LPLF10342U Insects in Agricultural and Horticultural Crops

Volume 2013/2014
Content
Biology and ecology of major crop pests including, reasons for fluctuations and yield reducing attacks.
Different types of attacks, damages and crop loss functions, descriptions and assessments.
The influence on pests and natural enemies of weather, fertilization, irrigation etc.
Monitoring and forecasting systems, development and function in an IPM-frame.
Control methods and strategies, legal and advisory implications, IPM.
Attack prevention and manipulation of pest insects and their natural enemies through crop choice, crop structure, crop rotation and structure of farming system (organic, integrated and conventional).
The influence of plant protection on wild plants and animals of arable fields.
Learning Outcome
The main objective is to establish a general knowledge to crop pest insects and their interactions with crop plants and natural enemies, which can support sound pest management.
After the course the student should be able to:
Knowledge:
- List and describe a selection of important insect pests and their plant/crop effects.
- Describe the principles and methods of monitoring insect pests of crops.
- Describe the main methods to prevent and control insect attacks.
Skills:
- Identify selected pest insects and beneficials based on morphological characters.
- Analyse and process monitoring results and work out and communicate a decision backgroound for growers.
- Communicate pest insect problems to fellow students.
Competences:
- Explain the major concepts of insect pest management.
- Explain and discuss crop and production system effects on pest insects and other insects.
- Explain and discuss crop-pest interactions and management possibilities.
- Discuss ethical aspects of insect management e.g. related to use of chemicals and genetically modified plants as well as the environment.
Literature
D. V. Alford: A Textbook of Agricultural Entomology. Blackwell 1999 (314 pp), Selected chapters from D. Dent: Insect Pest Management (2. ed) CABI Publiushing, Wallingford 2005 (410 pp), 2-4 journal articles.
Recommended:
Økologi (Ecology)
Dyrs og planters diversitet
Key elements will be presented in lectures which are supplemented with practical (eg. identification) and theoretical (eg. forecasting and planning of strategies) exercises. Colloquia (journal club) will include particular problems in agriculture and horticulture treated on the basis of selected literature.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 22
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Lectures
  • 27
  • Practical exercises
  • 24
  • Preparation
  • 98
  • Theory exercises
  • 32
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 3 under invigilation
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Exam registration requirements
Submission of at least 75% of individual reports (from exercices and journal clubs)
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Én intern bedømmer
Re-exam
If 10 or fewer register for the reexamination the examination form will be oral.
Criteria for exam assesment
See learning outcome