PPATH-122 FUNDAMENTALS OF PLANT PATHOLOGY

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Objectives

1. To get acquainted with the role of different microorganisms in the development of plant disease
2. To get general concepts and classification of plant diseases
3. To get knowledge of general characteristics of fungi, bacteria, virus, and other microorganisms
   causing plant diseases
4. To acquaint the students with reproduction in fungi, and bacteria, causing plant diseases
5. To get acquainted with various plant disease management principles and practices

Theory

Introduction to Plant Pathology: Concept of disease in plants, Importance of Plant disease, Scope &
Objective of Plant pathology, History of Plant Pathology with special references to India; Terms &
concepts in Plant Pathology Pathogenesis. Causes and classification of plant diseases, diseases and
symptoms due to biotic/ abiotic causes. Parasitism and pathogenesis; Development of disease in plants:
Disease Triangle, Disease cycle. Fungi: general Characters, Somatic structures, Types of fungi thalli,
fungi tissues, modification of thallus and their morphology, reproduction (Sexual & Asexual)
Nomenclature, Binomial system of nomenclature, Classification of fungi (key to Domain to Phylum).
Bacteria and mollicutes: general morphological characters. Reproduction and classification of plant
pathogenic bacteria. Important plant pathogens: Mollicutes; Flagellant protozoa; FVB; Green algae and
parasitic higher plants, prions & viroids Viruses : Nature , Structure and Transmission Role of enzymes
and toxins in disease development. Defense mechanism in plants. Principles of Plant disease
management. Disease management with chemicals, Host resistance, cultural and biological method.
Principals of IDM & modules for What, Rice, Sugarcane, Cotton, groundnut, citrus and chickpea.

Practical

Study of the microscope; Acquaintance with laboratory material and equipment; Study of different plant
disease symptoms; Microscopic examination of general structure of fungi; Simple staining of bacteria:
Direct and indirect staining, Gram staining of bacteria; Microscopic examination of fungal disease
specimen; Microscopic examination of bacterial disease specimen; Preparation of culture media;
Isolation of plant pathogens: Fungi, bacteria and viruses; Purification of plant pathogens; Study on plant
disease diagnosis: Koch’s Postulates, Characteristics, formulation, methods of application and
calculation on fungicides.

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Lecture Schedule: Theory

1. Introduction to Plant Pathology: Concept of disease in plants, Importance of Plant disease, Scope & Objective of Plant pathology 2
2. History of Plant Pathology with special references to India; Terms & concepts in Plant Pathology 2
3. Pathogenesis. Causes and classification of plant diseases, diseases and symptoms due to biotic/ abiotic causes. 2
4. Parasitism and pathogenesis; Development of disease in plants: Disease Triangle, Disease cycle. 1
5. Fungi: general Characters, Somatic structures, Types of fungi thalli, fungi tissues, modification of thallus and their morphology, reproduction (Sexual & Asexual) 3
6. Nomenclature, Binomial system of nomenclature, Classification of fungi (key to Domain to Phylum). 3
7. Bacteria and mollicutes: general morphological characters 2
8. Reproduction and classification of plant pathogenic bacteria. 2
9. Important plant pathogens: Mollicutes; Flagellant protozoa; FVB; Green algae and parasitic higher plants, prions &viroids 03
10. Viruses:Nature , Structure and Transmission 2
11. Role of enzymes and toxins in disease development. Defense mechanism in plants 2
12. Principles of Plant disease management. 2
13. Disease management with chemicals, Host resistance, cultural and biological method 3
14. Principes of IDM & modules for What, Rice, Sugarcane, Cotton, groundnut, citrus and chickpea. 3

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Lecture Schedule: Practical

1. Study of the microscope; Acquaintance with laboratory material and equipment 2
2. Study of different plant disease symptoms 1
3. Microscopic examination of general structure of fungi 1
4. Simple staining of bacteria: Direct and indirect staining, Gram staining of bacteria. 2
5. Microscopic examination of fungal diseased specimen 1
6. Microscopic examination of bacterial diseased specimen 1
7. Preparation of culture media 1
8. Isolation of plant pathogens: Fungi, bacteria and viruses 2
9. Purification of plant pathogens 1
10. Study on plant disease diagnosis 1
11. Koch’s Postulates 1
12. Characteristics, formulation, methods of application and calculation on fungicides. 2

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Suggested readings

1. Agrios, G.N. 2010. Plant Pathology. Acad. Press.
2. Alexopoulos, Mims and Blackwel. Introductory Mycology.
3. Dhingra, O.D. and Sinclair, J.B. 1986. Basic Plant Pathology Methods. CRC Press, London,Tokyo.
4. Gibbs, A. and Harrison, B. 1976. Plant Virology – The Principles. Edward Arnold, London
5. Goto, M. 1990. Fundamentals of Plant Bacteriology. Academic Press, New York.
6. Hull R. 2002. Mathew’s Plant Virology. 4th edn. Academic Press, New York.
7. Kamat, M. N. Introductory Plant Pathology. Prakash Pub, Jaipur.