361.T1

Model Agricultural Core Curriculum: SupplementUniversity of California, Davis

Introduction to Plant Pests

Plant Pests are:

• Plants which grow where they are not wanted (weeds).

• Insects and their relatives without backbones (invertebrates).

• Animals with backbones (vertebrates).• Fungi and molds which cause diseases (disease

agents).

361.T2

Model Agricultural Core Curriculum: SupplementUniversity of California, Davis

Introduction to Plant Pests

Weeds

• Weeds are plants that grow where theyare not wanted.

• A common California weed is the Shepherd’s Purse

(Capsella bursa-pastoris).

361.T3

Model Agricultural Core Curriculum: SupplementUniversity of California, Davis

Introduction to Plant Pests

Invertebrate Pests

• Insects have three body parts; head, thorax, and abdomen.

• Nematodes are non-segmented cylindrical worms.

• Snails and slugs are mollusks.

Bean leaf beetle

Nematode

361.T4

Model Agricultural Core Curriculum: SupplementUniversity of California, Davis

Introduction to Plant Pests

Vertebrate Pests

• Domestic animals: dogs, cats, and horses.

• Wild animals: skunk, raccoon, deer, ground squirrels, gophers, moles, rabbits.

361.T5

Model Agricultural Core Curriculum: SupplementUniversity of California, Davis

Introduction to Plant Pests

Disease Agents

• These organisms are usually difficult to identify because they are microscopic.

• They are molds and fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

Tilletia caries

Tilletia caries