Teaching code

4S00700

Credits

6

Coordinator

Elodie Genevieve Germaine Vandelle

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

AGR/12 - PLANT PATHOLOGY

Courses Single

Authorized with reserve

Moodle Seminars 0

The teaching is organized as follows:

Learning objectives

With the course of Phytopathological Biotechnologies, the student will acquire the following competences: KNOWLEDGE 1. Describe the main phytopathogenic microorganisms 2. Define the concepts of infection, disease, resistance, pathogenicity, virulence and related arguments 3. Deep knowledge regarding the plant-pathogen interaction: 3a. Molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and virulence 3b. Physiopathological alterations associated with the infectious process, focusing on signals and mechanisms of plant resistance against phytopathogens. 4. Define the concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) with the description of the main methods employed in plant protection. ABILITY 5. Recognize the main symptoms of some plant diseases presented during the course and their associated microorganisms. 6. Define and apply biotechnological approaches for the improvement of plant resistance against phytopathogens.

Prerequisites and basic notions

- basic notions of microbiology, plant physiology, plant biology

Program

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UL: theory
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The course will cover the following topics:
1. Introduction to plant pathology and general concepts of plant diseases
2. Means of control of plant diseases
3. Phytopathogenic bacteria:
- cycles of Erwinia amylovora, Pseudomonas syringae and Agrobacterium tumefaciens
- molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and virulence
- Role of plant-bacteria communication (signaling and regulation of virulence)
4. Phytoplasmas: basic knowledge and virulence factors
5. Phytopathogenic fungi
- mechanisms of infection (contact, penetration, colonization)
- pathogenicity and virulence factors: description, function and regulation
4. Plant resistance
- molecular basis of host specificity: non-host resistance and race-specific resistance.
- defense responses: morpho-structural mechanisms, synthesis of antimicrobial substances, hypersensitive cell death (HR), post-transcriptional gene silencing as a mechanism of resistance against viral pathogens.
- Defense signal transduction in plant resistance and regulation of gene expression
- systemic resistances: signals and molecular mechanisms governing acquired systemic resistance (SAR) and induced systemic resistance (ISR).
5. Plant-pathogen recognition.
- structure, function and evolution of plant resistance genes
- the elicitor-receptor model, the guard model, the decoy model
6. Biotechnological applications for obtaining resistant plants: transgenic expression of genes from other plants, other organisms and pathogens (pathogen-derived resistance).
Additional teaching materials.
-Course slides (provided no later than the end of each lecture)
-Scientific articles (references cited during lectures)
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UL: laboratory
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Practical exercises.
-Advanced diagnostic tests applicable to plant pathology.
-Production of a hypersensitive reaction on model plant
-Bacterial virulence assessment using genetically modified microorganisms (reporter system)
-Methods of evaluation and characterization of resistance (quantification of hypersensitive death, evaluation of intracellular Ca2+ changes in model plant (expressing a specific probe)

Bibliography

Didactic methods

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UL: theory
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Lectures will be delivered exclusively in-presence with no recourse to online emergency teaching modes.
It will not be delivered in any other way except limited to students who, due to Covid, cannot access the University, upon submission of the relevant request on the appropriate form. The modes of delivery related to this case study will be decided by the lecturer and may include sending the recording, organizing a streaming lecture, sending additional materials, or organizing an in-person or distance meeting
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UL: lab
------------------------
Lectures will be delivered exclusively in-presence without any use of online emergent teaching modes.
It will not be delivered in any other way except limited to students who, due to Covid, cannot access the Athenaeum, upon submission of the relevant request on the appropriate form. The modes of delivery related to this casuistry will be decided by the lecturer and may include sending the recording, organizing a streaming lecture, sending additional materials, or organizing an in-person or distance meeting

Learning assessment procedures

------------------------ MM: theory -----------------------
The exam consists of a test articulated with:
1. Presentation of a scientific article in front of the other students of the course (15-20min). The article is chosen by students from a list proposed by the teacher or independently (further approved by the teacher). The topic of the articles deals with the topics of molecular plant pathology addressed during the course.
2. Written exam with four open questions (2 hours). The purpose of the test is to ascertain the achievement of the training objectives described above.
------------------------ MM: laboratory -----------------------
single exam (see theory)

Evaluation criteria

Evaluation criteria for the presentation of the scientific article: general understanding of the article, in-depth analysis of the topic for a correct description of the context of the work presented (related bibliographic research), properties of the language used, ability to discuss critically.
Evaluation criteria for the written test: degree of knowledge in general of the subject developed in the course of study, language properties relating to the subject in question, reasoning skills

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The final mark expressed out of thirty will be attributed considering:
- 1/3 of the mark (10/30) for the presentation of the article
- 2/3 of the mark for the written test (20/30).
Each student will receive a single final grade including the outcome of the two tests performed. The exam will be the same for attending and non-attending students.

Exam language

italiano

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