Microbe-Plant Interactions: Plant Disease and Biological Control

Catalog description

Survey of microbe-plant interactions causing plant disease, mechanisms of pathogenesis, disease management, and microbial and molecular biological control strategies. PPEM 405 Microbe-Plant Interactions: Plant Disease and Biological Control (3) Plant health in both natural and agricultural ecosystems is essential for sustaining human society and all other life forms on Earth. Plant disease epidemics are common and diverse and can have devastating effects on our population and economy by debilitating the ecosystems on which we depend. This course focuses on biological and environmental factors that influence microbe-plant interactions which in turn determine plant health and initiate plant disease epidemics. Developing strategies for maintaining healthy plants in both natural and agricultural ecosystems requires an understanding of pathogen and host biology, as well as the role of the environment in disease epidemiology. Students will learn about the survival and spread of important plant-infecting fungi, bacteria, phytoplasma, and viruses and how mechanisms for microbial pathogenicity are influenced by the environment. The final section of the course will focus on the use of beneficial microorganisms to maintain and improve plant health. Grades will be based on student performance on a wide variety of activities including labs, quizzes, seminar reports, and exams.