PATOLOGIA VEGETALE DELLE PIANTE SALUTISTICHE

Plant diseases can reduce the productivity and commercial value of medicinal and aromatic plants, while also causing qualitative losses. The main educational objective of this course is to provide students with fundamental knowledge of plant diseases caused by biotic and abiotic agents. Specifically, students will acquire basic knowledge of diseases of biotic origin, with particular emphasis on fungi, oomycetes, and bacteria. 

By the end of the course, students will have developed diagnostic skills and will be able to assess the phytosanitary significance of the main disease-causing agents affecting medicinal and agricultural crops. They will also acquire the basic knowledge required to develop environmentally sustainable strategies for disease prevention and management.

The intended learning outcomes are formulated in accordance with the Dublin Descriptors and are consistent with the assessment methods adopted.

The educational objectives will be achieved through lectures and laboratory practical sessions.

In addition, students will acquire the skills required to conduct bibliographic research independently and effectively in relation to the course objectives and will be encouraged to prepare and present monographic reports.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Knowledge and Understanding

Students will acquire specific knowledge and understanding of the main topics in Plant Pathology outlined above.

Assessment methods: written  and oral examination.

Applying Knowledge and Understanding

Students will be able to apply the knowledge acquired in practical contexts by using the principles introduced during the course and selecting the most appropriate strategies for the study and environmentally sustainable management of pathogens affecting medicinal and health-related plants.

Assessment methods: practical exercises, written examination, and oral discussion.

Making Judgements

Students will develop the ability to:

independently assess the most appropriate diagnostic methods for identifying the causal agents of plant diseases;

select suitable measures for disease prevention and control and for the establishment of environmentally sustainable crop production systems under field conditions.

Assessment methods: these skills will be developed and assessed through case-study discussions, seminars, and the preparation of a monographic report.

Communication Skills

Students will develop:

appropriate technical and scientific terminology specific to Plant Pathology, with particular reference to diseases affecting agricultural crops and, especially, medicinal and aromatic plants;

the ability to present scientific results clearly and effectively;

the ability to critically discuss plant pathological issues;

the ability to prepare and deliver a scientific presentation using appropriate digital tools.

By the end of the course, students should be able to present a practical example of a plant disease covered during the course in a comprehensive and well-structured manner, using appropriate technical terminology.

Assessment methods: presentation of the monographic report and oral examination.

Learning Skills

Students will develop the ability to:

independently identify and retrieve relevant scientific literature;

consult national and international scientific databases;

keep up to date with innovations and advances in the field of Plant Pathology;

independently investigate specific plant health and disease-management issues.

These skills will be fostered through individual activities, the preparation of the monographic report, and the consultation and critical analysis of scientific literature.

Assessment methods: quality of the monographic report, oral discussion, and the ability to establish interdisciplinary connections.

The course will mainly consist of lectures, but laboratory exercises are planned; the activities will include i) the recognition of the main symptoms of plant diseases; ii) learning the main techniques of isolation of fungal pathogens from infected plant tissues.

Furthermore, students will be asked to prepare a report on a monographic topic chosen with the teacher which will then have to be presented during the course as a power point. This will allow students to acquire a series of knowledge related to the following aspects: a) perform a bibliographic research by consulting articles and websites on the chosen topic, taking care to select the most reliable bibliographic sources; b) prepare a report on the basis of a well-drawn outline; c) set up a power point by choosing appropriate images and structuring the slides in an appropriate manner; d) present a talk in public and answer to the questions of the teacher.

Students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to support their studies, in compliance with current legislation, including regulations on copyright and the use of intellectual works, as described in Section 5.1 of the Guidelines (https://www.unict.it/it/ateneo/cidia-centro-l%E2%80%99informatica-la-digitalizzazione-e-l%E2%80%99intelligenza-artificiale).

According to the RDA, Art. 12 - University Credits (CFU), the standard workload of 25 hours of total student commitment, corresponding to one credit, may include: a) 7 hours dedicated to lectures or equivalent teaching activities and the rest individual study; b) at least 12 and no more than 15 hours dedicated to classroom exercises or equivalent assisted activities (laboratories) and the rest to study and personal re-elaboration.

If the course is delivered in blended or remote mode, appropriate adjustments may be made to the above, in order to ensure consistency with the syllabus.

Plant cell biology: scholastic knowledge of structure and function (useful)

General botany: scholastic knowledge of plant morphology and physiology (useful)

Scholastic knowledge of systematic botany (useful)

Attendance is mandatory according to the rules of the didactic regulations of the CdS in SFA. Absences are permitted for no more than 30% of the total course hours, taking into account all forms of teaching activities (http://www.dsf.unict.it/corsi/l-29_sfa/regolamento-didattico). 

Methods of establishing attendance.- Each lecturer shall establish a method for ascertaining attendance in the course for which he or she is responsible and, at the end of the course, shall notify the Student Secretary of the list of students who have not met the attendance requirement.

The course will provide basic knowledge concerning alterations of biotic and abiotic origin in plants of herbal and agricultural interest. Major disease agents will be characterized according to their morphology, biology, pathogenesis, etiology and epidemiology. Special attention will be given to traditional and molecular diagnosis technics and eco-friendly defense strategies. 

General aspects. Introduction to Plant Pathology. Disease definition. Diseases classification. General features of viroids, virus, phytoplasma, bacteria and fungi.

Plant disease diagnosis Koch’s postulates. Methods of diagnosis: conventional and innovative (immunological and molecular methods).

