Plant production

1
Plant production

• Lesson 6 Pests and diseases. Protecting plants

2
Pests

• Pests are insects and mites that attack plants,
  like greenfly (aphids).
• Pests can be controlled with chemicals called
  insecticides, which poison them.
• Pests can also be controlled by biological
  control. This means introducing a natural
  predator of the pest. For example, ladybirds
  might be introduced to a greenhouse to eat
  aphids.
• Spraying plants with soapy water will also kill
  some insects.

3
Diseases

• Plants can be attacked by fungi and viruses that
  cause diseases.
• An example of a fungal disease is grey mould.
• Fungal diseases can be controlled with chemicals
  called fungicides.
• Plants, or parts of plants, infected with a
  disease should be removed and burnt.

4
Protecting plants

• Protecting crops from cold and frost means they
  can be sown earlier and grown later in the year.
• Crops can be kept under glass, in greenhouses or
  polythene, in tunnels.
• They can be covered in a thin fleece material,
  which keeps them warmer and protects them from
  some pests, like caterpillars.