NPLK14008U Plant Infection and Disease Management
MSc Programme in Agriculture
MSc Programme in Environment and Development
Plant diseases caused by fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens constitute a major challenge for crop production, destroying crops, reducing yields and sometimes poisoning the products. Disease problems are encountered everywhere, from large-scale farms in temperate regions to smallholder farms in tropical regions.
There is a range of possibilities to reduce, alleviate and avoid crop diseases and they can be used both in conventional as well as in organic farming to obtain a sustainable production. The course will go through the different possibilities for disease management, based on an understanding of the biology and behaviour of the pathogens. Examples from both tropical and temperate settings are included as well as from horticultural and agricultural crops.
The course include the following topics:
- Infection processes of plant pathogens and host defence responses
- Seed health and pathology
- Disease resistance and how it is managed including different types of resistance and cultivar mixtures
- Cultural control measures, with emphasis on crop rotations, tillage (incl. conservation agriculture), fertilisation and intercropping
- Chemical control
- Alternative means for disease control including induced resistance, biological control and biopesticides
- Integrated pest management (IPM) for diseases
The participants are expected to gain a broad biologically based comprehension of plant disease development and management strategies. After completing the course the participants should have acquired the following:
- Describe host-pathogen interactions from pathogen establishment in the host to interactions at population level
- Give an overview of principles of proper management strategies, based on knowledge of pathogen biology
- Analyse a disease problem and suggest adequate principles of management of plant diseases based on knowledge of the pathogens and their interaction with the host
- Apply theory and solve plant disease problems in agricultural and horticultural crops and communicate the results
- Discuss potential ethical problems arising during control of plant diseases, for example human and environmental hazards
Review articles and primary literature. Information will be available on Absalon.
Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
- Class Instruction
- Project work
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- PortfolioStudents will be assessed on the basis of a portfolio of deliverables from individual contributions in journal club presentations, discussion leader role, the group report and the final group presentation of the report
Weight: The final grade will be based equally on the individual level of participation and quality of the contributions to the journal club presentations and discussion leader role as well as on the group report and group presentation
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
A former accepted report can be handed in again or else a new report has to be handed in 3 weeks before the reexam. The reexam will be an oral examination (30 minutes, no preparation time).
Criteria for exam assesment
See the learning outcome