Penn State Extension is offering a new online course, Pest and Disease Management for Landscape Plants, for anyone who wants to learn about managing plant health diseases, vertebrate and invertebrate pests, insects, abiotic disorders, and integrated pest management.
Plants can be affected by many problems, ranging from insects, animals and disease to environmental conditions and poor plant care. These problems often can produce similar symptoms. Quick and accurate diagnosis provides the greatest chance to solve an issue and save the plant. This self-paced course teaches you about preventing and managing plant health problems, plant diseases, common vertebrate and invertebrate pests, insects, abiotic disorders, and integrated pest management. Although the course focuses on ornamental trees, shrubs and plants for landscaping, the plant health and disease diagnosis principles can be applied widely to all plants or crops.
Participants who successfully complete the course will earn the following Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator recertification credits: 05 Forest Pest Control (6 credits), 06 Ornamental and Shade Trees (10 credits), 07 Lawn and Turf (1 credit), 15 Public Health – Vertebrate Pests (1 credit), 18 Demonstration and Research (10 credits), 22 Interior Plantscape (4 credits), 23 Park or School Pest Control (10 credits), Core Credits (2 credits), Private Category (6 credits).
This course is ideal for people seeking employment in landscape design, installation, and maintenance and landscape businesses who want to provide additional training to experienced employees.
To learn more and register, visit: https://extension.psu.edu/pest-and-disease-management