Diseases of trees in the forest. Damage by biotic agents (fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, viruses and viroids), climatic factors (excess temperature, water stress ), edaphic factors. Air pollution damage. Disease, parasitism, pathogenicity, virulence. Inoculum. The infectious cycle. Plant-pathogen-environment interactions. Koch’s postulates. Resistance. Diagnosis and control of diseases in the forest. Life cycle of pathogens. Main diseases in the forest, in plantations, in nurseries.
Capretti P., Ragazzi A. (2009) – Elementi di Patologia Forestale. Patron Editore, Bologna
Panconesi A., Moricca S., Ragazzi A., Dellavalle I., Tiberi R. – Parassiti delle piante arboree forestali ed ornamentali. Specie introdotte e di temuta introduzione. Pàtron Editore, Bologna, 2014, 447 pp. ISBN 9788855532198
Moriondo F., Capretti A. e Ragazzi A. (2006) – Malattie delle piante in bosco, in vivaio e delle alberature. Patron Editore, Bologna.
Boa, E. R. (2003). An illustrated guide to the state of health of trees: recognition and interpretation of symptoms and damage. Food & Agriculture Org.. "available online"
Specific articles and miscellaneous material provided on electronic support (Moodle platform).
Learning Objectives
Knowledge:
knowledge necessary to study the biology and epidemiology of forest pathogens, as well as the main disorders of trees, in natural woods, plantations and urban greenery, and to identify suitable mitigation and control strategies.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):
recognition of the symptoms and signs of the main phytopathogenic agents, as well as abiotic damage in the woods. Application of methods of prevention and forest phytosanitary control.
Expertise (acquired at the end of the course):
management of parasitic and non-parasitic agents of damage in natural environments, in woody plantations and in urban green areas.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of biology, botany, forest ecology, microbiology, silviculture is strongly recommended.
Teaching Methods
CFU: 6
Total number of course hours: (= 6 x 25) 125
Number of hours for personal study and other individual training activities: 75
Number of hours for classroom activities: 28
Number of hours for laboratory activities (laboratory lessons): 8
Number of hours for practice activities (in the laboratory and in the field): 10
Number of hours for seminar activities: 2
Number of hours for stages: 0
Number of hours for ongoing tests: 2
Further information
Teaching tools: PPT lessons, questionnaires, training videos available online, laboratory and forest exercises
Other information:
Students are received every day by appointment:
salvatore.moricca@unifi.it
DAGRI, Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Forestry Sciences and Technologies, Plant Pathology and Entomology Section - University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 28, Florence
Type of Assessment
Oral examination.
Verification of:
- learning ability;
- knowledge of the subject;
- communication skills;
- argumentative capacity;
- completeness of the answers;
- Technical and scientific language properties;
- ability to link between topics
- ability to critically interpret the ecological factors that play a key role in the deterioration of forest stands
Course program
After a short introduction on the basic concepts of the discipline (concept of disease; epidemic; endemic; pandemic), the course deals with the main causes of damage to forest trees by abiotic factors (thermal stress, water stress, air pollution), biotic factors (fungi, oomycetes, bacteria and viruses), as well as physical and mechanical damages (wounds).
The concepts of parasitism, pathogenicity (Koch's postulates) and virulence are illustrated; the infection process (pre-penetration; penetration; colonization; evasion); inoculum production, dispersion and conservation; plant-pathogen-environment interactions; disease resistance; epidemiology, plant disease diagnosis and control.
The main forest tree diseases of the Alpine and Mediterranean areas are described in relation to the portion of the tree attacked (crown, trunk and root diseases) and according to the "type" of alteration caused by pathogens (leaf diseases, root rot diseases, wood decay, canker diseases, vascular diseases or tracheomycoses, rust diseases).
The course emphasizes the ecological and biological aspects of phytopathogenic microorganisms and their interaction with forest trees.