RHS Level 2 Pests and diseases activity answers

RHS Level 2 Certificate

Pests and Diseases Activity –

Identify the problem and the available controls.

Common name and controls?

• Aphid• Controls – fatty

acid spray (contact); imidacloprid (systemic); Aphidoletes aphidzyma (biological)

Common name and controls?• Vine Weevil (adult)

• Controls – traps (sticky bands on pots), imidacloprid or thiacloprid (systemic)

• For larvae – Steinanerma krausei (biological);imidacloprid or thiacloprid (systemic)

Common name and controls?

• Common Slug• Controls –

metaldehyde or ferrous sulphate (chemical); Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (biological); baited traps (cultural)

Common name and controls?• Powdery Mildew

• Gather up and burn debris (cultural); myclobutanil (systemic fungicide);avoid water stress (cultural)

Common name and controls?

• Downy mildew (note growth is on underside)

• No chemical control; resistant varieties (cultural); remove and burn affected plants (cultural).

Common name and controls?

• Honey fungus

• Remove all affected plants and dead wood (cultural); butyl rubber barriers (cultural); grow resistant plants (cultural). No chemical or biological controls.

Common name and controls?

• ‘Red Thread’ - fungal disease in lawns.

• Controls – no chemical for the amateur; scarify to remove thatch where spores overwinter (cultural); nitrogenous feed (cultural); improve drainage (cultural).