effective and treats the cause of the
problem. There are a number of methods that you
can use to determine the extent and severity of
the problem:
Observations
• One of the first things that a diagnostician
should note is how the diseased plants are
distributed over the affected area.
• Are they distributed uniformly across an area or
are they localised?
• Is there a definite pattern to the distribution?
For example, does it occur only along the
edges of a greenhouse near open windows,
next to roadways or driveways, in low spots of a
paddock, along a planted row, or is it affecting
plants at random in a field? This distribution
can be especially important in looking at the
possibility of non-infectious problems, such as
improper herbicide use or various soil factors,
infrastructure/development factors.
How prevalent is the problem?
• Are all plants affected? Infectious problems
generally occur over time and there is a
progression of symptoms. Rarely will all of the
plants be affected.
• Generally, disease problems caused by biotic
agents will be observed when they are causing
problems on a low percentage of plants at least
at the start of the disease, unless there were
extenuating circumstances, such as the use
of infected seeds. Even then, rarely will 100%
infection be observed.
• When a problem appears in 100% of the plants,
it more commonly results from factors such
as soil conditions (deficiencies or toxicities),
adverse climatic factors (cold temperatures,
hail, drought, etc.), or toxic chemicals (improper
pesticide use, growth regulators, air pollutants,
such as ozone, etc.).
What has been the progression of symptoms on
plants in the affected area?
• If the symptoms all appeared at the
same time and there has been no further
development of symptoms, this would
indicate a possible episodic event such as a
change in temperature or possible improper
chemical usage.
• If however, the symptoms started in one
area and slowly spread to other areas and
the severity of disease symptoms changed
over time, this would be more indicative of
the presence of a biotic agent. Biotic agents
can also include insects and mammals, such
as voles, which may be feeding on plants in
an area.
Check for host specificity
• Is the problem occurring in only one plant
species or are different plant species affected?
If different plant species are affected, this
suggests the possibility of a non-infectious
problem which could be related to cultural or
environmental problems.
• However, Phytophthora and Pythium root rots
can cause problems on many different plant
species; therefore, the fact that more than one
plant species is affected does not completely
eliminate infectious agents. If there is more than
one species of plant involved, are these plants
closely related and can they be infected by a
common pathogen?
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Information
pertaining to the
growing environment to
which the affected plant
has been exposed is a
vital piece of the puzzle.
Ask Questions
• Review the cultural practices and growing
environment. It is vital that a diagnostician
question the activities that have been
conducted around the affected plants.
• The problem may not be due to anything that
the grower has done; the problem could be
related to what his/her neighbour has done.
• Information pertaining to the growing
environment to which the affected plant has
been exposed is a vital piece of the puzzle.
• It is especially important to document changes
in the environment. Environmental factors
to consider include: extreme temperatures
(freezing and heat), rainfall, hail, lightning,
prolonged drought, temperature inversions
(important in possible air pollutant damage
and pesticide drift) and prevailing winds. All
of these abiotic factors can be important to
the problem.
• Site factors such as soil type, possible
drainage problems, and soil pH should also
be evaluated.
Cultural and maintenance activities can
be significant
• What pesticides or other chemicals have been
applied? At what rate and when were they
applied? Who applied the chemicals? What
equipment was used in its application?
• What other activities have occurred? Has the
highway department been working along the
roadway, possibly applying herbicides?
• Have any unusual occurrences or weather
patterns been noted?
• In some cases careful and tactful investigation
by the diagnostician may be required because
someone may have done something improperly
and may be unwilling to admit their error.
Research
• Keeping abreast of the latest industry based
warnings/alerts is a proactive approach to
assessing the potential severity and extent that
a plant health problem might cause.
Networks
• Talking with neighbours and other producers in
your area to find out what plant health issues
are prevalent and their associated severity.
Note, what affects one property may not affect
a neighbouring property.
Expert Advice
• Contacting consultants, agronomists,
Department of Primary Industry representative
to discuss your observations to determine if
further surveillance action is warranted.
Through a combination of sources, the severity
and extent of the problem can be defined to further
inform decisions about appropriate controls.
32
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 10
10.1094/PHI-I-2002-1021-01.
Building upon activity 9, now consider the action
thresholds for each pest/disease that you have
identified and consider the action thresholds that must
be met before pest control action will be taken.
www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/topics/Pages/
PlantDiseaseDiagnosis.aspx
Update Table 3 with your findings (row “action
threshold”). Remember to add sources to your list as
you conduct your research.
Now that you have developed a ‘big picture’ view of a
plant health problem, you have probably already made
some deductions as to the likely cause/causes of the
problem. Before you rush in and start thinking about
a solution to the problem, take some time to do some
further analysis.
Confirm your assessment by comparing your
observations with other sources. Many of these
sources have already been identified previously in this
workbook.
“I thought I had a major problem with my pasture. The
leaves were yellowing and the cattle weren’t going near
the stuff. I was thinking that I would have to invest in
a major re-mineralisation program – at considerable
cost to the business. Then I had a look at my pasture
records from previous years and spoke to a few
neighbours. These comparisons saved me a fortune. It
was a climatic condition that caused the problem and
it resolved itself within a season” – anecdote from a
pastoralist on the northern rivers of NSW.
