Unit ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT PHATOLOGY

Course
Agricultural and environmental sciences
Study-unit Code
A003100
Curriculum
Biotecnologie
Teacher
Eric Conti
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 A003101
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., Süss 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 A003102
CFU 6
Teacher Giovanni Beccari
Teachers
  • Giovanni Beccari
Hours
  • 54 ore - Giovanni Beccari
Learning activities Caratterizzante
Area Discipline della difesa
Academic discipline AGR/12
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents a) General concepts of plant pathology such as symptomatology, parasitism, infection process, resistance, diagnosis, disease control, mycotoxin contamination;
b) Overview about the main disease of crop;
c) Laboratory training with the execution of the main phytopathological analyses with particular reference ti molecular biology.
Reference texts a) Material provided by teacher on unistudium platform;
b) Matta A., Buonaurio R., Scala A., 2017. Fondamenti di Patologia vegetale. Patron Editore, Bologna, 490 pp.
c) Belli G., 2007. Elementi di Patologia vegetale. Piccin Nuova Libraria, Padova, 407 pp.
d) Agrios G.N., 2005. Plant Pathology (Fifth Edition). Elsevier Academic Press, 922 pp.
Educational objectives Objective of this course is to provide the basis to acquire the follow EXPERTISE:
a) Interaction and mechanisms between plant pathogen and host;
b) Main diagnostic techniques to identify plant pathogens;
c) Main disease control techniques;
d) Main issues relative to contaminations by mycotoxins and negative repercussion on quality of raw material;
e) Main diseases of crop.
Furthermore, on the base of the previous expertise, objective of this course is also to provide the follow SKILLS:
a) Development of diagnostic protocol to identify the main plant pathogens of crop;
b) Development of integrated management strategies of the main diseases of the crop;
c) Development of the main strategies to reduce the impact of mycotoxins.
Prerequisites To better understand the arguments explained during the course is strongly recommended to have passed the exam of “principles of biology”. Moreover, the knowledge of English language is very useful to further investigate, by reading of text and scientific article, the various topics of this course.
Teaching methods This course is 54 hours long, distinct in:
a) 42 hours of theoretical lessons;
b) 12 hours of technical-practical exercises.
The theoretical lessons will concern all the arguments exposed in the program. The exercises will introduce the students to the main laboratory analyses useful to verify the phytosanitary condition of different vegetables samples and of different raw material.
Other information For the location and time of lessons please look at the website: http://www.agr.unipg.it/newpro/calendario_lezioni.htm. The lesson frequency is strongly recommended. For each type of necessity please contact the teacher by e-mail (giovanni.beccari@unipg.it) or phone (+39 075 585 64 73).
Learning verification modality The evaluation will be realized by final oral exam, consisting in an open interview with open reply (about 30 minutes long). The interview will be aimed to verify the knowledge level of the course topics. Questions will be relative to GENERAL PART and SPECIAL PART of the program (please see the program)
Extended program The program consists of GENERAL PART and of SPECIAL PART described below:
a) GENERAL PART:
1) Introduction, concept of disease, symptomatology;
2) Concept of parasitism;
3) Inoculum of plant pathogen;
4) Infection process of plant pathogen;
5) Host resistance;
6) Epidemiology;
7) Diagnosis;
8) Disease management;
9) Micotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins with illustration of negative repercussion on the food quality and on the final consumer health.

b) SPECIAL PART:
1) Main viral diseases of crops;
2) Main phytoplasma diseases of crops;
3) Main bacterial diseases of crops;
4) Main oomycota diseases of crops;
5) Main fungal diseases of crops.
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