The course emphasizes the ecological and biological aspects of pathogenic agents and their interactions with plants. The student will be introduced to all major groups of plant pathogens, the infection cycle, compatibility and specificity in host pathogen interactions, host metabolism and disease resistance, epidemiology of plant pathogens, clinical methods involved in diagnosis of plant diseases
-Belli G. Elementi di Patologia vegetale. Piccin editore, Padova.
-Matta A. e altri. Fondamenti di Patologia Vegetale, IIa edizione, 2017. PATRON editore, Bologna.
-Schede Fitopatologiche, Edizioni l’Informatore Agrario
-Plant Pathology, 3rd th Edition, Gorge. N. Agrios, Academic Press.
(Biblioteca di Facoltà;Biblioteca del Dipartimento di scienze delle produzioni agroalimentari e dell’ambiente (DISPAA)-Sezione di Patologia vegetale; Librerie).
Learning Objectives
Knolewdge acquired: concepts that form the basis for understanding the nature, cause, epidemiology, and control of plant diseases.
Competence acquired (at the end of the course):
understand causes and development of plant diseases by biotic (living) and abiotic (non living) factors; have knowledge of means and methods for disease control and prevention within the ambit of sustainable agriculture
Skills acquired (at the end of the course): Diagnosis of biotic and abiotic diseases of crop plants; development of strategies for disease control.
Prerequisites
Courses to be used as requirements (required and/or recommended)
Students are expected to be familiar with the principles and terminology of biology and with the morphology, anatomy, and physiology of plants.
Courses required: Botany, Microbiology, Organic chemistry
Courses recommmended: Biochemistry
Teaching Methods
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150
Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities: 96
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 34
Contact hours for: Laboratory (hours): 4
Contact hours for: Laboratory-field/practice (hours): 7-10
Seminars (hours): 0-3
Stages: 0
Intermediate examinations: 0
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab, although non compulsory, is strongly recommended.
Teaching tools:
Video projector, PC, overhead projector, experimental fields, labs
Type of Assessment
Exam modality: oral examination on the subjects of lectures and laboratory.
Audit: clarity of basic concepts; reasoning skills on real cases; proper use of technical-scientific language.
Course program
Content (detailed programme): nature and importance of plant diseases; historical background; causes and symptoms of diseases; characteristics of major plant pathogens (fungi, bacteria, phytoplasma, viruses, nematodes); infection cycle; pathogen-host interactions and genetics (pathogenesis, virulence, plant defence mechanisms); effects of pathogens on plant functions; epidemiology of plant diseases and role of the environment and abiotic factors in plant diseases; strategies for control of plant diseases; means and methods for disease control; biotechnology and sustainable agriculture in plant pathology; environmental factors that cause plant diseases; main diseases caused by fungi, prokaryotes and viruses on Mediterranean crops (olive, grapevine and cereals ). Laboratory Studies.