Consider some of the resources available to you to
conduct these comparisons, such as:
• Literature resources for possible diseases and
disorders.
• Indexes listing hosts and their pathogens.
• Websites providing information.
• Books with background information and host/
pathogen lists.
• Compendia for information on specific crops.
Have a look at some of the following extracts and online resources. There are literally hundreds of on-line
resources dedicated to plant diseases and pests. The
trick is to find ones that are credible, independent,
work for you/your enterprise/your locality and are
regularly updated.
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 Plant Health Australia;
“Australian Plant Pest
Database, Online Database”,
Australia; 2001.
http://www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/resources/
australian-plant-pest-database/
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 CABI Plantwise;
“Empowering Farmers,
Powering Research –
Delivering Improved Food
Security”; European Union;
2012.
W
www.plantwise.org/default.
aspx?site=234andpage=4273
 ABC Gardening Australia; “
Fact Sheets, Pests, Diseases
and Weeds”; Australia; 2011.
www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/pests_
diseases_weeds.htm
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 Australasian Plant Pathology
Society; NSW; 2012. W
www.appsnet.org/public/
 (Riley, M.B., M.R.
Williamson, and O. Maloy. 2002.
Plant Disease Diagnosis. The
Plant Health Instructor. DOI:
EB
EB
 CSIRO; “Plant Diseases
and Pests”; Australia; 2011.
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www.csiro.au/Organisation-Structure/Divisions/
Plant-Industry/Plant-diseases-and-pests.aspx
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 11
Update Table 3 with any additional reference materials/
information sources/advisors (contact details) that will
be of ongoing relevance to your enterprise.
The Possible Causes of the Plant Health Problem are
Determined
Now that we have identified that there is a plant health
problem, we need to consider the possible causes. Both
abiotic (non-living causes) and biotic (living) causes
need to be considered. Some examples of these are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
abiotic (non-living agents)
damage from chemicals
weather
mechanical interventions
nutritional problems
biotic ( living agent)
pathogens – parasitic microorganisms that
cause diseases
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Pests – insects or mammals feeding on or damaging
plants (National Plant Diagnostic Network; “Diagnosing
Plant Problems; Plant Diseases”; NPDN Publication No.
0013; United States; 2008.
www.firstdetector.org/jsp/contentPages/power%20
point%20presentations.jsp).
How do you tell the difference between a nutritional
deficiency (which may present as yellowing leaves)
and a disease with the same symptom? This is where
you need to become a ‘detective’ and canvass all of
the possible causes before drawing any conclusions.
The following extracts provide further examples to help
improve your knowledge and investigative skills related
to possible causes of plant health problems.
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 Brett Summerill and Eve
Steinke; “Pests and Diseases
of Australian Plants”;
Australian Plants On-Line;
NSW; 1997.
http://anpsa.org.au/APOL5/mar97-4.html
 Sustainable Agriculture
Network “A Whole Farm
Approach to Managing
Pests”; United States,
pp11–13.
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http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Bulletins/AWhole-Farm-Approach-to-Managing-Pests
Consult with Specialist Services in Severe,
Complex or Rapid Onset Cases
By now you have started to formulate a clear
understanding of the possible causes of plant
problems that affect your enterprise/industry, but what
if you have a rapid onset of a plant health problem
or you cannot identify the cause of the problem? The
cost of pests and diseases to an enterprise can be
significant and it is essential to act quickly in instances
of rapid or complex onset. Early detection and
treatment may prevent further spread of the problem
and reduce the risk of further losses. There are
many organisations and federal or state government
departments that can help with diagnostic services
such as:
 Department of Primary
Industries NSW; “Plant
Health Diagnostic Service:
Plant Pests And Diseases
W
Identification”; NSW.
E
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/services/das/plantpests-diseases
B
This has been included as an example only. Conduct
your own research to identify the diagnostic facility
most suited to your plant species and workplace
needs. Most facilities provide similar services such as:
• Specialist plant pathologists and entomologists
with the backing of the Agricultural Scientific
Collections Unit, which houses Australia’s largest
collection of agriculturally significant insects, fungi
and plant bacteria.
• Diagnosis of crop disease and disorders.
• Identification of insect and mite problems.
• Chemical resistance testing.
• Active surveillance for emerging and
exotic diseases.
34
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 12
Identify a situation where you would require independent expertise to assist resolve a plant problem.
Who you would consult in this situation and why?
What information would you need to provide?
What samples would be required?
How would you collect these samples?
Plant disorders and problems are recorded and documented in a report
Once a plant disorder has been identified and the problem confirmed, it is important to keep good records for
future reference. Recording the current situation (baseline data) and the activities you implement to resolve the
problem will allow you to objectively assess whether the proposed solution is working or not. When similar signs
and symptoms occur in the future, you can reference these records as part of your decision making process.
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The following links provide examples of how plant disorders and problems are recorded and documented.
