Instructor(s)

Douglas Pfeiffer
Professor, Entomology
Phone: (540) 231-4183
E-mail: dgpfeiff@vt.edu

Description

Principles and techniques for reducing pests in agriculture and forestry. Concepts of pest management to enable students to formulate comprehensive approaches to solving pest problems. Integrated pest management of primarily North American crops.

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

Two semesters of biology or two years experience in agricultural production, industry, or policy will provide students with knowledge that helps them integrate the material covered in this course.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Describe various tactics employed in pest management issues, as well as environmental and ecological impacts.
2. Describe arthropod pests and natural enemy complexes of important North American crops.
3. Apply knowledge of North American arthropod pests/natural enemy complexes to international applications in pest management.
4. Describe the major relationships of insects to human, animal and plant diseases.
5. Identify major crops pests and make management decisions, implementing IPM principles. 
6. Integrate ecological and economic principles sufficiently to understand environmental ramifications of their decisions.