Plant Pathology

Total Hours in Course120

Number of hours for lectures32

Number of hours for laboratory classes16

Independent study hours72

Date of course confirmation25.06.2019

Responsible UnitInstitute of Soil and Plant Science

Course developer

reserch

Biruta Bankina

Dr. biol.

Course abstract

Students understand the concept “plant diseases” and learn about the causes and causal agents of diseases (fungi, viruses, bacteria). Students comprehend the regularities of disease development and their harmfulness and are acquainted with the most important plant diseases, their causal agents, disease symptoms and life cycles.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Students obtain the knowledge about the reasons of plant diseases and know the classification of diseases and the peculiarities of diseases caused by bacteria and viruses – 1st test.
Students comprehend the concept of resistance, understand the peculiarities of disease development and know the methods of disease assessment and diagnostics. They can characterise the most important phyla of the kingdoms Fungi, Chromista and Protozoa – 2nd test.
Students can diagnose diseases and identify their causal agents till genus level – laboratory exercises and a practical test.
Students know the most important plant diseases, can evaluate their harmfulness and integrate the knowledge about disease life cycles with the factors promoting their development, with agronomic practice and with possibilities of disease control – 3rd and 4th test.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. The concept “plant diseases” and disease causal agents. Classification of diseases. Parasitism and its types 4h.
2. Fungi as important causal agents of plant diseases. Causal agents of diseases from the kingdoms Protozoa and Chromista 16h.
3. Bacteria and viruses as important causal agents of plant diseases 2h.
4. Phylogenetical specialisation, pathogenicity, aggressiveness, resistance, and tolerance 2h.
5. Life cycles of diseases; factors that influence the development of epidemics. Methods of disease assessment and diagnostics 4h.
6. Diseases of cereals and pulses 4h.
7. Diseases of oilseed rape 4h.
8. Diseases of potatoes 4h.
9. Diseases of vegetables 4h.

10. Diseases of fruit trees and berries 4h.

Requirements for awarding credit points

A test with a grade. All laboratory works should be completed, practical test should be successfully passed, and the average point of the four theoretical tests should be at least 4.0.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Preparing for tests.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The final mark is the average point of the four theoretical tests. Every question is evaluated separately in each test, and the points are summed up. The final mark can be extended by one point if the practical test is assessed at 7.5 and higher.

Compulsory reading

1. Augu slimības. (2003) B. Bankinas red. Jelgava, LLU, 247 lpp.
2. Balodis O., Bankina B., Gaile Z., Grantiņa I. (2012) Ziemas rapsis. Jelgava, LLU, 68 lpp.
3. Bankina B., Gaile Z. (2014) Ziemāju labības un to slimības. Jelgava, LLU, 103 lpp.

4. Bimšteine G., Lepse L., Bankina B. (2014) Kāpostu, burkānu, sīpolu slimības un to ierobežošanas iespējas. Jelgava: LLU, 104 lpp

Atsauksmes