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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD: 

Control pests and diseases in crops 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
117957  Control pests and diseases in crops 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Primary Agriculture 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 01 - Agriculture and Nature Conservation Primary Agriculture 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 1  NQF Level 01  5 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Registered" 		 2004-12-02  2007-12-02  SAQA 0357/04 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2008-12-02   2011-12-02  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
Learners who have obtained this unit standard will be able to:
  • Control pests and diseases commonly found in a specific commodity.
  • Explain the effect pests and diseases have on yields
  • Explain how pests and diseases are transmitted and
  • Explain how to contain the spreading of pests and diseases 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    No prior learning is assumed to be in place. 

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Crops are include but are not limited to sorghum, maize, groundnuts, sunflower, beans, soya beans, sugarcane, wheat, rye, barley, cotton and potatoes. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Identify evidence of pests in crops. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Evidence of pest infestations is identified. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Pests included but not limited to:
  • Leaf eaters e.g. locusts, army worm
  • Leaf suckers e.g. green leave sucker
  • Leaf hopper, aphid, maize bug stem borers
  • Soil pests e.g. white grubs, termites
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Explain how to control pests. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Learner to explain what methods can be used to control pests. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Examples:
  • Ecological control i.e. make the "situation" less suitable for the pest e.g. use pest resistant seed, farm hygienically e.g. burning the old crop, do not bring in plant material from infected areas, plant at a time that pests are less active.
  • Biological control involves naturally occurring and introduced living enemies of the pests Chemical control involves using insecticides.
  • Integrated control involves the most advantageous combination methods above.
     
    		•

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Use chemicals to control pests. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Problems that can be encountered if chemicals are used. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Example: Chemicals are costly, could be dangerous to the people applying it and to consumers, could damage through wind drift adjacent crops.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Identify diseased plants. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Diseased plants identified. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Retarded growth in plant, discolouring of leaves and stem of plants, mottling of leaves, leaves whither and curl, rotting of stem.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 5 
    Explain how diseases can be transmitted. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Learner to explain how diseases can be transmitted. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Examples: Planting effected plants, using contaminated equipment (e.g. planters, hoes), diseased volunteers, wind blown spores, contaminated soil, insects and rain.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 6 
    Outline principles of disease control. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Knowledge of limiting spreading of diseases is demonstrated. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Example: Selecting varieties that are disease resistant Selecting disease free seed Field to be planted to be free from volunteers at an early stage Stress free plants are disease resistant.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Previous crop material removed from field. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Diseased plants to be removed from the field and destroyed. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Use of fungicides demonstrated. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The assessment of qualifying learners against this standard should meet the requirements of established assessment principles.

    It will be necessary to develop assessment activities and tools, which are appropriate to the contexts in which qualifying learners are working. These activities and tools may include an appropriate combination of self-assessment and peer assessment, formative and summative assessment, portfolios and observations etc.

    The assessment should ensure that all the specific outcomes, critical cross-field outcomes and essential embedded knowledge are assessed.

    The specific outcomes must be assessed through observation of performance Supporting evidence should be used to prove competence of specific outcomes only when they are not clearly seen in the actual performance.

    Essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in its own right, through oral and written evidence and cannot be assessed only by being observed.

    The specific outcomes and essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in relation to each other. If a qualifying learner is able to explain the essential embedded knowledge but is unable to perform the specific outcomes, they should not be assessed as competent. Similarly, if a qualifying learner is able to perform the specific outcomes but is unable to explain or justify their performance in terms of the essential embedded knowledge, then they should not be assessed as competent.

    Evidence of the specified critical cross-field outcomes should be found both in performance and in the essential embedded knowledge.

    Performance of specific outcomes must actively affirm target groups of qualifying learners not unfairly discriminate against them. Qualifying learners should be able to justify their performance in terms of these values.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard or assessing this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.
  • Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines in the relevant qualification and the agreed ETQA procedures. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
  • Effect pests and diseases have on yields
  • Hygiene measures necessary to limit the spreading of pests and diseases
  • Importance of early identification of presence of pests and diseases in crops.
  • Use of chemicals to control pests and diseases to be last resort.
  • Benefits of alternate cropping
  • Meaning of: "the farm fence do not keep out pests or diseases"
  • Importance of obtaining seed/plants from a reliable source. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    The learner will be able to identify and solve problems that has to do with pests and diseases in crops. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    The learner will work effectively with others as a member of a team. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    The learner will be able to organise and manage himself and his activities responsibly and effectively. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    The learner will be able to collect, analyse and critically evaluate information. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    The learner will communicate effectively when reporting on work matters. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    The learner will use science and technology effectively and critically (showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others). 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    The learner will demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Terminology
  • Pests and diseases may be known by different names in different localities.
  • Field is used as synonymous of land

    Notes
  • It is important that the learner be made aware of the fact that everyone on the farm must be on the "look-out" for pests and diseases present in crops. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.