FOOD PATHOLOGY AND PARASITOLOGYModule POSTHARVEST PATHOLOGY OF PLANT PRODUCTS
Academic Year 2024/2025 - Teacher: ALESSANDRO VITALEExpected Learning Outcomes
a. Knowledge and understanding: the course aims to provide students with basic knowledge on the main biotic and abioticalterations of post-harvest plant products, on their identification and diagnosis and on the control and prevention of contaminationby phytopathogens and mycotoxins affecting quality and the quantity of vegetables post-harvest and in storage.
b. Applied knowledge and understanding: through the acquisition of knowledge on the main biotic and abiotic alterations, onthe most up-to-date biological and integrated diagnosis and control methodologies, the student will acquire the ability to plan themost appropriate strategies to be used in post-harvest
c. Autonomy of judgment: through attendance of lectures, exercises and seminars, students will acquire full autonomy inchoosing the most effective and up-to-date post-harvest disease prevention and control strategies
d. Communication skills: reading scientific articles, participation in seminars, in-depth study of specific themes through groupactivities and the presentation of the results obtained will allow students to develop correct technical-scientific terminology in thefield of postharvest plant pathology, and an adequate ability to explain the topics learned.
e. Ability to learn: the course will contribute to the development of the ability to understand and critically analyze the topics boththrough group work and independently, to the analysis of scientific results and to the preparation of the thesis, thus preparing thestudent for its future activity in the field of technical consultancy in the agri-food sector.
Course Structure
The course is carried out through lectures and exercises in the classroom and in the laboratory. In detail, the undersigned will conduct theoretical lessons for 1 CFU (equivalent to 14 hours) of practical activities (classroom and laboratory exercises, educational visits, seminars, etc.) among those planned by the course.
Discussions on case studies are also planned. If the conditions require it, the lessons will be held online, and the exercises and field visits will be replaced byexercises and technical visits online.
Information for students with disabilities and/or DSA. As a guarantee of equal opportunities and in compliance with currentlaws, 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 contact of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs), in the person of professor Anna DeAngelis.
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction: concept of disease; symptoms and classification of diseases; generalinformation on plant pathogens; disease cycle | Text 2 Material provided by the teacher |
| 2 | Host-pathogen interaction in fungal and bacterial diseases: pathogen attackmechanisms, host resistance mechanisms | Text 2 Material provided by the teacher |
| 3 | Diagnosis of diseases: the diagnostic procedure, traditional and molecular diagnosticmethods. | Text 2 Material provided by the teacher |
| 4 | Principles of control against post-harvest plant diseases: physical means, chemicalmeans, biological means, integrated pest control | Text 1 Material provided by the teacher |
| 5 | Fungal diseases: main post-harvest rots | Texts 1-2 Material provided by the teacher |
| 6 | Bacterial diseases: main post-harvest bacterial diseases | Texts 1-2 Material provided by the teacher |
| 7 | Main post-harvest abiotic diseases | Text 1 Material provided by the teacher |
| 8 | Mycotoxins: toxigenic fungi and their epidemiology, main mycotoxins, prevention andcontrol against fungi mycotoxigens, case studies. | Texts 1-2 Material provided by the teacher |
| 9 | Laboratory activities | Material provided by the teacher |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The exam consists of an individual oral interview and tests the ability to reason and connect the knowledges acquired.
Elementsof evaluation will be the relevance of the answers to the questions asked, the quality of the contents, the ability to connect withother topics covered by the program, the ability to provide examples, the ownership of technical language and the overallexpressive ability of the student.
The marks assigned will follow the following scheme:
Usuitable
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.
18-20
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: At the threshold level. Obvious imperfections.
Analysis and synthesis skills: Just enough skills.
Use of references: As appropriate.
21-23
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Routine knowledge.
Analysis and synthesis skills: Correct analysis and synthesis, with logical and coherent argumentation skills.
Use of references: Use of standard references.
24-26
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Good.
Ability to analyze and synthesize: Good, with arguments expressed consistently.
Use of references: Use of standard references.
27-29
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: More than good.
Ability to analyze and synthesize: Remarkable.
Use of references: In-depth
30-30L
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Excellent.
Ability to analyze and synthesize: Remarkable.
Use of references: Important insights.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
1) The main characteristics of plant pathogens and diseases of abiotic etiology
2) Diagnosis methods that can be used to recognize the etiology of a disease of post-harvest vegetables
3) Methods of chemical and biological control of phytopathogens that can be used in post-harvest
4) The main post-harvest plant diseases (by supply chain e.g. wine, citrus etc.)
5) Micotoxigenic fungi and their epidemiology; main mycotoxins; prevention and fight against mycotoxigenic fungi