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"
- Capretti P. Ragazzi A. 2009. Elementi di patologia forestale. Pàtron . Bologna
- Moriondo F, Capretti P., Ragazzi A., 2006. Malattie delle piante in bosco, in vivaio e delle alberature. Ed. Pàtron, Bologna
-http://www.forestpathology.org/index.html
MANUALE RISVEM Ricerca del verde multifunzionale in ambito toscano
https://sira.arpat.toscana.it/sira/progetti/verde_e_salute/documenti/BIBLIOGRAFIA/Manuale_RISVEM_maggio_2008%5B1%5D.pdf
Learning Objectives
Knowledge:
- Knowledge about interactions between microorganisms and shade trees, knowledge of the main symptoms caused by harmful pathogens
Skills acquired at the end of the course:
- References how to adopt the rational actions of disease control
Skills acquired at the end of the course:
- Be able to evaluate the presence and origin of a damage on the basis of symptoms
Prerequisites
Students are expected to be familiar with the principles and terminology of biology and with the morphology, anatomy, and physiology of plants.
Courses required: General Botany and Microbiology
Teaching Methods
lectures, seminars, lab experiences, nursery field practice
Further information
Students are received every day by appointment: salvatore.moricca@unifi.it
Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Forestry Science and Technology (DAGRI), Plant Pathology and Entomology Section - University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 28, Firenze
Type of Assessment
Oral examination.
Verification of:
- learning ability;
- knowledge of the subject;
- communication skills;
- argumentative capacity;
- completeness of the answers;
- technical-scientific language properties;
- ability to connect between topics
- ability of interpretation of ecological factors that play a key role in the deterioration of plants in the nursery and in the greenery.
Course program
Introduction to plant pathology. Concepts of disease; epidemics; endemic; pandemic. Causes of plant diseases: biotic diseases (damage by fungi, bacteria, viruses, viroids, phytoplasmas) abiotic disorders (damage caused by adverse soil or environmental conditions; air pollution damage). Disease triangle. The inoculum The infection process , Pathogens' attack strategies and plant defense mechanisms. Symptoms. Damage caused by physical and mechanical causes: wounds. The diagnostic process (visual inspection, microscopic diagnosis). Koch's postulates. Parasitism. Saprophytism. Commensalism. Endophytism. Mutualism. Types of symbiosis (mutualistic, neutral, antagonistic). Plant disease epidemiology (incidence and severity of the disease; monocyclic and polycyclic diseases; epidemic rate; disease progress curves; epidemics forecasting). The most important and frequent diseases in the nursery (seedlings' damping-off; other diseases of seedlings in the herbaceous stage; shoot infectious diseases). Plant disease management in the urban environment. The impact of environmental conditions on disease development in the nursery. Classification of diseases in relation to the plant organ affected: foliar diseases; root diseases; vascular diseases; canker diseases,; root rot, rusts. For each disease type, one or more pathogens – selected among the most damaging - are described as model(s), illustrating their biological cycle. Phytosanitary and control measures. Agronomic, physical, chemical, biological, genetic and legislative control strategies. Peculiarities of the nursery activity and risk of spreading disease over the territory. The importance and procedures of phytosanitary inspection of import-export plant material. Quarantine regulations. Phytosanitary certification and plant passport. Integrated disease management.