- Docente: Annamaria Pisi
- Credits: 6
- SSD: AGR/12
- Language: Italian
- Moduli: Annamaria Pisi (Modulo 1) Claudio Ratti (Modulo 2)
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Biodiversity and Evolution (cod. 8419)
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course the student will have the knowledge on biological processes that bring to the the disease, characteristics of pathogens, epidemiology and diagnosis. In particular the student will be able to apply traditional molecolar, serological analyses and ultrastructural studies to identify fungi, bacteria, viruses and phytoplasmas and methods for plant disease control. Emphasis placed on application of epidemiological principles, biological (including host resistance) and chemical strategies to achieve disease control.
Course contents
Requirements
The students should have good knowledge on the fundaments of plant pathology and be familiar with laboratory techniques. These requirements should be given by the previous university studies in plant pathology.
The course will offer lectures, seminars and laboratory. The course willi be subdivided in two modules: Module 1 of 40 hours and Module 2 of 16 hours
Module 1
Contents of the teaching unit.
Theory and practice of in situ sampling and instrumentation
methods for plant science and laboratory analyses. Reading and
discussion of scientific papers from international journals
regarding plant pathology. We will look at how modern molecular
biology tools have been developed to identify and track down the
plant killers in a way not too dissimilar from what is currently
done when investigating human crimes.Clinical study of a disease
with emphasis to etiology, epidemiology, diagnosis and control.
Systematic, ecology, evolution and morphology of the main
pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Ecological role of the fungi as
saprophytes, mutualism and parasitism in native and managed
ecosystems. Biodiversity of fungi in natural habitat.
Content of the teaching laboratory unit
Module 2
Contents of the teaching unit.Viruse as causal agents of plant diseases, structure of virus particles, transmission mechanisms, replication and dissemination in the plant, cytology and molecular biology in the reaction of resistance and sensibility to the viral infection, control of virus diseases. Post transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) as plant protection fram vrus infections.. Basic elements of plant engineering. Transformation methods of plants and plant protection and principal types of OGM. Genomic applied to plant pathology and to plant protection: genetically modified plants for resistance to insects, fungi, bacteria and viruses. Strategies of virus protection. Resistance derived from the pathogen, non viral transgenes and gnes R of natural resistance. Application of phytosanitary ceritification schemes for the production of propagating material. Activity of central and regional phytosanitary Service.
Content of the teaching laboratory unit
The laboratory has the aim to give the students the possibility to apply the principal techniques of traditional analyses, serological and molecular to detect and study the mail phytoplasma and virus diseases. The laboratory will allow the student to verify the activity of suppression of PTGS of viral proteins by agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana (line 16C) plants which express the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP).
Readings/Bibliography
Handouts and selected paper will be given to the students during the lecture by the instructor
Teaching methods
The course will be subdivided in two parts:
the first concentrated on the main pathogens and diseases they cause. Analyses of plant-pathogen-environment interactions.
The second part p ractical exercises on macro and microscopic samples in mycological, virological, bacteriological and electron microscopy laboratories to allow the student to learn the different laboratory techniques to identify the pathogens responsible of the disease.
Light and electron microscopes (transmission -TEM and scanning- SEM), chemical and laminar flow hoods will be available for macro and microscopic identification of the different pathogens. Molecular characterization of nuclear and ribosomial DNA by PCR.
Plants with fungal infections harvested in the field will be examined during the laboratory hours. Studies on bacteria, clinical and molecular methods for their identification and classification. Discussion of the biological, chemical methods for plant disease control.
Reading and critical discussion of scientific papers in the plant pathology area.
Discussion and resolution of different problems suggested by the teacher or by the student.
Clinical study of a disease with emphasis to the etiology, epidemiology, diagnosis and control.
Assessment methods
At the end of a course it will be a final exam that tests the acquired knowledge and abilities. The students should produce a power point presentation on a subject chosen with the instructor of about 15 minutes long.
Then questions on the main subjects of the course will follow.
The course will take place at the campus , Viale Fanin 42
Teaching tools
PC, slide projection and handouts
Office hours
See the website of Annamaria Pisi
See the website of Claudio Ratti