PLP 315 Principles of Plant Pathology

PLP 315 Principles of Plant Pathology

Credit: Theory 3 + Practical 1.5

Offering Term: Summer, For Third Year students

A. Theory

Introduction to Principles of Plant Pathology: Some historical and present examples of losses caused by plant diseases, plant diseases and world crop production.
Pathogenesis: Parasitism and pathogenicity, the chain of events in disease development; Disease cycle; Role of toxins in disease development; Effect of pathogens on plant physiology.
Ecology, survival and mode of spread of plant pathogens- fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes.
Epidemiology of plant disease and disease triangle; Factors of epiphytotic development of plant diseases; Inoculum potential and Disease potential; Disease severity.
Introduction to Molecular Plant Pathology.
Disease surveillance, assessment of disease intensity, disease forecasting and yield loss assessment.
Principles of plant disease management: Exclusion, eradication, protection, legislative, immunization and resistance.
- Quarantine: Domestic, international, embargo and phytosanitary certificate. Eradication- Eradicants, physical, chemical and cultural methods of eradication.
- Protection: Cultural, biological and chemical; classification of fungicides- protectants, eradicate, therapeutics; copper, sulfur, mercury, heterocyclic nitrogenous compounds, systemic fungicides and antibiotics; characteristics of ideal fungicides; formulation of fungicides; methods of application of fungicides- seed, soil and foliar applications, special methods; compatibility with other pesticides; phytotoxicity of fungicides, the shelf life of fungicides; precautions and safety measures during handling fungicides.
- Host resistance: Type of resistance- vertical and horizontal resistance; Variation in plant pathogens, genetics of host parasitic interaction, mechanisms of resistance, mechanical and chemical, pre-infectional and post-infectional defence mechanism.
- Biological control of plant diseases: Antagonistic fungi, bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, bacteriophages, plant products and antiviral principles.
- Biotechnological approaches to control plant diseases: Production of virus-free plants by meristem culture, somaclonal variation. Genetic engineering- plant clinic, organization and their role in disease management.
Integrated approach to control crop diseases.

B. Practical:

Inoculation techniques of fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes
The practice of Koch’s Postulate
Formulation of fungicides, calculation of dosage and preparation of fungicidal suspensions.
Appliances for application of fungicides and nematicides.
Demonstration of methods of application of fungicides- seed treatments, soil and foliar application, laboratory and field evaluation of fungicides.
Multiplication and application of biocontrol agents for disease control.
Study of phytotoxicity.
Visit Plant Quarantine Station
Each of the students is required to submit a comprehensive report on the prepared herbarium, spray experiment and field excursion.

Selected references:

A. Mishra, A. Bohra and A. Mishra, 2005. Plant Pathology- Diseases and Management. Agrobios, India.
E.C. Stakman, and J.G. Harrer, 1957. Principles of Plant Pathology. The Ronald Press Company, New York, USA.
G.N. Agrios, 2004. Plant Pathology. 4^th Edition. Academic Press, New York, USA.
G.P. Gupta, 2004. Text Book of Plant Diseases. Discovery Publishing House, New Delhi, India.
K.M. Chadniwala, 2003. Bacterial Diseases in Plants. Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India.
Karl Maramorosch, 2000. Viruses, Vectors and Vegetation. Academic Press.
R. S. Singh, 2002. Introduction to Principles of Plant Pathology. 4^th Edition. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India.
R.S. Mehrotra and A. Aggarwal, 2004. Plant Pathology. 2^nd Edition. Tara McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. Ltd. New Delhi, India.
R.S. Singh. 2003. Plant Diseases. 7^th Edition. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India.
S.I. Hussain and T. A. Khan, 1988. Nematode Diseases of Plant. A Falcon Book from Cosmo Publishing. New Delhi, India.
Y.L. Nene, and P.N. Thapliyal, 2002. Fungicides in Plant Disease Control. 3^rd Edition. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India.
R.N. Trigiano, M.T. Windham and A.S. Windham (eds.), 2004. Plant Pathology- Concepts and Laboratory Exercises. CRC Press, New York, USA.
K.R. Aneja, 2005. Experiments in Microbiology, Plant Pathology and Biotechnology. 4^th Edition. New Age International Publishers, New Delhi, India.
S. Sundara Rajan. 2000. Practical Manual of Fungi. Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, India.