Oregon Apprentice Bundle - Ornamental and Turf
This course bundle is designed for the Oregon apprentice applicator or private applicator. The bundle focuses on ornamental and turf pesticide use and contains at least four credits of core topics. All courses are approved by the Oregon Department of Agriculture Pesticides Program. Please click on course details for a list of specific courses.
BUNDLE CONTENTS:
- Application Equipment and Calibration – 1 core credit
- Review of Pesticide Use Hazards – 1 core credit
- Calibration Clinic: Pesticide Spreaders and Sprayers – 1 core credit
- IPM for Ornamental Plant Pest Management – 1 core credit
- Common Ornamental Plant Pests – 3 credits
- Common Turfgrass Weeds – 1 credit
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
Review of Pesticide Use Hazards
Course Description
This one-credit course, approved by the Oregon Department of Agriculture Pesticides Program, offers instruction on the toxicity and dangers of pesticide use. Pesticides are hazardous chemicals that can harm non-target organisms (including humans) and the environment.
Every pesticide belongs to one of three categories according to its toxicity danger. These categories, and the factors that influence toxicity, govern the hazards pest managers face when applying pesticides. Detailed designations break down the use cases and pests targeted by each pesticide.
This course explains threats posed by pesticides to the environment and wildlife. Possible results of pesticide use include human exposure, injury to pets, water contamination, phytotoxicity in plants and other effects on non-target organisms in the environment. Become familiar with the signs of hazardous human exposure and methods for determining toxicity in animals.
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Recognize strategies to minimize excessive pesticide exposure risk to pets, plants and the environment.
- Explain pesticide toxicity and the different hazards of human pesticide exposure.
- State appropriate measures to take in case of pesticide accidents.
- Describe the characteristics of various pesticide formulations.
Calibration Clinic – Pesticide Sprayers and Spreaders
Course Description
Proper application of pesticides and fertilizers on turfgrass is only possible with accurately calibrated equipment. These lessons discuss the calibration of three types of application equipment: handheld or back-pack pump-up sprayers, large acreage sprayers, and fertilizer or “dry-granular” spreaders as well as several different calibration techniques.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the baby bottle and the 5940 calibration methods
- Describe the steps to calibrate a boom sprayer
- Describe the steps to calibrate a granular broadcast spreader
IPM for Ornamental Plant Pest Management
Course Description
Integrated Pest Management of ornamental plants 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 ornamental plants, and the different tools and techniques needed to successfully provide your clients with a healthy and attractive landscape.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Discuss several ways to track pest development
- Outline the issues involved in controlling pests and disease in managed landscape situations
- Tailor a management strategy that addresses the unique needs of each ornamental planting
Common Ornamental Plant Pests
Course Description
Pest management of ornamental plants involves multiple steps from growing a healthy plant that is more resistant to pest damage to correctly identifying the problem when present. This course will cover the most common pests of ornamental plants.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Identify common landscape weeks and outline how to manage them.
- Identify common plant disorders and identify how to avoid them in the future.
- Identify common plant diseases and outline how to manage them.
- Describe nematode damage and explain why sampling prior to planting is important.
- Identify common vertebrate and invertebrate pests and outline the best management strategy for each.
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