BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

Academic Year 2017/2018 - 2° Year - Curriculum Tecnologie fitosanitarie

Learning Objectives

• SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT

  The course aims to provide general knowledge on biocenotic interactions of animal species in natural and agricultural ecosystems as well as on the main biocontrol agents of plant pests; moreover the course provides theoretical and practical concepts on natural enemies rearing as well as on their field application strategies

• Biological control of plant pathogens

  The course aims to increase the knowledge regarding the biological control of plant pathogens in pre- and post- harvest environments. Particular attention will be paid to the selection strategies of the antagonists, their mode of action and potential applications to major crops and vegetables for the containment of the most significant pathogens in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere and in post-harvest.

Detailed Course Content

• SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT
  1. Concepts on the population dynamics of arthropod pests and their natural enemies in natural and agricultural ecosystems
  2. Recognition and biology of the major groups of entomophagous arthropods and entomopathogenic agents
  3. Rearing techniques of entomophagous arthropods and their application in crop protection
  4. Microbiological control: application of viruses, bacteria, fungi and entomopathogenic nematodes
  5. Autocidal control: sterile insect technique (SIT), insect chemo-sterilizers
  6. Basic principles of agro-ecology: ecological infrastructures; habitat management for enhancing the functional biodiversity in agroecosystems
  7. Natural control and biological control strategies in the main agro-ecosystems: citrus orchard, vineyard, olive grove, fruit trees, open field and protected vegetables
• Biological control of plant pathogens

  1. Strategies of integrated and biological control.

  2. Microbial antagonists, isolation and selection modes, action mechanisms

  3. Antagonistic bacteria and “Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria”

  4. Antagonistic fungi and Trichoderma spp.

  5. Antagonistic yeasts and post-harvest biological control

  6. Bioformulations based on antagonistic fungi, bacteria, and yeast and substances of natural origin

  7. Models of biological control against pre- and post- harvest diseases of fruits, vegetables and forest plants.

Textbook Information

• SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT

  1. BELLOWS T.S. & FISHER T.W. (Ed.), 1999. Handbook of biological control: principles and applications of biological control. Academic Press (978-0-12-257305-7)

  2. COPPING L.G. (Ed.) 2011. The manual of biocontrol agents: a world compendium. 4th Edition. BCPC Publ. (British Crop Production Council (978-1-901396-17-1)

  3. FLINT M.L. & DREISTADT S.H., 1998. Natural enemies handbook: the illustrated guide to biological pest control. Univ. Calif. Div. Agric. Nat. Res. Publ.3386, University of California Press (978-1-879906-41-9)

  4. HELYER N., BROWN K., CATTLIN N.D., 2014. Biological control in plant protection: a colour handbook, Second Edition CRC Press (978-1-84076-117-7)

• Biological control of plant pathogens

  1) Agrios G.N., 2005. Plant pathology, 5° ed., Elsevier Academic Press, S. Diego, U.S.A.

  2) Pandey A., Mukerji K.G.(Eds.) 2006. Biological Control of Plant Diseases ( 9781560223276)

  3) Copping L.G. (Ed.) 2011. The manual of biocontrol agents: a world compendium. 4th Edition. BCPC Publ. (British Crop Production Council (978-1-901396-17-1)

  4) Ciancio A., Mukerij K.G. (Eds). 2008. Integrated management of diseases caused by fungi, Phytoplasma and bacteria. (978-4020-8570-3)