TECNICHE FITOSANITARIE PER L'AMBIENTE E IL PAESAGGIO

Module GESTIONE DEGLI ARTROPODI INFESTANTI

Knowledge and understanding: The course aims to provide knowledge on Insect species and other Arthropods of phytosanitary interest in green areas, parks and natural environments in order to know how to manage their populations and intervene with the most appropriate control strategies. In particular, students will acquire theoretical knowledge regarding: i) phytosanitary problems in different types of green areas; ii) categories of arthropods harmful to urban green areas, city trees, forests and natural areas, grouped by functional groups (Sap sucking insects, Defoliating insects, Wood borers, Gall-inducing arthropods; iii) control methods with reduced environmental impact in relation to the specific ecological contexts and the peculiar conditions of use; iv) phytosanitary reflections in the design of the green and the stability conditions of the trees.

Applying knowledge and understanding: By acquiring knowledge about arthropods, mainly insects, and their relationships with plants in different environments, students will be able to develop interventions to defend plants from harmful arthropods in different types of green areas, operating in compliance with the regulations governing the sector and the health of humans and the environment.

Making judgements: Participation in lectures, laboratory exercises, seminars and field visits will enable students to analyze insect infestations in different types of greenery and to develop independent judgment skills and the ability to choose the most appropriate pest control measures for the specific context in which they are to operate.

Communication skills: The acquisition of communication skills will be promoted by the reading of scientific articles, participation in seminars on topics of general and applied interest useful to complete the training, as well as the preparation, at the end of the course, of in-depth individual or group thematic studies with presentation of the results. These activities will enable students to acquire correct technical-scientific terminology in the field of arthropod pest control in different types of greenery and to learn to work and discuss precise topics as well as to be able to communicate the results of the study concisely and effectively.

Learning skills: Students, through attending the course, will be able to develop skills and autonomy of analysis useful for carrying out both professional and research activities, having acquired the ability to find sources of scientifically valid information, analyze scientific results and be able to report from them.

Lectures; practical laboratory exercises; individual or group reports or research carried out by students; didactic field experiences; in-depth seminars. The lectures will provide the necessary theoretical knowledge; the practical activities laboratory, seminars and field trips will provide useful tools for acquiring the skills.

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Informazioni per studenti con disabilità e/o DSA

As a 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 Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs).

Class attendance is not mandatory to take the exam, however, it is strongly recommended to attend lectures, labs and seminars in order to acquire, along with the necessary knowledge, as well as skills.

- Phytosanitary problems in different types of green areas. 

- Biological characteristics and control methods of Arthropods pests of urban green spaces, garden trees, forest and natural environments.

- Functional groups of insect and mite pests with specific details of the species of interest in the different types of greenery: Sap sucking insects (Tisanoptera, Hemiptera Heteroptera and Homoptera Sternorryncha); Defoliating insects (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera); wood borers (Isoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera); Gall-inducing arthropods (Mites, Insects: Aphids, Diptera, Hymenoptera). For each group a detailed list of the treated species is provided to the student on the STUDIUM platform (http://studium.unict.it).

- Control methods with reduced environmental impact in relation to the specific ecological contexts and the peculiar conditions of use.

- Phytosanitary reflections in the design of the green and the stability conditions of the trees.

Text 1: BATTISTI A., DE BATTISTI R., FACCOLI M., MASUTTI L., PAOLUCCI P., STERGULC F., Lineamenti di Zoologia forestale. Padova University Press, 2013.

Text 2: ARRU G., Entomologia forestale. Clesav, Milano, 1980.

Text 3: COULSON R., WITTER J. A., Forest entomology, ecology and management. A Wiley- Intersc. Publ. USA.

Text 4: MASUTTI L., ZANGHERI S., Entomologia generale ed applicata, Edizioni Cedam, Padova, 2001.

Text 8: TREMBLAY E., Entomologia applicata vol. 1-2-3, Liguori Editore, Napoli.

Text 9: FERRARI M., MENTA A., MARCON E., Malattie e parassiti delle piante da fiore, ornamentali e forestali. Vol 1, 2. Edagricole, 2003.

Text 10: ALFORD D.V., Pests of ornamental trees, shrubs and Flowers – A coulour handbook, Manson Publishing, 2012

In itinere tests, consisting of multiple-choice and open-ended test questions taken during the course and to be agreed with the students and elaboration of a topic chosen with the lecturer and prepared in individual or group form with presentation using PowerPoint; final examination consisting of an individual oral interview aimed at verifying the knowledge acquired and critical skills in connecting knowledge.

The assessment elements considered for the oral examination will cover: the relevance of the answers with respect to the questions formulated, the quality of the content, the ability to link with other topics subject of the program, the ability to report examples, the technical language property and the student's overall expressive ability.

Verification of learning may also be conducted electronically, should the conditions should require it.

As a summary of the above activities, the assessment of the preparation of individual students will take place on the basis of the following criteria: learning ability and level of depth of the topics covered, properties of synthesis and presentation, reasoning skills. The marks attributed will follow the following scheme:

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.

18-20

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.

Sample questions:

Describe the types of damage in the forest.

Ways of assessing the damage caused by different phytophagous insects in different types of greenery.

Methods of monitoring phytophagous insects.

Estimation of pest arthropods populations.

Explain the morphological and biological characteristics of a pest insect (example Thaumetopoea pityocampa), describing its damage and discussing ways to control it.