Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student will be able to know and understand:
1. Causal agents in plant disease, pest management in different agricultural systems, in agreement with the European legislation in force
2. The impact of plant health on food security and food safety
3. Plant health problems in selected crop chains
Applying knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Apply acquired knowledge regarding plant health and its implication in the crop production chain related to food production.
2. Understand the cause of plant disease, even if not included in the course and define possible actions to mitigate plant health effects.
Making judgements
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Assess plant products in term of quality (related to plant disease) and safety
Communication skills
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. appropriately utilize the scientific language and the specific lexicon of plant pathology to describe and transfer in oral and written form the acquired concepts.
Learning skills
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1.Increase his/her knowledge on Plant health, by self-consultation of specialized texts, scientific and educational journals, also beyond the topics discussed during the lessons
2. Understand the impact of cropping system systems on the quality of plant products.
Prerequisites
none
Course unit content
General introduction to plant health. Biotic and abiotic plant diseases, causes of plant diseases. Disease triangle. Implications in plant health. The interest of EFSA in Plant health, food security and food safety. Impact of plant disease pre & post-harvest, including safety aspects. Mycotoxins in plants and derived products. Diagnostic approaches in plant disease. Plant disease epidemics and their management. Impact of climate change on food security and food safety. Future scenario and their impact on disease triangle. EU legislation – Integrated pest management (IPM), pesticide residue, quarantine pests. EU legislation - Organic farming. Sustainable crop protection. Main and or emerging diseases for different crop value chains.
Full programme
1.General introduction to plant health and description of course objectives
2. Biotic and abiotic plant diseases, causes of plant diseases. Essential characters of fungi, bacteria, virus and their interaction with plants. Disease triangle; ecological, physiological and genetic interaction between plants and pests. Implications in plant health.
3. The interest of EFSA in Plant health. Impact of pests on plant, food security and food safety. Quarantine pest and their meaning for the European Union.
4. Impact of plant disease pre & post-harvest, including safety aspects. Disease symptoms, yield losses during crop production in field and post-harvest damages. Toxic compound produced by fungi.
5. Mycotoxins in plants and derived products. Main mycotoxins of interest and their toxic effect, mycotoxin producing fungi and main products contaminated by mycotoxins.
6. Diagnostic approaches in plant disease. Symptoms, biological, immunological and molecular diagnostic tools. Field observation, sample collection and diagnostic tool selection. Official analysis.
7. Plant disease epidemics, impact of pathogen characteristics, plant susceptibility and cropping system. Plant disease management: avoid, exclude, eradicate pathogen to protect plants. Predictive modelling for plan disease and their implication in plant protection.
8. Impact of climate change on food security and food safety. Future scenario and their impact on disease triangle. Examples of studied patho-systems.
9. EU legislation – Integrated pest management (IPM), pesticide residue, quarantine pests
10. EU legislation - Organic farming. Rules and their application to obtain organic products. Meaning of organic farming for plant health.
11.Sustainable crop protection. Aspects of sustainability, tool applicable to support a sustainable crop protection.
12. Main and or emerging diseases for different crop value chains: cereals (small grains, maize, sorghum); field crops (tomato, potato); grapes; fresh fruits; dry fruits( hazelnut)
Bibliography
Gail L. Schumann and Cleora J. D’Arcy, Essential Plant Pathology, Second Edition, APS Press, 2010
Gail L. Schumann and Cleora J. D Arcy, Hungry Planet: Stories of Plant Diseases, APS Press, 2012
Power point presentations used during the course
For more detailed information: George N. Agrios, PLANT PATHOLOGY, 5TH EDITION, Elsevier, 2004
Teaching methods
The lessons will be held with the support of power point presentations.
Working groups will be organised on plant health topics of interest for the students, mainly on plant health and its impact on selected crop chains.
The course will be integrated with seminars on specific topics relevant for plant health (EFSA expert from Plant Health panel, ...)
Lesson frequency is not mandatory, but strongly encouraged.
Assessment methods and criteria
A diagnostic assessment will be managed at the beginning of the course. It will be managed with oral questions and a general discussion with the students.
A formative assessment will be managed around mid-course. It will be written and organized with open questions.
Summative assessment will be written. The written examination will contain open questions on the main course topics, both on the general aspects of pests, their impact crop production, quantitative and qualitative aspects, and pest management in different cropping systems, so as on relevant pests in selected value crop chains.
Other information
Lesson frequency is not mandatory, but strongly encouraged.
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
Zero hungher, health and well being, responsible consumption and production
