Plant Protection and Animal Health
Domain 6: Plant Protection and Animal Health
This domain tests diagnosis and management of pests, diseases and weeds in crops, and common health problems in livestock. The emphasis is integrated management, correct pesticide use and biosecurity.
Core rules and concepts
- Integrated pest management (IPM): combine resistant varieties, sanitation, biological control, cultural practices and judicious chemicals.
- Disease triangle: disease occurs when a susceptible host, virulent pathogen and favourable environment coincide.
- Pesticide labels: check active ingredient, dose, target pest, pre-harvest interval (PHI), re-entry period and protective clothing.
- Animal health: vaccination, quarantine, clean water, ventilation and prompt reporting of notifiable diseases.
- Zoonoses: diseases such as brucellosis and rabies can pass from animals to people; handle animals and carcasses safely.
Worked example
A label recommends 2 L of product per hectare in 200 L of water. A knapsack sprayer holds 16 L. Product per tank = 2 L × (16 ÷ 200) = 0.16 L = 160 mL. The reasoning: scale the label dose to the tank volume, not to the field area alone. If the sprayer covers the field at the labelled water volume, the dose per hectare remains correct.
Traps that cost marks
- Diagnosing from one symptom without checking the whole plant and field pattern.
- Mixing pesticides without checking compatibility.
- Ignoring the pre-harvest interval.
- Using the same dose for a different concentration or spray volume.
- Treating viral diseases with pesticides; vectors may be controlled, but the virus is not cured.