PATH 3530/3530L
INTRODUCTORY PLANT PATHOLOGY
COURSE SYLLABUS
DR. ELIZABETH LITTLE
FALL SEMESTER 2013
Learning Objectives: Students will critically explore and understand
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the causes, mechanisms, and management of plant disease.
the biological and ecological aspects of pathogenesis.
the diversity of disease causing organisms and types of diseases they cause.
the role of plant diseases in both agriculture and the natural world.
the application of sustainable and integrated disease management techniques.
Lectures:
Monday & Wednesday, 10:10 to 11:00 a.m., Room 2401 Plant Sci. Bldg.
Laboratory: Section I: Wednesday, 12:20 to 2:15 p.m., Room 2104 Plant Sci. Bldg.
Section II: Wednesday, 3:35 to 5:30 p.m., Room 2104 Plant Sci. Bldg.
Instructor:
Dr. Elizabeth Little
3311 Plant Sciences Building
Phone: 542-4774
E-mail: elittle@uga.edu
TAs:
Peng Tian
Minglu Gao
Text:
APSNet Plant Disease Lessons (material for disease case studies):
http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/Pages/default.aspx
pengtian @uga.edu
hugogao @uga.edu
Lab Manual (required) – sold at Bel-Jean Copy Center, 163 E. Broad St.
Other required readings, as assigned, will be posted on eLearning site.
Not required but suggested:
Agrios, G. N. 2005. Plant Pathology, 5th ed. Academic Press
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory for the laboratory portion of the course. If you
have more than one unexcused absence from the lab you could be
withdrawn from the course. Your instructor decides on what is an excused
absence, but typically you will need to provide a written medical excuse or
get your absence approved by the Office of Student Affairs. Absences
must be excused within 1 week of the lab you missed or it will be counted
as an unexcused absence. There may be a make-up lab session
depending on availability of materials, time to be arranged.
Grading:
Two in-class exams (75 pts. each)
Final exam (100 pts.); last third of class, 25% comprehensive
Seven in-class quizzes based on disease case studies (15 pts. each)
Five lab quizzes (lowest grade dropped) (15 pts. each, 60 pts. total)
Term paper (35 pts.); based on laboratory exercise 4
Laboratory notebooks collected twice and graded (50 points)
Make-up Exams and Quizzes: In order to retake a missed exam or quiz,
students must have a legitimate, documented excuse, and make every
effort to contact the instructor prior to the test to be missed. (in person, by
email, or by phone).
Scale:
A total score of ≥90% receives at least an A-, ≥80% receives at least a B-,
≥70% receives at least a C-, ≥60% receives at least a D, and <60%
receives an F. Within these broad categories, I will look for discontinuities
in the final (cumulative) point distribution to determine plus, minus, or
‘straight’ letter grades. This has the advantage of not giving students with
very similar numerical grades different letter grades. In addition to these
discontinuities, I will look at the specific performance on each assignment
for each student around the breakpoint. This individual consideration may
determine the cut-off between these finer grade distinctions
Academic honesty: Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. All students
are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the university’s policy on
academic honesty. Moreover, no student will be allowed to take his or her
exam from the classroom or copy exam questions. You will be given
ample opportunity in class and during my office hours to review your
exams. The university’s academic honesty policy may be found at
http://www.uga.edu/honesty/ahpd/ah.pdf
Other plant pathology courses of interest:
PATH (ANTH) (BTNY) 3010 – Fungi: Friends and Foes (Spring)
(PATH) CRSS (ENTO) 3500 – Turfgrass Pest Management (Spring)
PATH (BTNY) 4200-4200L – Introductory Mycology (Fall)
PATH 4280-4280L – Diagnosis and Management of Plant Diseases (Fall)
PATH 4300 – Clinical Plant Pathology
PATH 4360 – Ornamental Pest Management (Fall)
(PATH) (CRSS) ENTO 4740-4740L – Integrated Pest Management (Spring)
INTRODUCTORY PLANT PATHOLOGY - PATH3530
LECTURE SCHEDULE - FALL 2013
Date
Subject
Reading in Agrios, 5th ed
12 Aug
14
19
21
26
28
02 Sep
04
09
Introduction, Terminology
Parasitism and Disease Development
Disease Triangle, Disease Cycle
Disease Cycle, Pathogen Groups
Management Concepts, Fungi as Plant Pathogens I
Fungi as Plant Pathogens II
No class - Labor Day Holiday
Oomycetes, Potato Late Blight Case Study (not graded)
Downy Mildew of Cucurbits, Disease Forecasting
4-8, 29-45, 65-71
77-104
77-104
249-263, 265-278
385-409
433-438
11
EXAM I (through Fungi as Plant Pathogens)
16
18
23
25
30
02 Oct
07
09
Ascomycetes and Deuteromycetes
Apple Scab Case Study, more Ascomycetes
Powdery Mildews
Dutch Elm Disease Case Study; Chestnut Blight
Basidiomycetes I
Wheat Stem Rust Case Study; Basidiomycetes II
Root and Seedling Diseases I
Root and Seedling Diseases II
14
EXAM II (Oomycetes through Root Diseases)
16
21
23
28
30
04 Nov
06
11
13
18
20
25,27
02 Dec
Bacteria - Concepts and Classification
Bacterial Diseases, exam review
Fire Blight Case Study; Fastidious Prokaryotes
Viruses I
Viruses II, Tomato Spotted Wilt
Cucumber Mosaic Case Study; Nematodes I
Nematodes II
Lesion Nematode Case Study
Disease Management I
Disease Management II
Integrated Disease Management, Parasitic Plants
No class - Thanksgiving Holiday
Air Pollution and other Abiotic Diseases
9
Final Exam 9 a.m.
409-433
278-289
439-447
483-514
448-456
473-483, 523-534
562-593
562-593, 604-614
410-421, 523-528
534-552, 593-603
615-626
627-637, 656-673
638-656, 678-703
723-756
764-777, 795-799, 816-823
757-758, 825-837
838-849, 863-874
849-853
293-314,
314-348, 134-142, 165-172
348-350, 705-722
357-384
Students are expected to be prepared to discuss each of the disease case studies using the outline
handed out in class. Each disease case study (except the first one on potato late blight) will be
associated with an in-class quiz. Note that the above dates are merely approximate. The exact
dates for which to prepare each case study will be announced in class.
Case studies can be found at http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/Pages/default.aspx
The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the
class by the instructor may be necessary.