85860 - Management Of The Phythopathological Emergences

Academic Year 2018/2019

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (cod. 9235)

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 (20 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. It entrusts 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. The Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament of the Council of 26 October 2016 on protective measures against pests of plants will be also considered.

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 (15 hours).

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 (5 hours).

Practical activity (10 hours)

Visits to research centres/exhibitions. This activity will be organised in common with the course of “Corso abilitante per consulente sull'impiego dei prodotti fitosanitari” (“Qualifying course for consultant for the correct adoption of plant protection products”) held from the same teacher.


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.

The course consists of lectures, practical exercises and visits to specialized facilities. The frequency of the lessons is considered particularly useful for passing the exam.


Assessment methods

Written examination (20 questions both with open and multiple choice answers)

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


Teaching tools

PC and projector for class lectures, learning journey, teaching material


Office hours

See the website of Marina Collina