You need to determine what is most relevant, practical and timely (given your available resources) for your
own purposes. Records could range from one page with photos to sophisticated reports with detailed
scientific analysis.
www.planthealthaustralia.com.au
www.springer.com/life+sciences/plant+sciences/journal/13314
www.daff.gov.au/aqis/quarantine/pests-diseases/myrtle-rust/myrtle-rust-qa
www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/_archive/tr095.pdf
35
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 13
Develop a report template that would meet your enterprise requirements and complete an example report for
a plant disorder (real or hypothetical). Try and be succinct and use bullet point descriptors where feasible. You
will add to this report later in the workbook, so there will be further opportunities to refine it for your enterprise.
Also remember that a picture is worth a thousand words, so try to incorporate photos where possible. Your report
should include the following information at a minimum:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Organisation
Name of person completing report
Date
Affected location/s (GPS data if available)
Background
Environmental and cultural conditions
Signs and symptoms
Severity and extent of problem
Possible causes
Tests conducted/persons consulted (include date)
Results of consultation
36
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
9
Remedy Plant
Health Problems
So far in this workbook, you have learned to identify
plants, beneficial organisms, pests/weeds and
diseases. The importance of correctly diagnosing
pests and diseases has been emphasised. So now
that you have the knowledge and have correctly
diagnosed the problem, you are ready to consider
appropriate strategies to resolve the problem.
This section covers the following topics:
• A weed, pest and disease control program
is formulated according to the enterprise
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy
and production plan.
• Resources, tools, equipment and machinery
required for work activities are identified,
costs/benefits are analysed, and availability
confirmed with suppliers, contractors and
appropriate personnel.
• WHS hazards associated with work activities
are identified, risks assessed and controls
implemented.
• A range of modifications to growing conditions
that could be considered in a specific situation
are identified.
• Modifications to growing conditions for a
specific plant species are selected and
implemented, having regard to cost of damage,
marketing requirements and sustainable
horticultural practices.
A Weed, Pest and Disease Control Program
is Formulated According to the Enterprise
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategy and
Production Plan
Throughout this workbook you will be using
the term Integrated Pest Management or IPM.
There are many definitions of IPM and many
other acronyms that you will come across as you
research this topic (e.g. integrated pest and weed
management, ecological weed management,
integrated disease management etc.). Consider
that these terms are largely interchangeable
and that the basic principles are the same for all
of them.
The ‘I’ in ‘IPM’ refers to the need to consider many
strategies that are complementary to each other
to manage pests, weeds and diseases so that a
process is integrated. These strategies should be
sustainable and work with nature where feasible.
Chemical control is but one of the strategies and
where it is required (preferably the option of last
resort), it should be used wisely. This means using
specific narrow spectrum chemicals rather than
broad spectrum, used at the most appropriate
stage of a pest lifecycle not ‘every 3 months’, using
appropriate quantities and so on. Some of the
solutions to be considered include a combination of
the following:
• Cultural – management activities which can be
used to make the environment less favourable
for pest species, such as crop rotation,
rotational grazing, biodiversity of species.
• Mechanical – physical removal of pests,
slashing, weed rolling, weed steaming.
• Genetic – planting cultivars that are resistant
to pests or are well adapted to local
environmental conditions.
• Biological – using one living organism to
control another.
• Chemical – used only when required and in
reduced frequency.
IPM is becoming more appropriate as the cost
of traditional chemical solutions become more
expensive and less effective (due to increased
weed/pest/disease resistance) and the insistence
for reduced chemical use is voiced by the
consumer and general population. It is generally
recognised that farmers, horticulturalists and
land managers don’t want to apply stronger and
stronger chemical controls and customers don’t
want to purchase produce that have been treated
in this manner.
“No matter whether that single tactic is chemical,
biological or physical, if it kills 99 percent of a pest
population, the few surviving pests will find a way to
avoid it or resist it,” “That’s what natural selection is
all about.”
37
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Have a look at the following to build your
understanding of IPM and its principles.
W
EB
 Mike Raupp; the
University of Maryland
Extension; “Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) Basics”;
You Tube; USA; 2011.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqjJg6KGOe4
W
EB
 Ontario Pesticide
Ed; “Integrated Pest
Management © 2004”; You
Tube; Canada; 2011.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VER4_4PSiF0
Now consider the following extract from the NSW
Government – Environment and Heritage:
“What is integrated pest management?
Integrated pest management (IPM) is an
environmentally sensitive way of managing pests.
It uses a combination of practices and control
methods to prevent problems from occurring rather
than dealing with them after they have happened.
IPM practices include forward planning, regular
monitoring and timely decision-making. IPM control
methods include:
• Biological control, using predators, parasites or
microbial pathogens to suppress pests.
• Cultural and physical control, using methods
such as barriers and traps; adjusting planting
location or timing; or crop rotation and
cultivation techniques which expose pests to
predation or destroy their food, shelter and
breeding habitats.
• Chemical control, selecting the least toxic
pesticides and using them only when needed
as opposed to regular preventative spraying.
• Plant choice, choosing plant varieties that are
resistant to diseases in an area, and matching
species to the site.
• Genetic control, releasing sterilised male
insects to decrease the incidence of successful
mating of pest species.
• Pheromone control, using pheromones to
monitor insect populations in a crop or orchard.
IPM can be applied in agricultural and nonagricultural settings, such as the home, garden,
workplace and natural spaces and is normally
implemented as a four-tiered approach.
