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Title / Select an integrated pest and disease management programme in production horticulture
Level / 5 / Credits / 7
Purpose / This unit standard is for people working, or intending to work in horticulture. People credited with this unit standard are able to: identify life cycles of pests which affect a defined crop; identify diseases which are likely to affect the defined crop; assess a range of pest control measures; assess a range of disease control measures; and select a control programme for pests and diseases in a defined crop
Classification / Horticulture Production Horticulture
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and safety prerequisites / Open, but it is recommended that before seeking credit for this unit standard learners gain knowledge and skills in pest, disease, and disorder identification.
Special notes
1Case studies may be used as the basis of this unit standard.
2A defined crop may include any commercial horticulture crop from the following sectors: amenity, arboriculture, floriculture, fruit, landscape, nursery, vegetable, or viticulture.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Identify life cycles of pests, which affect a defined crop.
Performance criteria
1.1Pests, which affect the defined crop, are identified, and the life cycle of each pest is described.
Rangeminimum of five pests.
1.2Signs and symptoms, which identify the presence and life cycle stage of each pest in a crop, are described.
1.3Stages in the life cycle of each pest, where application of control measures are likely to be most effective, are defined.
1.4Factors, which influence effectiveness of control measures, are identified.
Rangeenvironmental conditions, stage of crop development, alternative host plants available to the pests.
Element 2
Identify diseases, which are likely to affect the defined crop.
Performance criteria
2.1Diseases, which may occur, are identified, and the characteristics and life cycles are described.
Rangeminimum of five diseases.
2.2Signs and symptoms, which identify the presence and life cycle stage of each disease in a crop, are described.
2.3Stages in the development of the disease, when control application is likely to be most effective, are identified.
2.4Factors, which influence effectiveness of control measures, are identified.
Rangeenvironmental conditions, stage of crop development.
Element 3
Assess a range of pest control measures.
Performance criteria
3.1Biological pest control is explained and illustrated with five examples of ways in which common predators, parasites, and pathogens work.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – ladybirds, lacewing larvae, hover fly larvae, praying mantis, predatory mites.
3.2Cultural pest control methods are explained, and the ways in which each controls pests are identified.
Rangehygiene, crop rotation, soil water management, environmental modification, prevention of plant damage, use of resistant cultivars, use of quarantine.
3.3Characteristics of pesticides used to control production plant pests are identified.
Rangepest controlled, chemical group, formulation, toxicity, mode of action, resistance potential.
3.4Integrated pest control principles are identified and three proven methods are described as to their effectiveness in the horticulture industry.
Element 4
Assess a range of disease control measures.
Performance criteria
4.1Cultural control methods are identified, and the ways in which each controls disease are described.
Rangehygiene, crop rotation, soil water management, environmental modification, prevention of plant injury, use of resistant cultivars, use of quarantine.
4.2Principles of biological control of diseases are explained and two methods of control used in the commercial horticulture industry are described.
Rangemay include but are not limited to – Agrobacterium radiobacter, Trichoderma viride.
4.3Characteristics of chemicals used to control plant diseases in production horticulture are identified.
Rangedisease or disorder controlled, chemical group, formulation, toxicity, mode of action, resistance potential.
Element 5
Select a control programme for pests and diseases in a defined crop.
Performance criteria
5.1Cultural and biological methods used for a specific crop are explained.
5.2Chemical methods used for a specific crop are explained.
Replacement information / This unit standard and unit standard 27209 were replaced by unit standard 29913.This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 14 March 1995 / 31 December 2020
Revision / 2 / 28 July 1999 / 31 December 2020
Revision / 3 / 19 July 2001 / 31 December 2020
Review / 4 / 25 July 2006 / 31 December 2020
Review / 5 / 16 February 2017 / 31 December 2020
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0032
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Primary Industry Training OrganisationSSB Code 101558 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018 / / New Zealand Qualifications Aut