AHCTRF310 — Monitor turf health

Elements & performance criteria

Performance evidence

• established the scope and scheduling for monitoring turf health for a warm season turf grass species and the common health issues
• established the scope and scheduling for monitoring turf health for a cool season turf grass species and the common health issues
• identified turf health specialist advisors and their requirements to support monitoring procedures
• identified and selected tools and equipment required to monitor and sample turf health issues
• inspected and assessed turf grass for signs of common turf health problems and assessed the extent of the problems, including: pests, diseases, nutritional, environmental causes
• conducted field tests to aid in diagnosing turf grass health issues, including: pH, electrical conductivity (EC), drainage and infiltration rate, soil temperature
• collected and despatched samples for laboratory testing and repaired sample sites
• assessed diagnosis from field and specialist advisor results and determined acceptable parameters
• prepared recommendations according to the sports play standards
• monitored turf grass during growing season.

Knowledge evidence

• 15 turf grass species or cultivars, their common name, genus and species, and growth habit, including warm and cool grass species
• importance of plant physiology in plant health, including: photosynthesis, transpiration, structural components of turf grasses and relation to turf grass health, basic metabolic and physiological processes for disease resistance in turf grass, nutrients, nutrient uptake and role in plant growth, basic physiology processes for insect and disease resistant turf, basic endophyte infection of turf, allelopathy in turf grass species
• specialist advisors, their purpose and method of engagement to support turf health diagnosis
• turf grass species selection for plant health management, including: disease tolerance, mowing height, playing requirements, dormancy, salinity, resilience, wear and recovery, water requirements
• turf grass species and common regional health issues, including: basic biology, symptoms and controls of pests, basic biology, symptoms and controls of diseases, symptoms and controls of disorders, including soil condition, nutrition, environmental disorders (e.g. frost, poor drainage, shade)
• tools, equipment and process for diagnosing turf health and disorders
• expectations and quality indicators for turf grass and sports turf standards
• rates and recommended treatments to achieve optimum turf grass health objectives, including: simple and compound fertilisers used in the turf industry and their effect on turf health, fertiliser types and nutrient release rates, common pesticide types and methods of application, external environment impact of treatments through leaching, excessive spraying, off target damage and overuse, interpretation of labels and safety data sheets for treatments, use of growth regulators and concept of ‘growing degree days’
• calculating nutrient application according to fertiliser rates
• role of trace elements and nutrients required by turf grass plants, and symptoms of toxicities and deficiencies
• soil and plant tissue analysis for monitoring and managing turf health, including: main elements of analysis, significance as indicators of nutritional deficiency and toxicity.

Foundation skills

• Reading: Interpret laboratory test procedures and results
• Writing: Accurately document turf health assessment and recommendations using clear language, correct spelling, grammar and industry terminology
• Oral communication: Use active listening skills Interpret verbal and non-verbal communication
• Numeracy: Perform calculations to check test results

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Questions about assessing AHCTRF310