Page 1 of 4
Title / Demonstrate knowledge of agrichemicals
Level / 3 / Credits / 6
Purpose / This unit standard is for people working in the primary sector who handle agrichemicals.
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe: modes of action of agrichemicals agrichemical formulations; the uses of spray additives; resistance to agrichemicals; and agrichemical degradation, and environmental fate.
Classification / Primary Sector > Plant Pest, Weed, and Disease Control
Explanatory notes
1Legislation and regulations relevant to this unit standard include but are not limited to –
Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997;
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996;
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Resource Management Act 1991;
Toxic Substances Regulations 1983;
local regional and territorial authority regulatory requirements.
2The New Zealand Standard applicable to this unit standard is NZS 8409:2004 Management of agrichemicals, or subsequent replacement, available from
3Reference
Ministry of Health, New Zealand labelling guide for toxic substances: Toxic Substances Regulations 1983(Wellington: 2001), available from
4Definitions
Environmental fate – a generic term describing the interaction of the product, or substance concerned, with the environment, including descriptions of:
athe various pathways by which a substance may enter and transferred within the environment;
bthe possible interactions with the environment;
cthe consequences of these interactions, especially where there is potential for adverse environmental effect;
dthe processes involved in the breakdown, neutralisation or accumulation of agrichemicals.
Agrichemical – any substance, whether inorganic or organic, man-made or naturally occurring, modified or in its original state, that is used to eradicate, modify or control flora and fauna. It is a subset of agricultural compounds and includes pesticides, spray additives, fertilisers, vertebrate pest control products, and oral nutrition products.
5Range
Specified primary sector may be any one of agriculture, equine, forestry, horticulture, amenity turf, sports turf.
Specified primary sector industry may be anysubsector of a specified primary sector, for example, agriculture – dairy, sheep; equine – sport horse, racing; forestry – plantation forest, wood manufacturing; horticulture – viticulture, fruit production; amentity turf – sports turf, golf course, bowling green.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe modes of action of agrichemicals.
Evidence requirements
1.1Invertebrate pesticides are described in terms of their modes of action.
Rangecontact, ingestion, systemic, fumigant, ovicidal.
1.2Agrichemicals used to control diseases are described in terms of their modes of action.
Rangeprotectant, eradicant, systemic.
1.3Herbicides are described in terms of their modes of action.
Rangecontact, dessicant, translocated, selective, non-selective, residual, hormone-type, pre-emergence, post-emergence.
1.4Plant growth regulators used in a specified primary sector industry are described in terms of their modes of action.
Rangeplant growth regulators may include – dormancy breaker, growth regulator, crop load regulator, ripening agent;
evidence is required for at least one plant growth regulator.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate knowledge of agrichemical formulations.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – emulsifiable concentrates, soluble concentrates, wettable powders, water dispersible granules, suspension concentrates, prills, granules, pellets, dusts, gases, aerosols, baits;
evidence is required for at least five.
Evidence requirements
2.1Agrichemical formulations are described in relation to how they work.
2.2Agrichemical formulations are described in terms of their advantages and disadvantages.
2.3Agrichemical formulations are described in terms of potential incompatibility issues between formulations.
Outcome 3
Describe the uses of spray additives.
Rangemay include but is not limited to – surfactants, buffers, spray drift reducers, penetrants, markers, stickers, bulking agents, carriers, stenching agents, emetics;
evidence is required for at least six.
Evidence requirements
3.1Spray additives are described in terms of their uses.
Outcome 4
Describe resistance to agrichemicals.
Evidence requirements
4.1Agrichemical resistance is described in terms of how it develops.
4.2Agrichemical resistance is described in terms of the management strategies required to prevent, and mitigate its occurrence.
Outcome 5
Describe agrichemical degradation, and environmental fate.
Evidence requirements
5.1Agrichemicals are described in terms of the ways in which they degrade in the environment.
Rangeincludes but is not limited to – hydrolysis, photodegradation, microbial, oxidation.
5.2Agrichemicals are described in terms of their environmental fate.
Rangeabsorption, adsorption, leaching, breakdown products, soil residues, crop residues, surface run-off, food-chain accumulation.
5.3Agrichemicals are described in terms of their detrimental effects on the environment.
Rangeevidence is required for at least two detrimental effects.
Planned review date / 31 December 2016Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 27 May 2005 / 31 December 2013
Review / 2 / 18 August 2011 / N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0232
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.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Primary Industry Training Organisation if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Primary Industry Training OrganisationSSB Code 101556 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018