PLANT PATHOLOGY

The main goal of this course is to provide the body of knowledge on plant diseases caused by biotic and abiotic agents. More specifically, the student will acquire the basics of biotic diseases  with special focus on fungi, oomycetes, and bacteria. Diseases reduce yield and commercial value of medicinal plants, they also cause loss of quality. By the end of the course, the student will have acquired diagnostic skills, will be able to assess the phytosanitary importance of the main disease agents of medicinal and agricultural plants interest. Moreover, this course will provide the knowledge on the management of the main diseases of medicinal plants with an environmentally friendly approach.

The training objectives set will be achieved through lectures conducted with the help of computer-based teaching schemes and laboratory exercises for recognizing the main symptoms and learning techniques for isolating fungal pathogens from infected plant tissues.

In addition, it will be proposed to the students to prepare a paper on a monographic topic, chosen together with the lecturer, which is then to be presented during the final examination after preparation of a power point. This will enable students to acquire a range of knowledge related to the following aspects: a) conducting a literature search by consulting articles and websites on the chosen topic, taking care to select the most reliable sources; b) preparing a paper on the basis of a well-charted outline; c) setting up a power point by choosing appropriate images and structuring the slides appropriately; d) presenting in public by answering the lecturer's questions.

Information for students with disabilities and / or DSA

To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the current laws, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and / or dispensatory measures,  based on their specific needs and on teaching objectives of the discipline. It is also possible to ask the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs), in the person of  professor Teresa Musumeci.

Any additional expected learning outcomes related to: 

Autonomy of judgment

- The student should be able to independently evaluate diagnostic methods for identifying the causative agents of diseases

- Propose measures to prevent, control and establish an eco-friendly production system. The required tools will be provided to enable students to independently analyze, and perform  analysis in the field and laboratory.  

Communication skills

- Acquisition of language appropriate to the discipline, with particular reference to diseases affecting agricultural crops, especially medicinal plants. 

- Student should be able to fully exhibit a practical example of the disease studied, using a properly technical language. 

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.

Information for students with disabilities and / or DSA

To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the current laws, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and / or dispensatory measures,  based on their specific needs and on teaching objectives of the discipline. It is also possible to ask the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs), in the person of  professor Teresa Musumeci.

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

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

Elementary knowledge of systematic botany (useful)

Attendance is mandatory according to the rules of the didactic regulations of the CdS in SFA as stated in the link: 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.

Practical exercises (2CFU): symptomatological diagnosis of phytopathological specimens; stereomicroscope observation of phytopathological specimens; setup and observation of preparations under light microscopy; isolation and culture of fungi. Observation of disease stages on diseased plants, 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) G.L. Schumann. e D'Arcy C.J. -2013. Essential Plant Pathology -  2nd  Edition -  APS Press.

Learning assessment will be through a written intermediate test consisting of 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 link of Department of Drug and Health Sciences (DSFS).

Definition of disease in Plant Pathology. Definition of symptom and sign: Describe a symptom 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 phase. Why is it important to test Koch's postulates to diagnose a disease? Definition of incubation 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.