205-401 Plant Pathology

Availability

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

202-103 Biology for Land and Food Resources, 205-206 Crop Protection or 211-326 Forest Entomology and Pathology.

Semester

Subject Description

On completion of this subject, students should:

• be familiar with the biology and taxonomy of the major biotic causes of disease;

• understand the processes of infection and pathogenesis;

• be aware of the factors leading to epidemic diseases;

• be capable of diagnosing common diseases of agricultural and horticultural crops;

• and be able to formulate a practicable approach to disease control in commercial species.

The content includes:

• taxonomy, identification and biology of the main groups of plant pathogens and abiotic causes of plant diseases;

• host parasite relationships, the nature of resistance to and tolerance of pathogenesis; means of transferring, including and modifying resistance in plants;

• mycotoxicoses in feed and fodder crops;

• aspects of aerobiology, ecology and variation of plant pathogens;

• and the processes leading to plant disease epidemics and their evaluation; the types and uses of fungicides, the bases of biological control of plant disease, insects and weeds and the management and control of plant diseases in general.

Assessment

Three-hour examination (50%), a practical test (10%) and two assignments equivalent to 2500 words (each worth 20%).

Prescribed Texts

• Agrios, G.N., Plant Pathology. 3rd ed. 1988, Academic Press.
• Alexopoulous, C.J., and Mims, C.W., Introductory Mycology. 1979, Wiley.