Unit CONTROL OF POST-HARVEST DISEASES AND PESTS

Course
Food technology and biotechnology
Study-unit Code
GP000792
Curriculum
Tecnologie alimentari
Teacher
Lorenzo Covarelli
CFU
6
Course Regulation
Coorte 2024
Offered
2024/25
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa integrata

AGRICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY

Code GP000798
CFU 3
Teacher Gianandrea Salerno
Teachers
  • Gianandrea Salerno
Hours
  • 27 ore - Gianandrea Salerno
Learning activities Affine/integrativa
Area Attività formative affini o integrative
Academic discipline AGR/11
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents The course aims to provide basic and applied knowledge on insects and other organisms harmful to post-harvest food. Insights will be provided on quantitative and qualitative damage caused by the various insect pests with reference to the health risk caused by them. Will also provide knowledge about the different monitoring techniques and defence strategies. The course aims to give the student a complete overview of the activities and issues relating to the reduction of losses during the storage of foodstuffs and to intervene with measures to ensure the safety, quality of food. Program summary: Stored-food pests. The storage ecosystems. Economic damage and health hazard. Monitoring and economic thresholds. IPM in post-harvest food. Legislative, biological, biotechnical, physical-mechanical and chemical methods.
Reference texts 1. PPT files provided to the students.
2. SÜSS, LOCATELLI. I parassiti delle derrate. Riconoscimento e gestione delle infestazioni nelle industrie alimentari. Calderini Edagricole, 2001.
3. BACCETTI, BARBAGALLO, SÜSS, TREMBLAY. Manuale di Zoologia agraria. Antonio Delfino Editore, 2000.
Educational objectives Knowledge
Basic knowledge of entomology.
Morphological and bio-ethological characteristics of the main pests of stored products.
Quantitative and qualitative damages caused by pests of stored products.
Influence of manufacturing processes on food quality
Basis for the proper storage of food
Health risks caused by the presence of pests
Techniques and strategies of control of stored product pests

Skills
Set a correct diagnosis and proper strategies of prevention and defense
Identify the main pests that attack the animal food products
Providing a program of monitoring and sampling
Providing a program of prevention and control in relation to pest of stored products

Behaviours
To be sensitive to the risks associated with contamination of food
To be sensitive to the importance of IPM of stored products.
Prerequisites Fundamentals of Agricultural Entomology (suggested)
Teaching methods Theoretical classroom frontal lessons using videoprojections.
Practical laboratory lessons and technical visits to specialized companies.
Other information Attending the lectures is optional but strongly advised.
Learning verification modality Oral examination
Extended program The lectures will cover the following topics: Introduction to the food pest organisms. Diffusion and economic importance. The "eco-systems" for stored products. The sources of infestation. Pests of sored products: insects, mites, arthropods of secondary importance, crustaceans, mollusks, mammals; General information; elements of taxonomy, morphology, anatomy, biology, ethology and ecology. The economic damage. Qualitative and quantitative losses. Monitoring techniques and economic thresholds. Means and methods of prevention. Control with biological methods, biotechnical, physical, mechanical and natural and synthetic chemicals. Integrated control strategies against major pests. Ratings of contamination in food. The solid impurities, the main methods of analysis.

The practicals will concern on observations on morphological characters of the main insects and of other pests with identification of key species. The differences between the different types of damages caused by the pests will be highlighted. Techniques of arthropod rearing in laboratory conditions will be addressed. Visits to selected companies working in the cereal transformations and/or fruit and vegetable storage and commercialization will be carried out.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Code GP000799
CFU 3
Teacher Lorenzo Covarelli
Teachers
  • Lorenzo Covarelli
Hours
  • 27 ore - Lorenzo Covarelli
Learning activities Affine/integrativa
Area Attività formative affini o integrative
Academic discipline AGR/12
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents During the course, the most important concepts of general plant pathology and the most important post-harvest fungal diseases will be discussed as well as the problems related to feed and food contamination by mycotoxins.
Several external visits at companies operating in the agri-food sector will be organised.
Reference texts 1. Material provided by the teacher.
2. Patologia postraccolta dei prodotti vegetali. De Cicco V., Bertolini P., Salerno M.G., pp. 274, Piccin Editore.
Educational objectives The main objective of the course is to give students basic knowledge to manage the problems related to post-harvest dacay of food and feed.
The main acquired knowledge will be:
1. Basic knowledge on plant pathology
2. Main fungal diseases of post-harvest products
3. Influence of production processes on the quality of food products
4. Basic knowledge on correct food storage
5. Problems related to food contamination by mycotoxins
6. Control techniques and strategies of fungal diseases

The main abilities:

1. Recognize the principal post-harvest diseases and their causal agents
2. Set up a correct diagnosis and correct strategies of prevention and control
3. Plan adequate monitoring and sampling programs
5. Identify the principal risks related to the presence of mycotoxins in food

Students will be:
1. Informed about the importance of scarce/abundant food in the world and about food security
2. Informed about the risks related to food contaminations.
Prerequisites Knowledge on general Plant pathology.
Teaching methods Theoretical classroom frontal lessons on the topics of the course, with the aid of PowerPoint presentations.
Practical laboratory lessons and technical visits to specialised companies: 8 hours
Other information Attendance is strongly recommended.
Learning verification modality Oral examination.

Information about support services to disabled students:
http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa
Extended program The course will focus on the most important post-harvest losses of fruit and vegetables during storage due to fungal diseases and about food safety, quality and health. During the course, the most important concepts of general plant pathology and the most important post-harvest fungal diseases will be discussed as well as the main problems related to feed and food contamination by mycotoxins. Practical lessons will be held on the isolation of pathogens from infected plant materials (fruits and seeds) and light microscopy will be used for the identification of fungal pathogens. Technical visits will be carried out in selected farms, industries and/or storage centers dealing with cereals, fruits and vegetables.
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