794-217 Plant Health I

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

The objective of this subject is to extend participant's ability to:

• describe the classification and biology of fungi, bacteria, virus, virus-like organisms and other phytopathogenic micro-organisms;

• undertake the diagnosis of a range of physiological and pathogenic disease problems;

• recommend preventative and eradicative control measures, including quarantine, immunisation, chemical and biological controls;

• explain the principles of integrated disease management, including the management of chemical resistance problems;

• describe the selection process involved in the use of horticultural chemicals for disease control and subsequent implication for their usage; and

• undertake a range of common isolation techniques for the purpose of identifying casual agents of disease problems.

The content includes factors affecting the health of plants and methods of diagnosis, the concept of plant disease, nature and cause, Kochs postulates, plant quarantine, disease resistance, the disease cycle; classification of plant disease; study of selected diseases and their casual organisms, effect of environment on plant diseases, fungicides and fungicide technology; and selection of chemical treatments and implications derived from their usage. Students will also be required to prepare a pathology assignment which shall include recommendations for control and preventative practices.

Assessment

2.5-hour examination (50%); practical test (30%); pathology assignment of 1200 words (20%).

Prescribed Texts

• G N Agrios, Plant Pathology. 3rd ed., New York: Academic Press Inc., 1993. Manners, J G (1993).