Assessor Resource

AHCPHT407A
Manage mushroom crop development

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024


This unit applies to staff on a mushroom farm who manage mushroom crop development, including the selection, application and management of the mushroom casing, and all activities up to the end of the harvesting period.

This unit covers managing mushroom crop development and defines the standard required to: recognise stages of growth and development, and factors impacting on yields and mushroom quality; recognise the interdependency of stages of growth and impact of early stages of production cycle on production results; monitor and manage growing room conditions, watering and flush development of mushroom crops.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

recognise stages of growth and development, and factors impacting on yields and mushroom quality

recognise the interdependency of stages of growth and impact of early stages of production cycle on production results

monitor and manage growing room conditions, watering and flush development of mushroom crops.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

maintaining environment within parameters for production

accepting responsibility for quality of own work

contributing to productive work environment

developing work schedules

managing own work and supervising work of others

maintaining safety of self and others

implement and review QA procedures including food safety

observing employment requirements

promoting workplace cooperation

use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks

use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views

use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data

use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge

available options of additives to irrigation water to promote mushroom quality and the main considerations of their use

basic understanding of air conditioning principles, particularly relative humidity

casing function, application and depth and surface structure requirements

desirable physical, biological and chemical characteristics of casing

farm standards and procedures, including those relating to OHS, food safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), quality systems, emergency procedures, organisational structure and workplace communication channels and protocols

goals and sub-stages of Phase II substrate preparation and impact of Phase II on yields and quality

growth phases of a mushroom crop and interactions that occur between the compost, casing, environmental factors (such as temperature, water, relative humidity and carbon dioxide) and growth of the mushroom

how nature of casing and the appearance and quantity of mycelium growth in casing affect the number, distribution and quality of fruit bodies formed

impact of mushroom numbers and size on picking and quality

industry and workplace awards and conditions

overview of Phase I substrate production and its impact on yields and quality

management impacts of supplementing at spawning or casing

management requirements of casing - Compost Added at Casing (CAC) and/or Casing Inoculums (CI)

OHS and environmental legislation, industry codes of practice and enterprise procedures

site quarantine protocols.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Mushrooms may include:

all species and cultivars of fungi.

Farm standards and procedures may include:

those relating to:

OHS, food safety

HACCP

quality systems

emergency procedures

organisational structure

workplace communication channels and protocols.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Casing materials and recipe are selected and instructions are given to appropriate personnel. 
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)requirements and hazards are identified and appropriate action is taken to minimise the risks to self and others. 
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)and clothing are selected and used according to farm OHS procedures. 
Condition and quality of spawn run are assessed before casing and, if required, remedial action is taken according to farm procedures. 
Where supplement is to be added to substrate at casing, product and its rate of application are selected and instructions are given to appropriate personnel. 
Casing mixture is checked against farm standards for moisture, structure and depth, and remedial action is taken if required. 
Crop is installed in growing room according to farm procedures. 
Air conditioning system in the growing room is set up and checked for correct functioning. 
Temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide content are measured, recorded, and where required, adjusted. 
Mycelium growth is assessed and decisions are made on the timing and quantity of water to be applied. 
Pest and disease status is monitored and recorded and, where required, remedial action is taken. 
Growth is assessed and changes are made to temperature and ventilation to initiate fruit body formation according to farm procedures. 
Temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide content are measured, recorded and adjusted. 
Variations from expected or required ranges of temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide content are identified and analysed, and appropriate remedial action is taken. 
Mycelium development and pin development are assessed and timing and quantity of water and additives to be applied to water are determined. 
Pest and disease status are monitored and recorded, and remedial action is taken where required. 
OHS requirements and hazards are identified and appropriate action is taken to minimise the risks to self and others. 
Crop maturity is assessed to determine when and what to pick. 
Pickers are given instructions about tasks to be performed. 
Picking results are monitored to ensure instructions continue to be appropriate and are being carried out. 
Markets are consulted to ensure product meets market needs and specifications. 
Crop quality is monitored, disorders stimulated by environmental conditions are recognised, and remedial action is implemented if required. 
Pest and disease status during this stage are monitored and recorded, and remedial action is taken where required. 
Daily work schedule for waterers is planned and picking and watering schedules are coordinated. 
Harvest process is reviewed for compliance with quality standards and areas for improvement are identified where appropriate, documented and implemented. 
Feedback is provided to pickers on individual and team performance. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

AHCPHT407A - Manage mushroom crop development
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Assessment Record Sheet

AHCPHT407A - Manage mushroom crop development

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

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Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

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