The objective of the course 'Plant Pathology' is to provide students with theoretical and practical knowledge and to get familiarized with plant diseases and their causes, the biology of the main plant pathogens and their interaction with plants, as well as the basic principles of plant disease management.
Theory:
- The concept of disease
- Symptoms and signs of plant diseases
- Basic knowledge of phytopathological mycology (morphology, classification, reproduction, pathogenesis, epidemiology and the most important plant pathogenic genera and species of fungi and oomycetes and symptomatology of the diseases they cause)
- Basic knowledge of phytopathological bacteriology (morphology, classification, reproduction, epidemiology and the most important plant pathogenic genera and species of bacteria and the symptomatology of the diseases they cause)
- Basic knowledge of phytoplasmas and spiroplasmas
- Basic knowledge of plant pathological virology (classification, identification, reproduction and transmission of viruses and viruses, symptomatology, pathogenesis, epidemiology and management of viral and viral diseases)
- Non-parasitic diseases
- Mechanisms of plant pathogenesis (enzyme secretion, toxins, hormones) and plant defence (passive and active defence mechanisms, hypersensitivity reaction, induced and acquired systemic resistance)
- Plant innate immune system (mechanisms of pathogen-host recognition, mechanisms of secretion of bacterial effectors, signal transduction and expression of resistance)
- Basic knowledge of plant disease epidemiology (disease tetrahedron, monocyclic & polycyclic diseases)
- Principles and methods of plant disease diagnostics
- Principles and methods of treatment of plant diseases
- Representative diseases of cultivated plants.
Laboratory Exercises:
The aim of the practicals is to provide knowledge and familiarize students with the identification of plant diseases and the diagnostic process.
Students are trained in the basic principles to study plant pathogens, stereoscopic and microscopic observation, identification and classification of the main plant pathogenic fungi, oomycetes and bacteria. Students are trained to distinguish and recognize symptoms, signs and causal agents of important plant diseases (powdery mildew, downy mildew, rusts, anthracnose, , wilts etc.). In addition, they carry out bioassays for viruses and viral diseases.
The topics in the form of laboratory exercises are:
- FUNGI: Fungal structures - Reproduction - Classification (macroscopic observation of sclerotia, microscopic observation of common and multicellular mycelium, transverse septum, sporangia, oospores)
- CHROMISTA Genus : Pythiaceae (macroscopic observation of oomycete cultures, microscopic observation of hyphae, zoosporangia, oospores)
- CHROMISTA : Genus : Peronosporaceae (observation of spot symptoms and mycelia on diseased plant samples, microscopic observation of sporangiophores)
- FUNGI: ASCOMYCOTA (observation of symptoms and polystigmia in diseased plant samples, microscopic observation of cleistothecia, asci)
- FUNGI: BASIDIOMYCOTA (observation of pustules and spore masses in diseased plant samples, microscopic observation of teleiospores)
- DEUTEROMYCETES or INCOMPLETE FUNGI Deuteromycetes; Mitosporic fungi; Fungi imperfecti (observation of symptoms and polystigmia in diseased plant samples, microscopic observation of acervuli, conidia and conidiophores)
- PROCARYOTIC DISEASES (observation of tumours and galls in diseased plant samples)
Learning outcomes:
The course learning outcomes, specific knowledge, skills and competences of an appropriate level, which the students will acquire with the successful completion of the course are described.
This is the basic introductory course on the concepts of plant disease and their causal agents, but also on the understanding of the pathogenesis, epidemiology and management of plant diseases.
After successful completion of the course (theory and laboratory), students (from the departments Biotechnology, Agricultural Economics & Rural Development and Natural Resources Management & Agricultural Engineering) should be able (descriptive indicator 6 of the European Qualifications Framework) to:
- Describe the concept of plant disease, parasitism and the degree of pathogenicity and development of a disease.
- Distinguish between transmissive and non- transmissive diseases and the elements of their expression (symptoms and signs) according to the causal agents (fungi, bacteria, viruses, viruses, phytoplasmas, non-parasitic causes/adverse environmental conditions).
- Understand the biology - reproduction of plant pathogens (fungi, bacteria, oomycetes, viruses, viroids, phytoplasmas) and their interaction with plants.
- Describe the stages in the development of an infectious disease and the factors that influence the occurrence of an epidemic.
- Understand the basic principles of disease management, depending on the pathogen.
- Know the basic epidemiology (survival, transmission) and management of representative diseases of cultivated plants.
- Acquire skills related to the recognition of symptoms and signs, through stereoscopic and microscopic observation of spores and fruiting bodies of the main plant pathogenic fungi and oomycetes, in order to have the basic knowledge for the identification of infestations on horticultural, ornamental and tree crops and for their treatment.
- Have the opportunity to be informed and evaluate cutting-edge issues related to diseases and biology of plant pathogens.
1. Theory. Phytopathology, E. Tzamos, Athens, 2007.
2. Laboratory: Laboratory Exercises in Phytopathology, by members of the Phytopathology Laboratory.
3. Relevant scientific journals and books: Diseases of Fruit-bearing Trees and Grapevines Panagopoulos, Publications Stamoulis, Athens 2007, Diseases of Ornamental plants, Panagopoulos, Publications Stamoulis, Athens 2002, Diseases of Horticultural Crops, H. Panagopoulos, Publications Stamoulis, Athens 1995, Disease and Pest Compendia Series (Published by The American Phytopathological Society).