Set action thresholds: Before taking any pest
control action, set an action threshold, which is a
point at which pest populations or environmental
conditions indicate pest control action must be
taken. Sighting a single pest does not always mean
control is needed. The level at which pests will
become an economic or environmental threat is
critical for guiding future pest control decisions.
Monitor and identify pests: Not all insects, weeds
and other living organisms require control. Many
organisms are harmless, and some are beneficial.
Monitor for pests and identify them accurately
so appropriate control decisions can be made in
conjunction with action thresholds. This monitoring
and identification removes the possibility that
pesticides will be used when they are not really
needed or that the wrong kind of pesticide will
be used.
Prevent pests from becoming a threat: IPM
programs prevent pests from becoming a threat.
In an agricultural crop, this may mean using
methods such as rotating between different crops,
selecting pest-resistant varieties or planting pestfree rootstock. These control methods can be very
effective and cost-efficient, and present little to no
risk to people or the environment.
Control: Once monitoring, identification and action
thresholds indicate that pest control is required,
and preventative methods are no longer effective
or available, find the most effective control method
that presents the least risk to the environment and
human health. Such methods include:
• highly targeted chemicals such as pheromones
that disrupt pest mating
• mechanical controls such as trapping
or weeding.
38
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
“If further monitoring, identification and action
thresholds indicate that less risky controls are not
working, employ additional pest control methods
such as targeted spraying of pesticides. The
general spraying of non-specific pesticides is a
last resort.” (NSW Government – Environment and
Heritage; “Integrated Pest Management”; NSW;
2012. www.environment.nsw.gov.au/pesticides/
integratedpestmgmt.htm)
You may feel very comfortable or completely
daunted by the prospects of developing an IPM
for your enterprise. The best plans are ones that
make sense to you, are practical and are easy to
understand. They may be 1 page or 100 pages,
simple or complex. Have a look at some of the
following extracts to get a better feel of what an IPM
program might look like for your enterprise.
W
EB
 Department of
Environment and Climate
Change NSW; “Section 3
– Integrated Pest
Management”; NSW;
pp47-58.
 Nova Science in the
News; “Integrated Pest
Management – The Good,
the Bad and the Genetically
Modified”; Australian
Academy of Science;
W
Australia; 2001.
E
B
www.science.org.au/nova/041/041key.htm
 Sustainable Agriculture
Network “A Whole Farm
Approach to Managing
Pests”; United States. W
EB
www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Bulletins
/A-Whole-Farm-Approach-to-Managing-Pests
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/
sustainbus/07588GolfCoursesPt3.pdf
W
EB
 Department of Primary
Industries, Parks, Water
and Environment –
Tasmania; “Organic
Management of Organic
Apples – Integrated Pest
Management Poster (IPM)”;
Tasmania; 2012.
www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/CART82L4FW?open
39
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 14
Outline the contents of an IPM plan for your enterprise, business or industry. Then include some details next to
each content heading. The level of detail should be sufficient to clearly identify your needs and those of your
staff/contractors and any certifiers (e.g. QA program certifiers). Please be succinct and don’t get bogged down in
too much detail. It is a document that outlines your approach to IPM. It should provide you/your staff/contractors
with guidelines to help make informed decisions about pest management approaches to be used within the
enterprise. You may wish to include tables already completed in this workbook.
Before you get started, have a look at the other activities in this section. Your IPM will be developed throughout
the workbook, so it will be useful to ‘get a feel’ for all of the components before you start.
40
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Now that you have developed a basic outline for your
IPM plan you should be constantly monitoring the
enterprise landscape and applying your knowledge to
make informed decisions about when to act. As IPM
includes an arsenal of different and complementary
solutions to be applied, you need to consider which
ones could be used to your advantage, pending the
specific situation that arises. To recap on what you
have learned so far and where you are in the decision
making process, consider the following step by
step summary.
• Know the botanical names of your plants and learn
about their preferences and common problems.
• Regularly inspect plants in your workplace.
Frequent inspection is the best way to discover
a problem in its earliest stages, when it can be
easier to control.
• Consider the general appearance of each plant
from a short distance and ask yourself if it looks
healthy. Are there any signs or symptoms indicative
of a problem? Are there dead areas? Is it wilted?
Are any leaves discolored or abnormally curled?
• Stop at plants – get out of your vehicle and
slowly scan them. Watch for movement that
might indicate the presence of an insect or mite.
Turn leaves over and look at their undersides.
Inspect stems, branches, and leaves for insects,
holes, webbing, or split areas.
• Identify what you find. Remember that some
insects are beneficial for your enterprise.
• Decide what threshold is acceptable. Is the
damage actually affecting the health of your
produce? Will profits be negatively affected?
What can you live with?
If at this point you have decided that the pest requires
intervention, you now need to consider the range
of options available to you to select from. Given the
approach to the management of pests is integrated,
you need to consider the ‘many little hammers’ or
strategies that you may have at your disposal to
manage pests to acceptable levels.
• Cultural – management activities which can be
used to make the environment less favorable
for pest species.
• Mechanical – physical removal of pests.
• Biological – using one living organism to
control another.
• Chemical – used only when required and in
reduced frequency.
