Assignment: Case Study
-/100 pts
Assignment: Case Study
Submit Assignment
- Points 100
- Submitting a website url or a file upload
- File Types doc, docx, and pdf
Value: 20% of your final grade
Instructions
This assignment integrates some of the concepts studied to this point in the course. You will be expected to illustrate your comprehension of cause and effect in the aquaponics system.
Using the following information, you will address the decisions you would make regarding integrated pest management. You will need to identify the pests, explain your solutions/plan of action, and rationalize your decisions. Use your knowledge of the information from this and the other modules to diagnose the pests or issues, explain and justify your solutions and process. Remember, you must look at the whole system.
The Case Study
Situation: As a greenhouse manager, you have been left in charge of a large aquaponics system, while your boss is off on her vacation. The system is a DFT aquaponics system with a greenhouse located in a temperate climate (mean: 21oC summer, <0o C winter). The main produce are long and mini English cucumbers. The fish source is tilapia. Your boss left late last week and everything was great and in good working order. However, it is now Monday and you think that you might have a problem. Your cucumbers are beginning to curl and your leaves look like this:
(Cranshaw, 2016)
At present, you only see a few plants and leaves affected by this, but you are concerned that whatever it is, it is just the beginning. You have ruled out disease, since there is no evidence of a source and pattern of spread. You have also ruled out nutrient deficiency, since there is no pattern to the problem on individual plants, and certain plants are impacted to a much greater extent than others. Here are a few of the insects you’ve inspected that were stuck on your sticky cards.
Report Parameters
Your report should be written clearly and in full sentences. If you reference any material, including this course, your sources should be documented in a reference page at the back of your report. Your report should be concise: 1,000 to 1,200 words in length. Present the report as if it were a professional document that you will give to your boss upon her return.
Use the rubric below as a guide for completing this assignment.