Plant Pathology: Academic Programs: Courses / Syllabi

PATH 8410 - Advanced Plant Disease Management

Chemical controls and application methods, biological control and ecology of plant pathogens, host resistance, cultural practices, pesticide resistance, disease forecasting and other decision aids, integrated disease management, and economic aspects of disease management.

Instructor - Harald Scherm
Credit Hours - 3
Course Offered - fall semester of odd-numbered years

PREREQUISITE

PATH 3530-3530L

COURSE OBJECTIVES OR EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course will explore both traditional and novel disease management tactics/ strategies, based on a discussion of case studies from the recent literature. Topics include chemical controls and application methods, fungicide resistance, disease warning and other decision aids, biological control and ecology of plant pathogens, host resistance, cultural practices, integrated pest management, and socioeconomic aspects of pest management. Examples from other plant health disciplines (entomology and weed science) will be included where appropriate. Emphasis will be placed on the underlying scientific principles and their integration.

TOPICAL OUTLINE

I. INTRODUCTION
1. Course organization and expectations
2.The IPM concept and surrounding controversies
3. Funding sources and strategies for pest management research

II. CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND
1. Detection
2. Sampling
3. Ecological theory and IPM
4. Systems concepts
5. Decision tools and thresholds
6. Socioeconomic factors and IPM implementation

III. APPLICATIONS AND CASE STUDIES

1. Quarantine

2. Chemical control
2.1 New chemistry in IPM
2.2 FQPA and other regulatory issues
2.3 Fungicide resistance
2.4 Pesticide risk/ benefit assessment
2.5 Application technologies/ site-specific ag

3. Biological control
3.1 What's new in biological control
3.2 Enhancing biocontrol through microbial ecology
3.3 Enhancing biocontrol through molecular biology
3.4 Biocontrol risk assessment

4. Genetic control
4.1 What's new in classical genetic resistance
4.2 Induced resistance
4.3 What's new in transgenic plants
4.4 Transgenic plants: resistance against pathogens
4.5 Biotechnology risk assessment

5. Cultural control
5.1 Outdoor/ field
5.2 Indoor/ protected culture

IV. RESEARCH PROPOSAL REVIEW

UNIVERSITY HONOR CODE AND ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

UGA Student Honor Code: "I will be academically honest in all of my academic work and will not tolerate academic dishonesty of others." A Culture of Honesty, the University's policy and procedures for handling cases of suspected dishonesty, can be found at www.uga.edu/ovpi. Every course syllabus should include the instructor's expectations related to academic integrity.