Parasitism, pathogenicity and disease development. Infectious disease cycle: inoculation, penetration, infection process, colonization, dissemination. Pathogen’s specialization: formae speciales, races and patovar.

How pathogens attack plants: microbial toxins, enzymes and proteins, growth regulators. Disease classification on the basis of the pathogenicity mechanisms.

How plants defend themselves against pathogens: preexisting structural and chemical-biochemical defenses and induced structural and chemical-biochemical defenses. Genetics of plant diseaes: variability of plant pathogens, immunity, tolerance, disease escape and true resistance: horizontal or polygenic and vertical or monogenic.

Plant disease epidemiology. Environmental factors tha affect development of epidemics.

Control of plant diseases (general aspects and definitions): prevention (exclusion, eradication), chemical methods and genetic resistance. Biological and integrated control. Drawbacks of the use of chemical control of plant diseases

Specific plant diseases. Powdery mildew, downy mildew and gray mold. Main diseases of medicinal plants . Main citrus disease: Mal secco, Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) and Phytophthora spp. Crown gall.

Toxic fungi.  Relevance and classification of mycotoxins.Cereal mycotoxins. Patulin

Practical exercises (2CFU):  diagnosis based on symptoms of phytopathological specimens; stereomicroscope observation of phytopathological specimens; setup and observation of preparations under light microscopy; isolation and culture of fungi.Surveys of disease stages on phytopathological specimens, incidence and intensity of damage caused by different pathogens. Seminars related to program topics given by experts in the field. .

Suggested Readings

1)) Belli G. -.2012. Elementi di Patologia Vegetale -  2nd edizione - Editore Piccin, Padova

2) Matta A. et al. - Fondamenti di Patologia vegetale.(2017). Patron Editore, Bologna

3) G.L. Schumann. e D'Arcy C.J. -2013. Essential Plant Pathology -  2nd  Edition -  APS Press.

4) Course materials provided by the lecturer

Additional resources

3) George N. Agrios – Plant Pathology –V edizione -  Academic. Press. Inc., San Diego, California.

4) Buchanan B.B., Gruissem W. e Jones R.L. - 2003. Biochimica e Biologia molecolare delle piante -  Zanichelli Editore.

Learning assessment will be through a written  test consisting of multiple and open-ended questions, lasting 2 hours. The outcome of the test, evaluated in 30ths, will be averaged with the result of the monograph paper discussed in the oral examination for the achievement of the final evaluation. 

The final exam consists of an in-depth study of a monographic topic inherent to the program carried out, chosen in agreement with the teacher, with a Power point presentation to be discussed orally in the exam. The assessment of the student's preparation, expressed in 30ths, will be made on the basis of the following criteria: quality and level of thoroughness of the 'topic covered; property of synthesis and exposition (the technical language property ), and the student's ability to argue. During the presentation, professor will ascertain the knowledge acquired during the course with some specific questions. 

The final judgment is as follows:

Subject knowledge and understanding: has limited and fragmentary knowledge of fundamental topics;

Analysis and synthesis skills: performs analysis in a superficial and largely incomplete manner

Language and expressive skills: makes use of inadequate terminology and uncertain and confusing language.

18-20

Subject knowledge and understanding: superficial and partial

Analysis and synthesis skills: makes incomplete and inadequate analysis and synthesis.

Language and expressive skills: uses specific language not always correctly.

21-23

Subject knowledge and understanding: knows with sufficient accuracy the basic elements of the topics covered

Analysis and synthesis skills: performs almost complete, but not in-depth analysis and synthesis

Language and expressive skills: uses specific language in a simple but appropriate manner.

24-26

Subject knowledge and understanding: Good knowledge

Analysis and synthesis skills: Has good analysis and synthesis skills. Topics are consistently expressed

Linguistic and expressive skills: Uses specific language confidently and correctly.

27-29

Subject knowledge and understanding: has complete, thorough and coordinated knowledge of the topics covered

Analysis and synthesis skills: performs complete and thorough analysis and synthesis

Language and expressive skills: uses specific language confidently, articulately and fluently.

30-30 cum laude

Subject knowledge and understanding:  has complete, detailed, comprehensive and personalized knowledge of the topics covered

Ability to analyze and synthesize: knows how to organize independently and completely the knowledge acquired, and is capable of autonomous evaluations and connections

Linguistic and expressive skills: uses specific language confidently, articulately and fluently

For exam dates, please log on to the following link: https://www.dsf.unict.it/it/corsi/l-29_sfa/calendario-esami

Learning assessment may also be carried out on-line, should the conditions require it.

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current legislation, students concerned may request an individual meeting to discuss and arrange any appropriate compensatory measures and/or exemptions, taking into account the learning objectives of the course and their specific needs. Students may contact Prof. Santina Chiechio (santina.chiechio@unict.it), who also serves as the CInAP Departmental Representative (Centre for Active and Participatory Inclusion – Services for Students with Disabilities and/or Specific Learning Disorders) for the Department of Drug and Health Sciences.

Definition of disease in Plant Pathology. Definition of symptom and sign. Describe one of your choice and associate it with a disease. Definition of biotroph and necrotroph. Examples of one and the other. What are appressorium and austorium used for? List the developmental stages of a disease and describe the penetration stage. Why is it important to test Koch's postulates to diagnose a disease? Definition of incubation period and latency period of a disease. Definitions of monocyclic, polycyclic and polycytic disease; give examples for each type of disease. Describe the difference between soft rot and dry rot.

In addition, multiple choice questions will be given.