The course is the main introductory course in the concepts of plant diseases and their causal agents. Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:
understand the concept of a biotic or abiotic plant disease, and the biotic (fungi, bacteria, viruses, viroids, phytoplasmas) or abiotic (abiotic factors/unfavorable environmental conditions) causal agents involved, respectively.
recognize symptoms and signs of plant diseases
understand the biology/reproduction of plant pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses, viroids, phytoplasmas) and their interaction with the plants during pathogenesis
understand the spread of a transmissible plant disease and the factors affecting its epidemiology
understand the basic concepts of plant disease control depending on the causal agent
understand the epidemiology and control of representative diseases of vegetable and fruit tree crops
acquire the skills to recognize the symptoms of major plant diseases of vegetable and fruit tree crops and diagnose the causal agent of the disease via the microscopic observation of the signs of the main groups of Fungi and Oomycetes in order to design efficient control strategies.
Be updated on top issues related with plant diseases and plant pathogens.
