MCCCD Program Description

Integrated Pest Management in the Cultivated Environment

Course: AGS268

First Term: 2018 Fall

Lec + Lab 4.0 Credit(s) 6.0 Period(s) 6.0 Load
Subject Type: Occupational
Load Formula: T

Description: Identification and management of pests of the garden, farm and landscape in the arid west. Special emphasis is given to safe handling of pesticides.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe the relationships of plants with other aspects of their living and nonliving environment. (I. II, III, IV, V, VII) 2. Diagnose common plant problems and explain their causes. (II, III, IV, V) 3. Recognize and collect pests and beneficial arthropods of landscape, farm and garden. (III, IV, V) 4. Recommend least toxic pest management practices for plant problems. (VI, VII, VIII) 5. Write pest management communication plan for clients. (IX) 6. Maintain appropriate records for organic or pesticide applicator certification. (IX) 7. Calibrate pesticide application equipment and safely apply appropriate products. (VIII)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. The landscape, garden and farm as ecosystems. A. Plant interactions with the environment B. Ecological niches of organisms 1. Producers 2. Consumers 3. Decomposers 4. Symbiosis II. Causes of plant stress and crop losses III. Arthropods A. Pollinators, predators, parasites, and pests B. Classification and identification 1. Available resources 2. Arachnids 3. Insects a. Mouthparts and associated feeding damage b. Commonly encountered insect orders C. Scouting and monitoring D. Collecting for ID IV. Plant disease A. Plant adaptation for extreme climates B. Environmental stress 1. Soil 2. Irrigation 3. Temperature 4. Other C. Biotic disease 1. Bacterial 2. Fungal 3. Viral 4. Protistan D. Management practices to avoid disease E. Management practices to manage disease V. Weeds A. Lifecycles B. Classification C. Identification of common weeds D. Collecting for ID E. Management 1. Cultural 2. Mechanical 3. Chemical VI. Setting thresholds A. Aesthetic damage B. Crop loss C. Psychological stress VII. Choosing management strategies A. Organic 1. Oils, soaps 2. biological B. Conventional VIII. Chemical pesticides A. Understanding the pesticide label B. Modes of action 1. Insecticides 2. Herbicides 3. Fungicides C. Resistance management D. Formulations and application equipment 1. Adjuvants 2. Liquid and solid formulations 3. Sprayers and nozzles 4. Other equipment E. Equipment calibration F. Pesticide safety 1. Drift management 2. Mixing and loading 3. Application 4. Disposal 5. Personal protective equipment IX. Pest management documentation and communication A. Recordkeeping 1. Organic certification records 2. Records for maintaining applicator certification B. Client communication 1. Written assessments 2. Pest management plan

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: June 16, 2015

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.