Arizona Commercial Applicator (PUC) 6 Credit Bundle - Turf Management
This course bundle is designed for the Arizona Certified Applicator as certified by the Agricultural Division. The course bundle contains 6 credits of training approved the the Arizona Department of Agriculture for agricultural credit. Course topics focus on turf management and common turf pests. Please click on course details for a list of specific courses.
BUNDLE CONTENTS:
- Annual Bluegrass Resistance Management – 1 credit
- Common Turfgrass Weeds – 1 credit
- Turfgrass Disease, Insect, and Vertebrate Pests – 1 credit
- IPM for Turf Management – 1 credit
- Cultural Practices for Turf Management – 1 credit
- Application Equipment and Calibration – 1 credit
Annual Bluegrass Resistance Management
Course Description
Annual bluegrass has historically been an important weed of many, if not most, commodity and specialty crops. The extensive reliance upon herbicides as the primary means of control has led to an almost overwhelming presence of herbicide resistance. There are very few commonly utilized herbicides that annual bluegrass has not evolved resistance to – albeit often in isolated or unique populations. However, the worrying trend is that for some turf scenarios, we no longer have effective chemical means of controlling annual bluegrass. This course will discuss the currently reported cases of annual bluegrass resistance to various herbicides and how to develop an effective herbicide program.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Discuss herbicide resistance best management practices
- Distinguish between the different classes of herbicides and their different sites of action
- Describe how herbicide resistance is developed and how it can be avoided
Common Turfgrass Weeds
Course Description
Managing weeds in a turf stand can be a tricky proposition. Often times the client fails to recognize that the presence of weeds in a turf stand is the result of poor turf, not the cause. Correct identification of the problem weed is a must of developing a management strategy, as is a working knowledge of weed biology and how herbicides work. This course will provide applicators with a good foundation from which to build their knowledge.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Explain the major similarities and differences between weeds and turf
- Identify common turfgrass weeds
- Explain how herbicides work
Turfgrass Disease, Insect, and Vertebrate Pests
Course Description
There are a variety of diseases, disorders, insects, and vertebrate pests that can cause problems in turfgrass. Being able to correctly identify these common turfgrass maladies is of utmost importance to turfgrass managers. This course will look at the common diseases and disorders found in turf, and cover the situations and environmental conditions favorable to those diseases. The course also covers common insect and vertebrate pests and how to manage them.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Identify a disease, describe favorable disease conditions, and recommend treatment strategies for each disease
- Identify common insect turf pests and recommend treatment strategies
- Recognize the preferred habitat for common vertebrate pests and be able to recommend the appropriate deterrent or management strategy
IPM for Turf Management
Course Description
Integrated Pest Management of turfgrasses involves multiple steps; producing a healthy plant, correctly identifying the problem, recognizing that there will always be some pests and damage, and only using pesticides as a last resort. This course teaches the basics of pest and disease management for turfgrass, and the different tools and techniques needed to successfully provide your clients with a healthy and attractive turf stand.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Understand the settings and ecosystems of a turf stand
- Gain an understanding of the issues involved in controlling pests and disease in managed turfgrass
- Tailor a management strategy that addresses the unique needs of turfgrass
Cultural Practices for Turf Management
Course Description
Turf responds best to consistent cultural practices – mowing, irrigating, and fertilizing. A consistent mowing height that is appropriate for the variety of turf, good irrigation, and proper fertilization will result in a healthy vigorous turf that will be enjoyed for years.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Discuss adverse turf conditions and how to correct them
- Recognize common turf problems and how to remedy them
- Tailor a management strategy that addresses the unique needs of turfgrass
Application Equipment and Calibration
Course Description
When pesticide applications become necessary for good turf management, it’s important to understand how application equipment works and how to properly calibrate the equipment. Accurate measurement of the area to be treated and properly calibrated equipment are critical to applying pesticides within an acceptable range of the label requirements. This course will discuss the most common types of equipment used for pesticide applications on turf, the way to calculate the area of an irregularly shaped space, and how to properly calculate the flow rate of the equipment.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Describe the different types of equipment used in pesticide applications
- Accurately calculate the square footage of irregular areas
- Accurately calibrate common application equipment