TURF 215 - Turf Diseases and Insects

Credits: 5
LEC hours per week: 5
This course concentrates on fundamentals of entomology and plant pathology to set the stage for working with the specifics of turfgrass problems. It is an introduction to the identification, study of life cycles, and control of insects and diseases as well as specific problems and their controls on turfgrasses.
Course Outcomes:

Identify insect body parts as well as growth and development characteristics.
Classify insects by their life cycles and classifications.
Identify specific turfgrass insects.
Formulate insect control strategies for each insect.
Analyze control strategies for each insect using Integrated Pest Management strategies.
Identify pathogens that cause turfgrass diseases.
Identify the symptoms caused by each turfgrass disease at what time of year and under what environmental conditions.
Formulate disease control strategies for each disease.
Analyze disease control strategies for each disease using Integrated Pest Management strategies.

Course Topics:

Insect growth, development, identification, and family characteristics
Insect control principles
Turfgrass diseases
Disease identification and control methodology
Pesticide application principles and IPM