Teaching code

4S00700

Credits

6

Coordinator

Annalisa Polverari

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

AGR/12 - PLANT PATHOLOGY

Moodle Seminars 0

The teaching is organized as follows:

Learning outcomes

Students will acquire basic knowledge about plant-pathogen interactions, pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms, and plant responses to pathogens.
At the end of the Course, students will have specific competences on diagnosis, prevention and therapy of grapevine diseases, according to modern measures of crop management and environment protection.

Program

Introduction to plant pathology
History of Plant Pathology, scientific and economic relevance of plant pathology.
Terminology: Parasitism and Pathogenicity, Host Range of Pathogens, Stages in the Development of Disease, The Disease Cycle
Classification of the main classes of phytopathogens (taxonomy)
Diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi and fungal-like organisms
General features of phytopathogenic fungi
Taxonomy and classification
The infection process
Pathogenicity factors: lytic enzymes, phytotoxins, hormones, research for fungal pathogenicity factors.
Diseases caused by phytopathogenic procariotes
General features of phytopathogenic procariotes (bacteria and phytoplasmas)
Taxonomy and classification
The infection process
Pathogenicity factors: lytic enzymes, phytotoxins, hormones, LPSs, research for bacterial pathogenicity factors.
Diseases caused by phytopathogenic viruses and viroids
General features of phytopathogenic viruses
Taxonomy and classification
The infection process: transmission, replication, movement.
Viroids: transmission, replication.
Diagnostic tools in phytopathology:
Isolation of pathogens in pure culture: Kock’s postulates
Biochemical, serological and molecular methods in plant disease diagnosis
Use of indicator plants

Basic concepts in Plant Protection
Control Methods that Exclude the Pathogen from the Host: Quarantines and Inspections,
Crop Certification
Agronomical and physical measures for disease control and prevention
Direct Protection of Plants from Pathogens: Chemical and Biological Control measures
Breeding for Resistance and Genetic Engineering Techniques: Genetics of Virulence in Pathogens and of Resistance in Host.
Integrated approaches to plant disease control
Basic concepts of epidemiology; examples of forecasting models for prevention and therapy of plant diseases.

Specific pathogens and diseases presented:
Fungi and fungal-like pathogens
Downy mildew
Powdery mildew
Gray mold
Root rot (Armillaria , Rosellinia)
Trunk diseases : esca, Eutypa, Phomopsis
Tracheomycoses (Verticillium sp)
Berry rottings
Bacteria and phytopalsmas
A. tumefaciens, A. vitis e Xylophilus ampelinus,Xylella fastidiosa
Candidatus fitoplasma spp.:
Flavescence dorée; Bois Noir
Viruses and viroids
Grapevine fanleaf
Grapevine leafroll
Corky bark; stem pitting; stem grooving.
Fleck disease of grapevine

Bibliography

Examination Methods

Oral examination