INSETTI, FUNGHI MICOTOSSIGENI E ALIMENTAZIONE

Module FUNGHI FITOPATOGENI E MICOTOSSINE

How is it verified? Oral exam aimed to assess the student's ability to summarize a scientific article. Lifelong learning skills - (Dublin 5)

At the end of the course the student must be able to keep their knowledge and skills up-to-date, grasping the fundamental and relevant aspects of the course for their professional context, in a legally, ethically and scientifically correct framework.

How is it verified? In part, with an oral interview.

CONTRIBUTION OF TEACHING TO THE GOALS OF THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Goal N.2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

·  Target 2.4 By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural  practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.

Method:

·  lectures

Goal N.3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

·  Target 3.d Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.

Method:

·  lectures

The practical activities and/or exercises (seminars on case studies reported in the literature, classroom and laboratory exercises, possible educational visits, etc.) for 2 ECTS (i.e. 28 hours). Theoretical lessons will be conducted by colleague Alessandro Vitale for a total of 4 ECTS (i.e. 28 hours). If the teaching is given in a mixed or remote way, the necessary modifications may be introduced with respect to what was previously stated, in order to respect the program envisaged and reported in the present Syllabus. The achievement of the objectives will be pursued through lectures, seminars, exercises and excursions. For the lessons we will make use of the help of multimedia presentations, slides, computer databases, summary and explanatory diagrams that will allow you to deepen the basic concepts and fundamental notions of teaching. Any visits and educational excursions will also take place on other days and times to be agreed with the students by phone (095-7147413).

Information for Students with Disabilities and/or Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)

As guarantee of equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their specific needs and on teaching objectives of the discipline. It is also possible to ask the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs), in the person of professor Anna De Angelis.

Although there are no mandatory prerequisites, the required pre-knowldge involves basic understanding of food biology and microbiology

Although it is not mandatory, the frequency of the lessons is highly recommended

General part

-  Economic, historical, social and geographical consequences of fungal post-harvest diseases and in preharvest

-  Concept of disease, symptoms and signs of disease, virulence, susceptibility, physiological alterations. Quantification of the susceptibility of hosts (plants and foodstuffs) to fungal pathogens and estimation of the virulence of a fungal pathogen; quantification of fungal inoculum;

-  The classification of phytopathogenic fungi (including toxigenic fungi): functional, evolutionary, nomenclature, fungal structures and identification;

-  Fungal diseases: Characters of phytopathogenic fungi (including toxigenic fungi), structure and organization, nutrition, factors that influence the fungal development of post-harvest diseases, germination and dispersion of spores, reproduction of fungi: sexual and asexual spores. Biological cycle of fungal diseases and several forms of phytopathogenic fungal epidemics;

-  Host-pathogen interaction: pathogen attack mechanisms and host defense mechanisms;

-  Strategies, methods and means of control adopted against phytopathogenic fungal diseases of plants in pre- and post-harvest: physical means, chemical means, biological means, integrated management, pesticide residues.

Special part

-  Fungal diseases: rot caused by genera; Botrytis, Gloeosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Claviceps, Alternaria, Monilinia, Sclerotinia, Rhyzopus, Mucor, Colletotrichum; scab (Venturia spp.) from pome fruit warehouse.

-  Main post-harvest abiotic diseases

-  The main species of fungi producing mycotoxins and main mycotoxins contaminating food products of  vegetable origin;

-  Characteristics of mycotoxins, main groups and methods of mycotoxin determination, prevention and control mean against post-harvest vegetable mycotoxin contamination, legislative aspects;

Exercises: symptomatic diagnosis of phytopathological samples, isolation of fungi in culture, preparation and observation of fungal preparations under an optical microscope; traditional and molecular techniques for the identification of plant phytopathogenic fungi; in vivo pathogenicity tests of phytopathogenic fungi; indoor environmental monitoring techniques (air / surface matrices) for the isolation and identification of phytopathogenic microorganisms; quantification of the damage of a fungal disease.

1.  De Cicco V., Bertolini P., Salerno M.G. Patologia post-raccolta dei prodotti vegetali. Piccin Ed. 2008.

2.  Vannacci G. Patologia vegetale. Edises Università, Napoli prima edizione 2021. Teaching material and lectures supplied by the professor during the course

Other texts:

3.  Matta A. Fondamenti di Patologia Vegetale. Patron Editore, Bologna, seconda edizione 2017.

4.  Belli G. Elementi di Patologia Vegetale. Editore Piccin, Padova, seconda edizione 2012.

Verification of learning can also be carried out by online way if it will be necessary. The vote follows the scheme below:

Unsuitable

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Important shortcomings. Significant inaccuracies. Ability to analyze and synthesize: Irrelevant. Frequent generalizations. Inability to synthesize Use of references: Completely inappropriate

18-23

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Medium level. Presence of some imperfections .   Analysis and synthesis skills: Sufficient skills

Use of references: appropriate

24-26

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Good knowledge

Analysis and synthesis skills: Has good analysis and synthesis skills. The arguments are expressed  consistently

Use of references: Use standard references 

27-30

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Knowledge more than good

Ability to analyze and synthesize: He has considerable abilities of analysis and synthesis.  Use of references: Has explored the topics

30L

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Excellent knowledge

Ability to analyze and synthesize: He has considerable abilities of analysis and synthesis. Use of references: Important insights.

1.  Characteristics of phytopathogenic fungi

2.  Main fungal pathogens of food commodities in post-harvest

3.  Major genera of fungi producing mycotoxins

4.  The main mycotoxins in pre-harvest and postharvest