Topic 2 Element 4 - Plant Pests and Pathogens

Question 1

How are pests and pathogens introduced to a site?

Answer 1

• air-borne by wind and rain
• soil-borne by movement of soil and tools
• water-borne by spores of root rot (Phytophthora)
• packaging and wood which can host pests and pathogens
• migration with climate change
• plant trade

Question 2

What are Fungi pathogens?

Answer 2

• Mycelium (fungal strands)
• block vascular tissue
• wilting occurs
• spread by asexual spores in damp weather
• coat leaves and reduce photosynthesis

Question 3

What are Bacteria pathogens?

Answer 3

• tissue decays
• wounds may appear producing slime or gum
• foliage may rapidly wilt
• foliage may discolour with the decay

Question 4

What are Virus pathogens?

Answer 4

• spreads rapidly through plant as cells divide
• changes cell functions
• cells may change colour
• results in weaker or distorted plants
• reduced yield

Question 5

What are Sap-Suckers?

Answer 5

• pests that can transmit viruses
• cause localised cell death causing leaf mottling
• excrete honeydew, creating sooty mould on leaves blocking photosynthesis

Question 6

What are Biters?

Answer 6

• pests that eat away foliage or root area
• opening on foliage can be entry points to disease
• trees that are bark ringed causes vascular tissue to die

Question 7

What are Raspers?

Answer 7

• pest that tear foliage so that it is unable to photosynthesise
• weak plants often entice raspers

Question 8

What is the economic threshold of acceptable loss to pests and diseases?

Answer 8

1%

Question 9

What are the Biological controls of pest and pathogens?

Answer 9

• Pathogenic
• Parasitic
• Predators

Question 10

What is the definition of Biological controls?

Answer 10

Biological controls are deliberately introduced that are not naturally occuring.

Question 11

What are Pathogenic controls?

Part of Biological controls

Answer 11

Pathogenic controls are organisms that are introduced to infect or lead to infection in pests.

Question 12

What are Parasitic controls?

Part of Biological controls

Answer 12

Parasitic controls are insects that will lay eggs within a pest. It’s young will then eat it from the inside out.

Aphidius is a parasitic wasp that is used to treat aphids.

Question 13

What a Predator controls?

Part of Biological controls

Answer 13

Predator controls are normally insects that eat pests.

Ladybirds are used to control ahids

Question 14

What is the defination of Cultural controls?

Answer 14

Cultural controls are ways of modifying the garden environment to hamper pests’ breeding, feeding, and shelter habits.

Question 15

What are the Cultural controls of pests and pathogens?

Answer 15

• encouraging naturally beneficial organisms
• crop rotation
• hygiene

Question 16

Example of encouraging naturally beneficial organisms

Part of Cultural controls

Answer 16

Building a pond to attract frogs to predate slugs.

Question 17

How does crop rotation help in controling pests and pathogens?

Part of Cultural controls

Answer 17

Not growing crops in successive years in the same soil prevents a build up of host-specific pests and pathogens

Examples: Potato blight & Potato cyst eelworm

Question 18

How does Hygiene help control pests and pathogens?

Part of Cultural controls

Answer 18

Regularly cleaning tools prevents the spread of spores or eggs.

Question 19

What is the definition of Physical control?

Answer 19

Physical pest control is a method of getting rid of insects and small rodents by killing, removing, or setting up barriers.

Question 20

What are the Physical controls of pests and pathogens?

Answer 20

• creating barriers or fences
• hand removal
• sticky traps

Question 21

How can creating barriers or fences help deter pests or pathogens?

Part of Physical controls

Answer 21

• prevents deer/rabbit damage
• isolates plants with pests or pathogens

Question 22

How can hand removal help with pests or pathogens?

Part of Physical controls

Answer 22

cutting out infested / infected growth
removing pests

Jets of water can be used to remove aphids.

Question 23

How do sticky traps help with pests or pathogens?

Part of Physical controls

Answer 23

collects and traps airbourne pests.

Example: fungus gnats

Question 24

What is the definition of Chemical controls?

Answer 24

Chemical control is using pesticides, fungicides and bactericides to control pests and diseases.

Question 25

What are **Chemical** controls of pests and pathogens?

Answer 25

* Systemic pesticides * contact pesticides

Question 26

What is Systemic pesticides? | Part of **Chemical** control

Answer 26

* includes fungicides and miticides * distributed around the plant * kills pests or diseases throughout the plant | **Myclobutanil** controls rusts and powdery mildew

Question 27

What are contact pesticides? | Part of **Chemical** control

Answer 27

* not absorbed by the plant * only kills pests and pathogens it comes into contact with | **Sulfur** removes rust **Fatty acids** block spiracles of aphids

Question 28

What is **IPM**?

Answer 28

* Integrated Pest Management (IPM) * a range of controls to manage pests and diseases * chemical control is the last option * takes a long term view * minimises damage to non-target pests

Question 29

What are the stages of **IPM**?

Answer 29

1. Scout 2. Identify 3. Monitor 4. Action plan 5. Implement cultural control 6. Implement biological control 7. Implement chemical control

Question 30

What is Ecological balance?

Answer 30

Healthy gardens must balance the predator or pest populations.

Question 31

What does the avoidance of using chemicals prevent?

Answer 31

Prevents a resistance building up

Question 32

What is the benefits of growing in soil rather than hydroponics with controlling pests and pathogens?

Answer 32

Spores can build and an ecosystem exists.

Question 33

How can temperature affect pests and pathogens?

Answer 33

Temperature can increase fecundity (pest breeding capacity). | **Example:** two spotted mite is susceptible to fecundity with temperatu

Question 34

How can humidity affect pests and pathogens?

Answer 34

Humidity can influence fecundity (pest breeding capacity) | **Example:** lowering fecundity for the two spotted mite and increasing

Question 35

What are Notifiable pests and pathogens?

Answer 35

Notifiable pests and pathogens are non-native species considered to have the greatest potential to damage woodland and native species.

Question 36

Who would you report any suspected sightings of notifiable pests or pathogens to?

Answer 36

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)

Question 37

Which notifiable pest has the potential to cause widespread damage to *Prunus* species?

Answer 37

Red-necked longhorn beetle

Question 38

What are Resistant cultivars?

Answer 38

Plants bred to withstand a level of infection / infestation. | **Example: ***Daucus carota* 'Flyaway' is resistant to carrot root fly.