review and Skill Check 2

Area of Study 2: Revision Checklist

2.1 – 2.3: Identifying Pests, Diseases, and Weeds

• I can identify the required pests; intestinal worms, aphids and western flower thrips by description and/or symptoms, and describe their impact on animal and plant health.

• I can distinguish between metabolic, metazoal, and microbial diseases by description and/or symptoms, and describe their impact on animal and plant health.

• I can describe the specific impacts and spread of flickweed, gorse, and wild radish in Victorian agriculture and horticulture and understand which industries or areas are likely to be affected by each one.

• I can explain how these organisms reduce the value of food and fibre (e.g., animal health, lower yields, contaminated grain, or weed infested nursery stock).

2.4: Strategies for Prevention and Control

• I can define a weed and explain its role as a competitor for light, water, and nutrients.

• I can describe prevention strategies, such as using sterile potting mix or maintaining clean machinery.

• I can explain physical, chemical, and biological control methods for specific weeds like gorse and flickweed.

2.5: Principles of Integrated Weed Management (IWM)

• I can describe the IWM Pyramid and why cultural control forms the base of the system.

• I can explain cultural controls like crop rotation and competitive sowing.

• I can explain biological controls, such as using the gorse spider mite or targeted grazing.

• I can explain why chemical control should be the last line of defence in a sustainable system.

2.6 – 2.7: Managing and Analysing Biological Resistance

• I can explain the biological process of natural selection that leads to herbicide and pesticide resistance.

• I can define selection pressure and explain how over-reliance on one chemical group causes it.

• I can analyse solutions to resistance, such as the double knock strategy and chemical group rotation.

• I can explain the impact of antibiotic resistance on the livestock industry and the importance of careful antibiotic management.

• I can use a three-step method of identify, explain ad propose a solution, to analyse a resistance scenario in an exam.

Key Skills Checklist

Beyond just knowing the facts, you should be able to perform these specific tasks:

• Identify and Describe: I can look at a specimen or image and identify the type of pest, disease or weed.

• Explain Impact: I can explain exactly how a pest or weed could cost a farmer money e.g., reduced grain quality due to weed seed contamination which either reduces crop price or requires seed cleaning services..

• Plan an Audit: I can perform a biosecurity audit on a school farm or greenhouse to find risks.

• Propose Integrated Solutions: I can create a management plan that uses more than just chemicals to solve a pest problem.

• Analyse Evidence: I can look at farm data (like a failing spray program) and determine if biological resistance is the cause.

Exam Tip for the Whole Unit

When you are asked to "Compare" or "Contrast" two different control methods, you can use a comparison  or clear "whereas" statements. For example: "Hand weeding is a physical control suitable for small-scale horticulture, whereas broad-acre herbicide application is a chemical control suited for large-scale grain production." This shows that you understand the context of each strategy.