As you research this topic, you will come across
different categories. Please be aware that there is no
single definitive list, it is a dynamic list. The following
extracts provide examples of some strategies that
could be used to modify growing conditions and reduce
pest incidence and prevalence. Whilst some situations
appear unique, the approaches to sustainable pest
management are reasonably generic. Use these
as a guide and then conduct your own research to
determine what strategies are available to you.
As a final summary have a look at the following extract
on the Principles of Integrated Pest Management.
 Department of Resources
– Primary Industry; Northern
Territory Government;
“Principles of Integrated Pest
Management”; Northern
Territory; 2008.
W
EB
www.nt.gov.au/d/Primary_Industry/index.
cfm?Header=Principles%20of%20Integrated%20
Pest%20Management
Now that you have thoroughly researched and
understood the range of options available to you,
it is time to select the most appropriate ones and
implement them.
Choose a method that is most effective against the
pests/diseases and least disruptive to other organisms
and the environment, and use management methods
when the pest/disease is most vulnerable.
Remember that an IPM plan is dynamic and as
conditions change (e.g. new pests emerge, issues are
resolved), you need to review your plan and modify it
if required. IPM requires you to ‘learn by doing’ and it
involves a combination of art and science.
The success of your IPM program will come down to
careful observations and the quality of the decisions
you make (e.g. when to act, what controls to
implement). There will be trial and error involved as
there is no single formula that can be applied to meet
all of the variables that affect your enterprise. You need
to be realistic about the potential outcomes before
you embark on an IPM program. If you are certified
with a quality assurance program, there may be some
elements of IPM that you are already addressing.
Whilst consumers may be demanding more ‘clean
green’ produce, their understanding of IPM is limited.
The generic requirement is probably for ‘chemical
free’ food/products/environment. This is not always
possible, but any progress you make towards IPM is
certainly heading in the right direction.
41
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Frequent inspection is
the best way to discover
a problem in its earliest
stages, when it can be
easier to control.
Activity 15
Update Table 3 (in activity 9) with prevention and control strategies (see relevant row) for each pest/disease
already identified. During your research, canvass as many different types of strategies as possible (e.g. cultural,
biological, chemical etc.). Update your sources as you find new references of value to your enterprise.
42
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
10
Evaluate Treatment Program
Once you have developed an IPM plan, it is in a constant state of implementation. The enterprise / worksite will
be monitored for signs/symptoms of plant problems, decisions will be made as to whether interventions are
required and if so, these interventions need to be monitored for effectiveness. IPM is a guide for decision making
and requires constant monitoring of the enterprise. This section covers the following topics:
•
•
•
•
•
Plants are monitored during treatment
Appropriate data is recorded according to enterprise guidelines
Observations are compared to expected results
Modifications to the treatment program are recommended to client/management
Treatment program report is documented and presented to client/management
Plants are Monitored During Treatment and Appropriate Data is Recorded According to
Enterprise Guidelines
To achieve successful implementation of an IPM program, you must be able to monitor and measure the impact
of the program to ensure you are achieving the objectives.
What is monitoring?
Monitoring is the regular gathering and analysis of information needed for your day-to-day management, to
ensure a system is being implemented and expected outcomes/objectives are being achieved. Without good
record keeping and monitoring, it is difficult for a business to accurately determine that system requirements are
being met. This is especially important when there are multiple participants/staff.
IPM is not a ‘set and forget’ task. Monitoring is central to its success and you need to remain vigilant.
W
EB
Have a look at this website to appreciate the range of monitoring tools that could be used for integrated pest
management in crops and pastures.
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/farming-management/business-management/ems-in-victorian-agriculture/
environmental-monitoring-tools/herbicide-resistance
Now consider your own enterprise/workplace and start thinking about how you would monitor an IPM program.
The following extracts may assist you with this process.
43
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
W
EB
 Nursery and Garden
Industry Australia Ltd;
“Simple Integrated Pest
Management (IPM)
technique”; Technical
Nursery Papers – Issue no.
6; NSW; 2004; p2.
www.ngia.com.au/files/nurserypapers/
NP_2004_07.pdf
W
EB
 Australasian Biological
Control; “IPM and Biological
Control”; Australia; 2009.
www.goodbugs.org.au/IPMnotes.
htm#IPMandBiologicalControl
W
EB
 South Australian
Research and Development
Institute (SARDI); “White
Fly”; South Australia.
www.sardi.sa.gov.au/pestsdiseases/horticulture/
horticultural_pests/integrated_pest_management/
resources/greenhouse_pests/white_fly
W
EB
 South Australian
Research and Development
Institute (SARDI); “Crop
Monitoring Program”; South
Australia.
www.sardi.sa.gov.au/pestsdiseases/horticulture/
horticultural_pests/integrated_pest_management/
resources/crop_monitoring_program
Accurate record keeping is essential to an IPM
program. Records will:
• Allow observations and results to be analysed
to determine if pest management objectives are
being met.
• Help you manage enterprise plant problems
during the current growing season, evaluate
management methods, and predict problems in
the future.
• Illustrate changes in the enterprise environment,
physical changes, pest numbers and changes
in any damages or loss.
• Ensure the IPM program is still followed when
changes in staff or contractors occurs.
