PLANT PROTECTION

Academic Year 2016/2017 - 3° Year - Curriculum Pianificazione del paesaggio
Teaching Staff Credit Value: 12
Taught classes: 64 hours
Term / Semester:

Learning Objectives

  • Ornamental and Forest Plant Pathology

    Provide the basic knowledge on the causes of biotic and abiotic diseases of plants used for ornamental purposes, landscaping , and green areas .The student will gain, further, diagnostic skills and a basic understanding of the criteria for the correct approach to managment of the control strategies for the sustainability of the natural and man-made environments.


Detailed Course Content

  • Ornamental and Forest Plant Pathology

    General concepts of plant pathology; Main agents of plants diseases and their interactions with plants for the environment. Major diseases of ornamental plants and Mediterranean scrub. The concept and types of diagnosis:traditional, immunological and molecular techniques. Principles of plant disease control; Principles of plant health legislation. Forest ecosystem and urban forest concept; urban environment peculiarities. Peculiarities and aspects of nursery cultivation. Laboratory: recognition of symptoms of major diseases of ornamental and forest plants observation under a stereomicroscope of phytopathological samples;observation of reproductive structures of plant pathogenic fungi by optical microscope; Isolation methods of some causative agents responsible for serious diseases of the forest and ornamental sectors and their morphological and molecular characterization.

    Field trips:in-depth analysis of cases study. Monographic seminars on topics, related to the program, held by experts in the field. Reference databases, reference texts and scientific periodical consultation, phytopathological websites.

  • Applied Entomology and parasitology

    Morphology, anatomy and physiology of insects

    1. General characteristics of insects and their applied interest.
    2. Morphology: head, thorax, abdomen, and their appendages.
    3. Anatomy and physiology: exoskeleton system; nervous system; sensory system; digestive system; respiratory system; circulatory system; excretory system; secretory system; reproductive system; post-embryonic development; physiology of metamorphosis.

    Biological behaviour and relationships with the environment (insect ecology)

    1. Specific and group events: dimorphism and polymorphism; aggregation and society; biological cycles; biotic potential and environment; population epidemiology; biological balances; spread of the species.
    2. Harmfulness of insects: direct and indirect damages; transmission of pathogens; action thresholds.

    Control methods of insect pests

    1. Cultural practices; habitat management.
    2. physical and mechanical methods.
    3. biological control: entomophagous arthropods and entomopathogenic species; biological control methods; microbial and genetic control.
    4. chemical control: insecticides and their modes of action; commercial formulations and active ingredients; side effects of pesticide applications.
    5. Principles of integrated pest management.

    Systematics, biology and diagnosis; damage and economic importance; methods of control of the main species of insects pests

    Elements of plant parasitology; systematics, biology and diagnosis; damage and economic importance; control methods of the main species of:

    1. nematodes
    2. mites
    3. rodents

Textbook Information

  • Ornamental and Forest Plant Pathology

    1) Belli G. -.2006. Elementi di Patologia Vegetale (seconda edizione, 2012), Editore Piccin, Padova

    2) George N. Agrios – Plant Pathology – Academic. Press. Inc., San Diego, California (VI edizione).

    3) P. Capretti e A Ragazzi- Elementi di Patologia Forestale – Patron Editore Bologna

    4) A.Garibaldi, M.L.Gullino, V.Lisa- Malattie delle piante ornamentali- Calderini Edagricole

    5) F.Moriondo – Introduzione alla patologia forestale- seconda edizione. Utet, Torino

    6) N. Anselmi, G. Govi , 1996, Patologia del Legno, Edagricole, Bologna

  • Applied Entomology and parasitology
    1. BACCETTI B., BARBAGALLO S., SÜSS L., TREMBLAY E., 2000. Manuale di Zoologia Agraria. Delfino Editore, Roma [ISBN 88-728722227].
    2. FERRARI M., MARCON E., MENTA A., MONTERMINI A. 2003. Malattie e parassiti delle piante da fiore, ornamentali e forestali, 2 volumi. Edagricole Ed. [ISBN 978-88-506-4550-3].
    3. PENNACCHIO F. (a cura di). AA.VV. 2014. Gli insetti e il loro controllo, Liguori Editore, Napoli [ISBN 8820753510]
    4. TREMBLAY E., 1985-2000. Entomologia applicata, voll. 1-7. Liguori Editore, Napoli;