Unit ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT PHATOLOGY

Course
Agricultural and environmental sciences
Study-unit Code
A002031
Curriculum
Agricoltura sostenibile
Teacher
Roberto Buonaurio
CFU
12
Course Regulation
Coorte 2020
Offered
2022/23
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa integrata

AGRICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY

Code 80454606
CFU 6
Teacher Eric Conti
Teachers
  • Eric Conti
Hours
  • 54 ore - Eric Conti
Learning activities Caratterizzante
Area Discipline della difesa
Academic discipline AGR/11
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents Entomology. 6 credits.
Insects and man. External and internal morphology, physiology, reproduction, development. Taxonomy. Ecology and ethology. Population dynamics. Economic thresholds. IPM. Identification, biology, ecology, damage and management of the main pests of food crops. Laboratory.
Reference texts - Handouts from the lecturer.
- Baccetti B., Barbagallo S., Su¨ss L., Tremblay E. 2000. Manuale di Zoologia agraria. Antonio Delfino Editore.
- Gullan P.J., Cranston P.S. 2006. Lineamenti di Entomologia. Zanichelli.
- Pennacchio F, 2014. Gli Insetti e il loro controllo. Liguori editore. -Colazza, Peri, Lo Bue. Lineamenti di Entomologia in agricoltura biologica. Palermo University Press.
Educational objectives Main knowledge and skills that the students will acquire are:
- basic and applied knowledge on insects, their interactions and integrated management;
- ability to apply the acquired knowledge in agricultural entomology
Prerequisites Before attending or starting to study it is useful for the student to know the following basic concepts: outlines of zoology and animal cell; cultivated herbaceous and arboreal plants.
Teaching methods Face-face lectures using video-projection. Laboratory experience. Discussion of scientific articles. Field excursion if possible.
Other information NA
Learning verification modality The student evaluation is carried out with an oral exam of about 30 minutes: recognition of main agricultural insect taxa; discussion
on IPM strategies in one agro-ecosystem among the those chosen by the student in agreement with the lecturer; short questions on external morphology of main insect taxa, anatomy and physiology, ecology. During the exam the following skills will be evaluated: language, capacity to make links within and between modules.
Extended program LECTURES:
Introduction to Entomology. General morphology. Insects and man. Diffusion, economic importance.
Insect taxonomy.
External morphology. Head, thorax, abdomen. Internal anatomy and physiology.
Reproduction. Development.
Bioecology and behaviour. Insects and agroecosystems. Trophic levels, interactions, semiochemicals. Natural enemies. Population dynamics. Economic damage, monitoring, scouting, economic thresholds. Integrated pest management (IPM).
Insect and mite pests of the different herbaceous (cereals, industrial crops, horticultural crops, legumes) and arboreal (olive groves, vineyards, pome trees, stone trees, minor fruit trees) agroecosystems. Taxonomy, bioecology, damage and integrated management.
TRAINING, LABORATORY and possible field TRIP:
External and internal morphology, development, taxonomy of economic important Orders and families. Mouthparts and plant damage. Insect dissections. Rearing techniques for pests and natural enemies. Behavioural and EAG bioassays. Control methods (chemical, biological, biotechnical control) and monitoring. Field trip if possible.