Ultimately, records are there to help you make
more informed (and therefore better) decisions.
When designing record keeping forms and
systems consider:
• Legislative and regulatory requirements
• Certification requirements (e.g. applicable if
you are a member of a QA program).
• What will fit within your enterprise policies
and procedures?
• What will be practical for you to complete
(in field and back at the office)?
• How you will use the data to make decisions
now and in the future? For example, excel
spreadsheets enable you to create trend charts
for easier comparison of data over time.
By now you should clearly recognise that the major
requirements for a successful IPM program are:
• Inspect plants regularly and closely.
• Keep good records.
• If chemicals are used, they are a part of the
program, not the only treatment.
Observations are Compared to Expected
Results, Modifications are Made and Clients
are Advised
Now that you have implemented your IPM plan,
monitored the program and recorded the results,
you are in a position to determine if you have
achieved your objectives. This evaluation process
is a practical management tool for understanding
and improving the performance of your IPM
program and demonstrating its impact.
Remember that any evaluation should validate
or improve your monitoring and record
keeping activities:
• Can you easily compare results with
expected outcomes?
44
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 16
It is now time to revisit the tables completed for activities 7, 8 and 9.
• Select one plant species.
• For that species you are then required to select the pest or disease that has the most significant impact on
that plant in your workplace.
• The plant species and pest that you select should be one that you deal with in the workplace and that has the
potential to significantly affect plant health.
• Review all of the information you have collated for that pest or disease.
You are required to create a Plant Health Sheet written as a simple WORK INSTRUCTION that could be utilised
as a work procedure for new employees in your workplace. Remember, it is essential to provide accurate
information, but it must be clear and easy to follow. You are encouraged to use dot points, photos and diagrams.
Please ensure that your Plant Health Instruction clearly identifies:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The plant species by botanical name and include a clear photograph
The major pest/disease by common name
A photo or diagram and a clear explanation of the symptoms/signs of disease
A clear set of monitoring work instructions
A clear set of ipm work instructions
A process for informing management of modifications to treatments and subsequent updates to plant health
instruction sheets.
PLANT HEALTH SHEET
Plant species – botanical name
The major pest/disease by common name
Photo or diagram and clear explanation of
the symptoms/signs of disease
MONITORING work instructions
IPM work instructions
Process to inform staff
Any other information/comments
45
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Whether you are an
owner/operator or have
multiple staff/contractors
it is important to keep a
summary report of your
IPM activities/outcomes.
Treatment program reports (monitoring and
findings) is documented and presented to
client/management
Whether you are an owner/operator or have multiple
staff/contractors it is important to keep a summary
report of your IPM activities/outcomes. This might
consist of:
• A written summary of a pest/disease outbreak
that was managed and its outcomes
• An annual review of the IPM program and its
achievements
• A power point presentation to staff/management
• Informal communications (phone, email) to key
stakeholders of program outcomes.
Whatever the method, information provided must
be accurate, with the outcome clearly articulated
and ongoing monitoring and management
explained in a manner allowing implementation of a
successful strategy.
Monitoring and evaluation reports can play many
different roles, and the information produced can
be put to very different uses such as:
• To demonstrate accountability – delivering on
promises made to stakeholders.
• To convince – using evidence from findings.
• To educate – reporting findings to help
organisational learning.
• To explore and investigate – seeing what works,
what does not, and why.
• To document – recording and creating
corporate memory.
• To involve – engaging stakeholders through a
participatory process.
• To gain support – demonstrating results to help
gain support among stakeholders.
• To promote understanding – reporting results to
enhance understanding of projects, programs,
and policies.
46
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Activity 17
As your final activity for this workbook you are required to complete a simple report template for a plant disorder
you deal with in your workplace. Do NOT use the same plant disorder as that used for activity 16. Complete all
sections of the following table.
Organisation and name of person
completing report
Date
Plant Disorder by name
Affected location/s – GPS data if
available
Background
Environmental and cultural
conditions
Signs and symptoms
Severity and extent of problem
Possible causes
Tests conducted/persons
consulted
Results of consultation
Diagnostic information
Actions taken
Monitoring activities
Recommendations
Results
Description or photo
47
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
11
Summary
of Key
Innovations/
Opportunities
identified as a
Result of Adopting
These Skills
The adoption of new opportunities and key
innovations should always be considered from the
perspective of the triple bottom line. However each
producer will need to determine:
• What are the most important aspects of each
opportunity and innovation?
• How can a new innovation or opportunity
be sustainably applied to your business or
production system?
The summary below is provided as a list of
suggestions. It is by no means complete. It is also
unrealistic to assume any single business can
adopt every opportunity.
• Improve understanding and management
of conditions required to enable plants to
thrive and encourage plant’s own defensive
mechanisms/resistance to pests.
• Delay development of insecticide resistance
(the point where chemicals lose their
effectiveness against pests).
• Reduce pesticide use and residue levels
on produce.
• Improve worker safety.
• Decrease harm to non-target organisms.
• Diminish outbreaks of secondary pests
(minor pests that become major as a result of
pesticide use).
• Reduce environmental contamination.
• Lessen spray drift onto neighbouring
properties.
• Reduce costs.
• Improve pest control, plant health
and productivity.
