85860 - Management Of The Phythopathological Emergences

Learning outcomes

In the globalised world, many diseases caused by bacteria, virus, phytoplasmas and fungi arrived in our country. These pathogens become phytosanitary emergences when theirs epidemics cause heavy productive losses. The high costs that often are collective damages, put in evidence the strategic role of preventative and control measures, which involved firstly the National Plant Protection Service together to others institutions interested to disease management. The course has the main goal to train the student on general and specific aspects regarding the managing of these emergences by indirect and direct means.

Course contents

Prerequisites

The student must know the basis of plant pathology as well the biology and epidemiology of the most important pathogens spread in central and northern Italy.

Contents (30 hours)

1)The student will know the pathogens that represented the new phytosanitary emergences especially under control means point of view. The increase of the commercial exchanges and the free circulation of the goods have also increased the risks linked to spread of plant damaging organisms. To limit these risks, circulation of plants and vegetal products is submitted to international prophylaxis measures established from the International Convention for plant protection and in specific European Directives. Italian Regions must apply on own territory international rules on phytosanitary topic adopted at the national level by the legislative decree 19/08/2005, n. 214 and by the Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 (from the 14^th of December 2019). They entrust to Plant Protection Services controls on organisms susceptible to the regulation and also to release of authorizations needed to produce, commercialize and export plants or theirs parts.

In the Emilia-Romagna region, the phytosanitary surveillance regarding:

• the harmful quarantine organisms: insects, mites, nematodes, bacteria, fungi, virus and virus-similar (contents of the course will be some important pathogens but not insects, mites and nematodes because they will be considered in others courses)

• the harmful organisms prone to compulsory struggle in Italy

• the new organisms for which exist specific emergence measures.

The teacher will organize seminars held from experts of Plant protection Service of Emilia-Romagna Region.

2) The course will consider also “common diseases” which cause important productive losses despite reliable control disease programmes. It will be proposed to students the “phytosanitary analysis” (relate to the vegetative season just over) with pathogens which represented the major practical troubles in order to reflect on the probable errors made on the protection and underlining the needs of in-depth analysis on aspects not yet or not enough investigated of these pandemic diseases.

Practical activity

Activities suspended due to the 2020 health emergency

Readings/Bibliography

Fundamental will be notes and slides from the lessons available on the web site (“Materiale Didattico”).

Teaching methods

One teacher will be involved: Dr Marina Collina. She will invite experts from Plant Protection Service of Emilia-Romagna region to hold specific seminars.

Teaching is structured with remote lessons. The frequency is considered particularly useful for passing the exam.

Assessment methods

For both courses “Management of the phythopathological emergences” (“Gestione delle emergenze fitopatologiche”) and “Qualifying course for consultant for the correct adoption of plant protection products” (“Corso abilitante per consulente sull'impiego dei prodotti fitosanitari”) will be organised by written examination with 30 questions (10 open and 20 at multiple choice response, with 1.8 and 0.7 scores, respectively). The time available will be of 90 minutes. Registration in “Almaesami” is mandatory; the opening of the enrolment list will be at least 7 days before the examination date and it will be closed two days before the examination date. The exam will be conducted remotely so the student will have a PC, web cam and stable network connection. If the connection is interrupted before the test is handed over, it is cancelled. Multiple rounds and shifts will be organized so as to ensure the possibility of enrollment for all. Maximum of 20 people will be allowed in each shift.

The lessons and the teaching material are in Italian as well as the written exercise. The Erasmus student can answer to the questions in English

Teaching tools

PC, web cam, teaching material

Office hours

See the website of Marina Collina