Studying at the University of Verona

Here you can find information on the organisational aspects of the Programme, lecture timetables, learning activities and useful contact details for your time at the University, from enrolment to graduation.

This information is intended exclusively for students already enrolled in this course.
If you are a new student interested in enrolling, you can find information about the course of study on the course page:

Laurea magistrale in Biotecnologie agro-alimentari - Enrollment from 2025/2026

The Study Plan includes all modules, teaching and learning activities that each student will need to undertake during their time at the University.
Please select your Study Plan based on your enrollment year.

2° Year  activated in the A.Y. 2017/2018

ModulesCreditsTAFSSD
One course to be chosen among the following
One course to be chosen among the following
Other activitites
1
F
-
Prova finale
32
E
-
activated in the A.Y. 2017/2018
ModulesCreditsTAFSSD
One course to be chosen among the following
One course to be chosen among the following
Other activitites
1
F
-
Prova finale
32
E
-

Legend | Type of training activity (TTA)

TAF (Type of Educational Activity) All courses and activities are classified into different types of educational activities, indicated by a letter.




S Placements in companies, public or private institutions and professional associations

Teaching code

4S00700

Credits

6

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

AGR/12 - PLANT PATHOLOGY

The teaching is organized as follows:

teoria

Credits

5

Period

I sem.

Academic staff

Annalisa Polverari

laboratorio

Credits

1

Period

I sem.

Academic staff

Annalisa Polverari

Learning outcomes

The student will acquire an overview of the plant disease defense issues, with brief introduction to biology and epidemiology of major plant pathogens and the main methods of diagnosis and control.
Special attention will be devoted to a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and virulence and host-pathogen interactions, with particular reference to the resistance of plants to the pathogen and related biotechnological applications.

Program

General concepts on plant disease; description of the principal biotic plant pathogens (fungi, bacteria, phytoplasmas, viruses and viroids). Nutritional strategies and life cycle of plant pathogens. Symptom analysis and description.
Diagnosis of plant pathogens with traditional, molecular and serological techniques.
Basic concepts in epidemiology, plant disease management and control.
Molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and virulence.
Phytopathogenic fungi and pseudo-fungi; general life cycle and virulence factors. Detailed life cycle for Plasmopara viticola, Erysiphe necator, Venturia inaequalis, Botrytis cinerea, Puccinia graminis.
Phytopathogenic bacteria: virulence factors, function of hrp and avr genes. Detailed life cycles for Erwinia amylovora, Pseudomonas syringae.
Phytopathogenic viruses: basic knowledge of replication, gene expression, assembly, movement of the viral particle into the infected plant. Detailed examples: Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV), Potato Virus Y (PVY). Viral transmission through vectors. Satellite viruses and satellite RNAs. Use of viruses as expression vectors. Basic knowledge of phytoplasmas and viroid infection process and epidemiology.

Plant-pathogen interaction and plant resistance to disease. Molecular bases of host specificity. Non-host resistance and race-specific resistance.
Plant-pathogen recognition: the elicitor-receptor model and the guard model.
Structure, function and evolution of plant resistance genes.
Signal transduction in plant resistence: reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, salycilic acid, jasmonate and ethylene in plant defence.
Mechanisms of resistance: pathogenesis-related proteins, gene expression related to resistance. Post-transcriptional gene silencing as a resistance mechanism against viral pathogens.
Systemic resistance responses: Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR); Induced Systemic Resistence (ISR); Systemic Wound Response.
Biotechnological approaches to breed resistant plants:
transgenic expression of genes deriving from other plants, from other organisms and from pathogens (pathogen derived resistance).

Bibliography

Reference texts
Activity Author Title Publishing house Year ISBN Notes
teoria Belli Giuseppe Elementi di Patologia vegetale Piccin-Nuova Libraria 2015
teoria Agrios G.N. Plant Pathology (Edizione 4) Harcourt Academic Press 1997 0120445646
laboratorio Belli Giuseppe Elementi di Patologia vegetale Piccin-Nuova Libraria 2015
laboratorio Agrios G.N. Plant Pathology (Edizione 4) Harcourt Academic Press 1997 0120445646

Examination Methods

Oral exam to evaluate students' learnings and capacity to use and connect the information in an systematic body of knowledge.

Students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD), who intend to request the adaptation of the exam, must follow the instructions given HERE