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Code 80454506
CFU 6
Teacher Roberto Buonaurio
Teachers
  • Roberto Buonaurio
Hours
  • 54 ore - Roberto Buonaurio
Learning activities Caratterizzante
Area Discipline della difesa
Academic discipline AGR/12
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents Plant disease definition. Disease symptoms. Phytopathogenic viruses, prokaryotes, oomycetes and fungi. Mycotoxins. Plant disease resistance. Introduction to epidemiology. Plant disease diagnosis. Plant disease control. Symptoms, pathogen cycle, epidemiology and control of a number of plant diseases caused by viruses, phytoplasmas, bacteria, oomycetes and fungi.
Reference texts Matta A., Buonaurio R., Favaron F., Scala A., Scala F. (2017). Fondamenti di Patologia Vegetale. Pàtron Editore Bologna.
Download lesson slides from Unistudium https://www.unistudium.unipg.it/unistudium/
Educational objectives To know plant pathology principles and how to control plant diseases. To be able to plant a disease diagnosis
Prerequisites Fundamental Botany
Teaching methods Lessons and practice. Multidisciplinary surveys on farms
Learning verification modality Oral exam. 1)Recognition of symptoms from images; 2) a question on a plant disease of the program; 3) a question on general aspects
Extended program GENERAL ASPECTS
1. Plant pathology
1.1. Plant pathology history
1.2 Losses Caused by Plant Diseases
1.3 Plant disease definition
1.4 Disease triangle
1.5 Relationships between organisms (ecological relationships and symbiotic relationships)
1.6 Biotrophs, hemibiotrophs, necrotrophs
1.7 Abiotic and biotic diseases
2. Disease symptoms and signs
2.1 Definition of symptoms and signs
2.2 External and internal symptoms
2.3 Local and systemic symptoms
2.4 Colour modifications
2.5 Necrosis
2.6 Detachment of plant parts
2.7 Shape and size modifications
3. Pant Viruses
3.1 General aspects of plant viruses
3.2 Genomes
3.3 Coat protein
3.4 Morphology
3.5 Replication of ssRNA+ viruses
3.6 Virus movement
3.7 Virus transmission
3.7.1 Transmission through vegetative propagation
3.7.2 Transmission through gamic propagation
3.7.3 Contact transmission
3.7.4 Sap transmission
3.7.5 Transmission through insect vectors
3.7.6 Further transmission modality
4. Phytopathogenic prokaryotes
4.1 Taxonomy of prokaryotes
4.2 Bacterial habitat
4.3 Bacterial infection process
4.3.1 Prepenetration phenomena
4.3.2 Penetration
4.3.3 Infection
4.3.4 Evasion
4.4 Survival and dissemination
4.5 Phytoplasma
4.6 Genome and transmission
4.7 Taxonomy
5. Oomycetes, plasmodiophorids and fungi
5.1 Oomycetes: general aspects
5.2 Plasmodiophorids: general aspects
5.3 Fungi: general aspects
5.4 Infection process of oomycetes and fungi
5.4.1 Prepenetration phenomena
5.4.2 Penetration
5.4.3 Infection
5.4.4 Evasion
6. Pathogenicity and virulence factors
6.1 Pathogenicity of phytopathogenic bacteria: type III and type IV secretion systems
6.2 Pathogenicity of phytopathogenic fungi: role of melanin
6.3 Virulence factor: phythotoxins
6.4 Virulence factor: enzymes that degrade cell walls
6.5 Virulence factor: exopolysaccharides
6.6 Virulence factor: phytohormons
7. Mycotoxins
7.1 Main toxigenic fungi
7.2 Aflatoxins
7.3 Ochratoxins
7.4 Fusarium-toxins: zearalenones, trichothecenes and fumonisins
8. Plant resistance
8.1 The resistance degree
8.2 Preexisting structural and chemical defenses
8.3 Induced structural and chemical defenses
8.4 Qualitative and quantitative resistance
8.5 Non host resistnce and tolerance
8.6 Induced resistance
9. Epidemiology
9.1 Definitions
9.2 Endemic, epidemic, sporadic and pandemic diseases
9.3 Environment and infectious plant diseases (temperature, humidity, light, soil pH)
9.4 Plant disease and forecasting
10. Diagnosis
10.1 Traditional and innovative analyses
10.2 Koch’s postulates
11. Control of plant diseases
11.1 Prevention and therapy
11.2 Quarantine
11.3 Use of resistant plants
11.4 Use of pathogen-free propagating material and seed
11.5 Control of vectors
11.6 Agronomic methods
11.7 Physical methods
11.8 Chemical methods
11.9 Biological methods

SPECIFIC PLANT DISEASES
1. Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)
2. Grapevine flavescence dorée by Candidatus Phytoplasma vitis
3. Olive knot disease by Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi
4. Grapevine downy mildew by Plasmopara viticola
5. Grapevine powdery mildew by Erysiphe necator
6. Grapevine gray mold by Botrytis cinerea
7. Apple scab by Venturia inaequalis
8. Cereal rusts by Puccinia spp.
9. Cereal common bunt by Tilletia spp.
10. Cereal smut by Ustilago spp.
11. Tomato fusarium wilt by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici
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