Plan and Manage a Weed Control Programme

Based on NZQA 21559 People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe the principles and methods of weed management and control; develop a weed management programme for a specified land based activity.

• Learning activities
• Library of resources

This unit is usedin the following courses

• Horticulture

Describe the principles and methods of weed management and control

• Weed management and control methods are described for specified weeds found in a specified land based industry.

Range: cultural, biological, physical, chemical.

• Weed management and control methods are evaluated in terms of their advantages and disadvantages.

Range: cultural, biological, physical, chemical.

• Plant life cycles are described in terms of the implications for weed management and control at each stage.

Range: ephemeral, annual, biennial; perennial – herbaceous, woody.

Develop a weed management programme for a specified land based activity

• Methods for controlling weeds are selected and justified in terms of cost benefits, environmental sustainability, and plant condition.
• The programmes takes into account management and labour time costs.

Range: notification of neighbours, consent and permits, area to cover, terrain, hazards.

• The programme takes into account implementation factors.

Range: factors may include but are not limited to – non target plants, seasonal stages of growth, time frame for control, species, density of infestation, prevailing weather patterns, resistance to herbicides; evidence is required for at least five.

• The programme complies with health and safety requirements.

• The programme is documented in accordance with legislative and on-site requirements.

Definitions

• agrichemical – any substance, whether inorganic or organic, man-made or naturally occurring, modified or in its original state, that is used in any agriculture, horticulture or related activity, to eradicate, modify or control flora and fauna. It includes agricultural compounds, fertilisers, vertebrate pest control products and oral nutrition products (this definition differs to that given in NZS 8409:2004, where agrichemicals exclude fertilisers, vertebrate pest control products and oral nutrition products);
• weed – a plant that interferes with the management objectives of a land based industry at a particular location. It is a plant growing where it is not wanted, however under certain situations, the plant may not be totally undesirable;
• on-site procedures – the verbal or written instructions to staff on the procedures for weed control by physical means, which must be carried out in accordance with current legisla