• Opportunity to differentiate products and
capitalise on the growing, maintaining ‘green,
chemical free’ food/products/environment that
consumers/public are demanding.
• Better decisions resulting from timely, complete
and accurate monitoring, data recording and
information analysis.
• Continuous improvement of food and fibre
production or our natural and amenity
resources as a result of monitoring, reviewing
and resolving pest issues.
48
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
12
Bibliography and Source Material
Organisation
Standard
Legislation
Contact Details
Web Site
Reason for Inclusion
Australian Centre
for Agricultural
Health and Safety
– University of
Sydney
OHS
Factsheets
www.aghealth.org.au/index.
php?id=7
www.aghealth.org.au/index.php
Farmer resources for OHS.
Biological Farmers
of Australia
Australian
Certified
Organic
Standard;
Version 1;
2010.
www.bfa.com.au/ContactUs.aspx
www.bfa.com.au
Relevant standards
included for pest, disease
and weed management
CABI Plantwise
www.plantwise.org/default.
aspx?site=234andpage=4328
www.plantwise.org/default.
aspx?site=234andpage=4273
Diagnostic support tool
for identifying plant health
problems – United Nations
global tool.
CESAR Australia
www.cesaraustralia.com/contactus/
www.cesaraustralia.com/
sustainable-agriculture/
The Sustainable
Agriculture team are
experts in developing and
delivering sustainable
pest control strategies
for broad-acre crops and
pastures. T can assist you
with invertebrate focused
education and training,
field and lab research,
product development,
identifications, monitoring
programs, IPM consulting
and much more.
CSIRO
www.csiro.au/en/Portals/Contact.
aspx
www.csiro.au/OrganisationStructure/Divisions/Plant-Industry/
Plant-diseases-and-pests.aspx
CSIRO has extensive
capabilities in researching,
understanding and tackling
various insect pests of
plants, plant diseases and
weeds.
Department of
Primary Industries
– NSW
Regional
legislation
relevant to
pest, weed
and disease
control
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/
about/contact
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/
pests-weeds
Regional pest, weed and
disease control information
Department of
Primary Industries
– QLD
Regional
legislation
relevant to
pest, weed
and disease
control
www.daff.qld.gov.au/31_88.htm
www.dpi.qld.gov.au/27_4823.htm
Regional pest, weed and
disease control information
Department of
Primary Industries
– VIC
Regional
legislation
relevant to
pest, weed
and disease
control
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/about-us/
contact-us
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agriculture/
pests-diseases-and-weeds
Regional pest, weed and
disease control information
49
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Organisation
Standard
Legislation
Contact Details
Web Site
Reason for Inclusion
Department of
Agriculture and
Food – WA
Regional
legislation
relevant to
pest, weed
and disease
control
www.agric.wa.gov.au/CONTACT.
html?s=320001400
www.agric.wa.gov.au/PC_92916.
html?s=320001400,Topic=
PC_92916
Regional pest, weed and
disease control information
Department of
Primary Industries,
Parks, Water and
Environment – TAS
Regional
legislation
relevant to
pest, weed
and disease
control
www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/Fe
edbackForm?OpenFormandEma
il={dp$w:t^s:g|v:^_;Int%rn%tC||r
d$n^t|r
www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/
ThemeNodes/DREN-4VH82R?open
Regional pest, weed and
disease control information
Department of
Resources –
Primary Industry
– NT
Regional
legislation
relevant to
pest, weed
and disease
control
www.nt.gov.au/d/Primary_Industry/
index.cfm?header=Key%20
Contacts
www.nt.gov.au/d/Primary_Industry/
index.cfm?header=Plants
Regional pest, weed and
disease control information
Farmpoint –
Tasmanian
Government
Regional
pest, weed
and disease
control
information
www.farmpoint.tas.gov.au/
farmpoint.nsf/v-systempages/
contacts
www.farmpoint.tas.gov.au/farmpoint.
nsf/Weeds,-Pests-and-iseases/99
AA39142B4F10ACCA2573910013
6D3A
Regional pest, weed and
disease control information
www.farmstyle.com.au/contact
www.farmstyle.com.au/news/goodbugs-small-farms-%E2%80%93beginner%E2%80%99s-guide
Beneficial organisms and
links to books for purchase
www.freshcare.com.au/contactUs
www.freshcare.com.au
Relevant standards
included for pest, disease
and weed management
www.goodbugs.org.au/IPMnotes.
htm#IPMandBiologicalControl
The site lists all the
commercially available
beneficial insects in
Australia and New
Zealand.
www.grdc.com.au/director/about/
contactus
www.grdc.com.au/director/events/
factsheets
Factsheets and a range of
resource materials for grain
plant health, weed and
disease management.
Plant health and growing
advice
Plant health and growing
advice
Plant health
and growing
advice
Farmstyle
Freshcare
Freshcare
Food Safety
and Quality
Code of
Practice – 3rd
Edition.
Australasian
Biological Control
Grains Research
and Development
Corporation
(GRCD)
MLA : Meat and
Livestock Australia
LPA Quality
Assurance
Manual
Email: info@mla.com.au
mla.com.au
Includes requirements for
record keeping relevant to
pest, weed and disease
control (i.e. paddock
records, chemical use
records etc.)
