Pennsylvania Category 01 - Agronomic Crop Commercial Applicator Bundle
The courses in this package expire on September 30 at 11:59 PM Eastern, 10:59 PM Central, 9:59 PM Mountain, 8:59 PM Pacific. You must complete the courses and download your certificate(s) before the expiration date to receive credit. After 9/30, you will no longer have access to these courses, so please complete the course(s) and download your certificate(s) by then.
This course bundle is geared toward the agricultural commercial applicator and contains 10 credits of agronomic crops (category 01) training as well as 10 credits for Category 18, 8 credits PC, and 4cr Core. This course bundle may be paired with any core bundle to fulfill recertification requirements. All courses have been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
BUNDLE CONTENTS:
Agronomic Crops (Category 01) Credits:
- Field Crop Pest Management – 6 credits 01, 18, and PC (and 2 credits of Core)
- Pest Identification: Rice, Cotton, and Peanuts – 2 credits 01, 18, and PC
- Balancing Pest Management and Pollinator Health – 2 credits 01, 18, and Core (and 2 credits of PC)
Field Crop Pest Management
Course Description
Pesticides protect plants and animals from insects, weeds and diseases; improve efficiency of food, feed and fiber productions; and provide for greater crop yields. This course outlines various invasive pests of field crops and how an applicator can effectively treat pest invasions while protecting themselves and the environment from adverse effects of pesticides.
After completing this course users will be able to:
- Identify invasive pests of field crop plants, including insects, weeds, and diseases.
- Operate and properly calibrate various types of application equipment.
- Outline strategies of Integrated Pest Management systems.
Pest Identification: Rice, Cotton, and Peanuts
Course Description
Rice Insect Pests. This section details the major and the minor pests commonly associated with rice crops. These include weevils, stink bugs, armyworms, aphids, borers, midges, and more. Students will learn to identify insects at various stages of maturity and to recognize specific insects based on the damage done to the crop.
Cotton Insect Pest and Management Strategies. This section will demonstrate how to identify insect pests in cotton, and outline the most common management strategies. Major insect pests in cotton include thrips, plant bugs, stink bugs, bollworm, budworm, beet armyworm, fall armyworm, spider mites, and others.
Peanut Insect Pests. This section will cover the major pests commonly associated with peanut crops. These include thrips, cutworms, lesser cornstalk borer, threecornered alfalfa hopper, rednecked peanutworm, peanut burrower bug, and several defoliators.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Outline the most common insect pests of rice, the damage they cause, and prevention methods for each.
- Describe the impact these pests have on the yield and quality of rice grain.
- Identify various insect pests typically found in cotton.
- Develop management strategies to control these pests.
- Discuss the most common insect pests of peanuts, the damage they cause, and prevention methods for each.
Balancing Pest Management and Pollinator Health
Course Description
Balancing the need to manage agricultural pests with pollinator health is dependent on cooperation between beekeepers, farmers, and pesticide applicators. This course outlines the importance of honey bees honey bee decline and discusses some pollinator myths. Finally, the strategies required to coordinate the efforts of farmers, beekeepers, and applicators are discussed.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Gain an understanding of the issues surrounding pollinator importance, decline, and health.
- Tailor a management strategy that addresses the cooperation between farmers, beekeepers, and applicators.