The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive picture of the packaging standards (materials and techniques) and the distribution of food issues (with particular emphasis on the shelf-life). In addition, the module aims to illustrate, briefly, the quality requirements of the food, mandatory and regulated (with the legislative references), contractual and voluntary and introduce the hazard analysis and the drafting of the HACCP Plan.
Postharvest pathology module aims to provide students with basic knowledge about the issues arising in post-harvest contamination of the products and vegetable foodstuffs by fungi and bacteria and their diagnosis. This knowledge, combined with the basic elements on the possibilities of alterations of control, are aimed at the management of the defense of the products during storage and the control and prevention of contamination in the post-harvest mycotoxin that can affect the quality and quantity of plant .
Postharvest pathology module aims to provide students with basic knowledge about the issues arising in post-harvest contamination of the products and vegetable foodstuffs by fungi and bacteria and their diagnosis. This knowledge, combined with the basic elements on the possibilities of alterations of control, are aimed at the management of the defense of the products during storage and the control and prevention of contamination in the post-harvest mycotoxin that can affect the quality and quantity of plant .
teacher profile teaching materials
Module 1: Introduction and General Principles
Definition and eco-pathology: What a plant disease is and the socio-economic impact of diseases.
The Disease Triangle: Interaction among host, pathogen, and environment.
Etiology and Symptomatology: Signs (pathogen structures) and symptoms (plant response).
Module 2: Biotic Agents
Fungi and Oomycetes: Morphology, biology, life cycle, and mechanisms of infection.
Bacteria: Modes of penetration, quorum sensing, types of bacterial diseases (e.g., crown gall, vascular bacterial diseases) and phytoplasmas.
Viruses and Viroids: Structure, replication, and modes of transmission (e.g., insect vectors).
Module 3: Host–Pathogen Interaction and Epidemiology
Mechanisms of pathogenicity: Enzymes, toxins, and effectors.
Plant defense: Resistance responses (physical and biochemical) and susceptibility.
Epidemiology: Disease dynamics over time and space, epidemic curves, and initial inoculum.
Module 4: Diagnostics and Control Methods
Traditional and molecular diagnosis: Koch’s postulates, microscopic observation, PCR, and serological tests.
Defense strategies: Prevention, agronomic and genetic control (varietal resistance).
Chemical and biological control: Use of pesticides, low-impact agrochemicals, and natural antagonists.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Intervention criteria and tolerance thresholds.
Programme
It is structured into progressive modules, ranging from theoretical and diagnostic foundations to defense strategies.Module 1: Introduction and General Principles
Definition and eco-pathology: What a plant disease is and the socio-economic impact of diseases.
The Disease Triangle: Interaction among host, pathogen, and environment.
Etiology and Symptomatology: Signs (pathogen structures) and symptoms (plant response).
Module 2: Biotic Agents
Fungi and Oomycetes: Morphology, biology, life cycle, and mechanisms of infection.
Bacteria: Modes of penetration, quorum sensing, types of bacterial diseases (e.g., crown gall, vascular bacterial diseases) and phytoplasmas.
Viruses and Viroids: Structure, replication, and modes of transmission (e.g., insect vectors).
Module 3: Host–Pathogen Interaction and Epidemiology
Mechanisms of pathogenicity: Enzymes, toxins, and effectors.
Plant defense: Resistance responses (physical and biochemical) and susceptibility.
Epidemiology: Disease dynamics over time and space, epidemic curves, and initial inoculum.
Module 4: Diagnostics and Control Methods
Traditional and molecular diagnosis: Koch’s postulates, microscopic observation, PCR, and serological tests.
Defense strategies: Prevention, agronomic and genetic control (varietal resistance).
Chemical and biological control: Use of pesticides, low-impact agrochemicals, and natural antagonists.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Intervention criteria and tolerance thresholds.
Core Documentation
Agrios, G. N. (2005). Plant Pathology (5th ed.). Elsevier Academic Press.Attendance
In-personType of evaluation
Knowledge assessment includes both oral and written examinations. Written tests: may include multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, case study analysis, and problem-solving exercises, aimed at evaluating the understanding of theoretical and applied course content. Oral exams: consist of individual interviews designed to assess communication skills, depth of knowledge, and the use of appropriate scientific terminology. Assessment also considers the ability to connect different course modules and to apply acquired knowledge to practical situations.