The Landscape skills program has been developed to enable the pest control operator to become proficient in weed control procedures & control of plant, pest & Diseases. This skills programme has been designed to be used in commercial, industrial and road shoulders, railway lines, substation environments and “Working for Water” programs. (The Landscape program is based on Agriseta Unit Standards 116301, 116419, 116429 & 116520.)

Dates

Cost
12-14 January 2026 R5800
9-11 February 2026
09-11 March 2026
13-15 April 2026
11-13 May 2026
8-10 June 2026
13-15 July 2026
11-13 August 2026
12-14 October 2026
09-11 November 2026
30 November – 2 December 2026

Training Information

The skills program deals with the following elements:

  1. Inspection Procedures
  2. Identification of Weeds and Declared invaders
  3. Selection of Herbicides / Weed Killers
  4. Selection and Calibration of Equipment
  5. Safety precautions
  6. Application techniques
  7. Monitoring procedures
  8. Clean up procedures

The skills program starts with a three day practical induction course in a classroom environment after which the student is assessed and on being found competent a six month mentoring program must be completed. On completion of the weed control programs skills program and after being certified competent the learner will qualify to be issued with P-registration number from the department of Agriculture: Act 36 of 1947.

The following is included in the course:

  • Refreshments
  • Full comprehensive manual
  • Practical assessment

Course Content

TOPIC 1 DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION OF PESTICIDES IN TERMS OF TYPE AND GROUPING
  1. Introduction
  2. The RSA Classification Code
  3. Pesticide Classification, properties and products
TOPIC 2 PLANT PESTS AND DISEASES – GENERAL
  1. Introduction
  2. Principles of Pest Control
  3. Health & Nuisance Pests
  4. Pest Identification
  5. Pest Control
  6. Pest Control Goals
  7. Threshold Levels
  8. Pest Monitoring
  9. Avoiding Harmful Effects
  10. Diseases Caused by Pest-borne Pathogens
  11. Pests and Public Health
  12. Carriers and Vectors
  13. Poison Irritation and Allergy
  14. Pests and Diseases
  15. Diseases Encountered on the Job
  16. Recommended PPE
  17. Integrated Pest Management
  18. Pest Control Failures
  19. The IPM Concept
  20. Advantages of Integrating a range of control methods
TOPIC 3 INTRODUCTORY CONCEPTS IN THE STUDY OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)
  1. The Ecological Basis of Pest Management
  2. Industry Trends and Protocols that impact on IPM
  3. Using Pesticides
  4. Barriers that could impact on IPM
TOPIC 4 PUBLIC RELATIONS
  1. General Guidance
  2. Acceptance of Slow-Acting Controls
  3. Structural Modifications
  4. Surveillance
  5. Tolerance of Occasional Low-Level Sightings
  6. Sanitation
TOPIC 5 GENERAL STEPS IN IPM
  1. The Six Steps of the IPM Process
    1. Understanding and Educations the Customer
    2. Analyzing the Pest Problem
    3. Taking Short-Term Corrective Action
    4. Implementing Long-Term Preventive Action
    5. Monitoring, Documenting and Evaluating Results
    6. Getting Back to the Customer
  2. Summary
TOPIC 6 TREATMENT SELECTION
  1. IPM Control Principles
  2. Cultural Control
  3. Mechanical and Physical Control
  4. Biological Control
  5. Chemical Control
  6. Selecting Treatment Strategies
  7. Criteria for selecting treatment strategies
  8. Timing treatments
  9. Spot Treatments
  10. Summary of available treatment options
  11. How to select a Pesticide for an IPM Programme
  12. Pesticide Use Guidelines
  13. Other Miscellaneous IPM procedures
TOPIC 7 THE IDENTIFICATION OF PLANT PESTS AND DISEASES
  1. Ants
  2. Scales
  3. Mealybugs
  4. Aphids
  5. Whiteflies
  6. Leafhoppers and Stinkbugs
  7. Mites
  8. Thrips
  9. Fruit Flies and Moths
  10. Caterpillars
  11. Army Worms
  12. Flower Beetles
  13. Moles
  14. Fleas
  15. Ticks
  16. Ants
  17. Birds
  18. Snakes
TOPIC 8 CONTROL METHODS
  1. Introduction
  2. Flea Control
  3. Tick Control
  4. Control of Ants
  5. Snake Control
  6. Lawn Diseases
    1. Brown Patch
    2. Dollar Spot
    3. Fairy Ring
    4. Rust
    5. Pythium Blight
    6. Anthracnose
TOPIC 9 SAFETY ON THE JOBS