Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to monitor the health and condition of high performance sports turf playing surfaces.
It applies to individuals who take responsibility for their own work and for the quality of the work of others. They use discretion and judgement in the selection, allocation and use of available resources. All work is carried out to comply with workplace procedures.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Prepare for monitoring activities | 1.1 Identify the turf site to be monitored, the nature and regularity of monitoring and time constraints for delivering reports 1.2 Identify plant tissue and soil analysis consultants and determine their sampling specifications in consultation with the supervisor and/or consultants 1.3 Select monitoring tools and equipment |
2. Collect soil and plant tissue samples | 2.1 Perform on-site soil tests according to testing instrument instructions 2.2 Collect samples for off-site testing from a representative area and prepare, package and despatch 2.3 Replace divots from soil sampling sites and dispose of waste materials 2.4 Clean sampling tools and equipment and return to storage 2.5 Record and compare results of analysis with acceptable parameters 2.6 Make recommendations to address identified deficiencies and to meet target chemical balances |
3. Visually monitor turf health | 3.1 Assess indicators of turf health visually with reference to researched and experiential awareness 3.2 Identify deficiencies in turf health and quality visually with reference to researched and experiential awareness 3.3 Make reports and recommendations according to the playing requirements and desired objectives of the enterprise |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.
The candidate must provide evidence that they can:
assess turf health
identify deficiencies and diseases in turf
inspect and report on the condition of turfed surfaces
perform soil sampling and analyse results
prepare turf maintenance recommendations according to the playing requirements and desired objectives of the enterprise
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
principles and practices of turf health
botany and turf physiology as it applies to turf health
main, simple and compound fertiliser products available to the enterprise including analysis, solubility, salt index, rates and cost
rates and regularity of recommended fertiliser and pesticide application to achieve optimum plant health objectives while minimising external environment impact through leaching, excessive spraying and overuse
role of trace elements and nutrients required by turf grass plants, and symptoms of toxicities and deficiencies
soil and plant tissue analysis as a monitoring and turf management tool, the main elements of analysis and their significance as indicators of nutritional deficiency and toxicity
turf grass diseases, including commonly occurring regional diseases, seasonality, site history and visual disease symptoms
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Sectors
Turf (TRF)