PLANT PROTECTION

Academic Year 2016/2017 - 3° Year - Curriculum Pianificazione del paesaggio

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;