NSW Government
– Environment and
Heritage
Regulations
for keeping
records of
pesticide use
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/
feedback
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/
pesticides/risintro.htm
Pesticide use regulations
(NSW) and IPM overview
Plant Health
Australia
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/
pesticides/integratedpestmgmt.htm
APPD Administrator
Plant Health Australia
Tel: (02) 6215 7700 or APPD@
phau.com.au
www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/
resources/australian-plant-pestdatabase/
The Australian Plant Pest
Database (APPD) is a
national, online database
of pests and diseases of
Australia’s economically
important plants.
50
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Organisation
South Australian
Research and
Development Unit
(SARDI)
Standard
Legislation
Contact Details
Web Site
Reason for Inclusion
www.sardi.sa.gov.au/contacts
www.sardi.sa.gov.au/pestsdiseases
Regional pest, weed and
disease control information
Pests and diseases
research incorporates two
of SARDI’s Sustainable
Systems science program
areas;
Plant and Soil Health
Entomology
Sustainable
Agriculture
Research and
Education (SARE)
www.sare.org/Contact-Us
www.sare.org
www.sare.org/Learning-Center/
Books
www.sare.org/Learning-Center/
Books/Manage-Insects-on-YourFarm
www.sare.org/Learning-Center/
Books/Steel-in-the-Field
Weeds Australia
Site Content:
www.weeds.org.au
Excellent resource for
sustainable farming
practices. Free online
books available for
download. A few links have
been provided for some
of these books (Managing
Insects on Your Farm and
Steel in the Field).
Weed identification site
National Weeds Management
Facilitator
Telephone: (03) 6344 9657
Fax: (03) 6343 1877
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AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
13
Being confident about your
skill levels
Before commencing on your summative assessment take a few minutes to review this workbook and ensure you
feel that you are confident about your skill levels related to this topic.
Use the table below to help check your skills. Before commencing your final assessments it is important to review
any sections in which you feel unsure.
*Remember* It is always OK to ask your assessor/lecturer questions.
The following table provides a list of skills and knowledge you should have after completing this workbook.
Review this table and:
1.
2.
3.
Put a tick in the column if you can do this now and a brief comment as to why you believe you have this skill.
Put a tick in the next column if you feel you need more practice and a brief comment as to why.
If you require further training, complete the third column listing what training is needed. Show this
list to your supervisor or assessor and ask for more time or training before completing the
summative assessments.
Skills/knowledge you should have
I can do this
now
I need more practice and must
review the work before completing
final assessments
What additional training do
I need?
Differentiate between pest and
disease and nutrient associated
symptoms in specific plant species
Research information about plant
health problems, their diagnosis and
remedial treatments available
Identify signs and symptoms of plant
health problems
Determine possible causes of the
problem
Assess the severity, extent and
speed of onset of the problem
Implement treatment programs
to remedy the diagnosed health
problems
Document plans and write reports
for the understanding of staff,
supervisors and contractors
Calculate the cost and spatial
and logistical requirements of
components of the plant health
program
Record all relevant information
according to enterprise and industry
standards
Comply with legislative requirements
Identify hazards, assess risk and
implement controls
52
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
Skills/knowledge you should have
I can do this
now
I need more practice and must
review the work before completing
final assessments
What additional training do
I need?
Comply with WHS requirements of
the workplace
Communicate orally with staff,
supervisors, contractors, suppliers
and consultants
Plant anatomy, morphology,
physiology, histology, pathology,
taxonomy and nomenclature
Taxonomic descriptions,
horticultural/agricultural function,
cultural and growth requirements,
and target growth and performance
characteristics of specific plants
for the achievement of enterprise
production and business plans
Plant nutrition issues associated with
the growth media/soil and region for
specific plant species
Weeds, pests and disease detection
methods, taxonomic identification,
life cycle stages and characteristic
symptoms for the specific plants of
the enterprise
Chemical, cultural and biological
control methods included in the IPM
strategy of the enterprise
Chemical use, toxicity and
compatibility with target plants,
growth media, and environmental
characteristics of the region
Sustainable practices relevant to the
enterprise and/or region
Evaluation procedures, including
cost/benefit analysis, for plant and
growth media treatments in relation
to plant health, enterprise budget
and performance targets
Enterprise and industry record
keeping and reporting policies and
requirements
WHS hazards associated with
activities to promote plant health and
the controls necessary to remove or
minimise risks associated with them
53
AHCPCM501A – Diagnose plant health problems
14
Assessment
You have now reached the end of this workbook. All of the information and activities you have covered have
developed your skills to diagnose plant health problems competently in your workplace.
Your competency may be assessed through your successful completion of all formative activities throughout
this workbook. Alternatively, your RTO may require completion of a final summative assessment. You will need to
discuss this with your RTO.
FEEDBACK
This workbook has been developed to guide users to access current information related to gaining skills appropriate
to their workplace. Please complete the following table notifying us of any errors or suggested improvements.
Subject Name
Book Number
Page
What is the error
Suggested improvement
10
You Tube video is not accurate
Better websites / You Tube example
Is there a link to your suggested improvement
Additional comments
Click here to email your feedback form to RST
54