Introductory description

This module aims to teach students the importance and impact of plant pests, diseases and weeds on food production and provide them with a thorough understanding of their biology and ecology.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Causes of disease; types of plant pathogens  Biology and ecology of pests, pathogens and weeds  Plant pathogen infection processes  Introduction to molecular biology and application in plant pathology  Plant pathogen detection and discrimination  Plant population dynamics  Chemical control measures for pests, diseases and weeds  Biological control of pests, diseases and weeds  Monitoring and forecasting of pests and diseases  Plant genetics and resistance to pests and diseases  Resistance management  Components of integrated crop pest and disease management systems

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the impact of plant pests, diseases and weeds on food production and global food security
• Demonstrate understanding and have knowledge of the key concepts and mechanisms associated with the biology and ecology of plant pathogens, pests and weeds and how these relate to different control strategies.
• Have knowledge of and critically assess the range of advanced approaches for controlling pests, diseases and weeds.
• Develop and evaluate the components of integrated crop pest and disease management systems and how these interact with economics, legislation and and the environment.
• Demonstrate understanding, knowledge and practice independently the experimental techniques in plant pathology, entomology and weed science

Indicative reading list

 Agrios, GN. 2005. Plant Pathology (fifth edition) Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-044565-4  Cousens, R & Mortimer, M. (1995) Dynamics of weed populations. Cambridge University Press.  Dent, D. (2000). Insect Pest Management. CABI Publishing, ISBN 0851993419  Dickinson M. Molecular Plant Pathology. (2003) Garland Science (UK) ISBN 1859960448  Fenner, M. (2000) Seeds: The ecology of regeneration in plant communities. 2nd Edition. CABI Publishing  Grime, JP. (2002) Plant strategies, vegetation processes and ecosystem properties, 2nd Edition. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.  Hajek, A. (2003) Natural Enemies: An Introduction to Biological Control. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 052165292  Hull, R. (ed) Matthews' plant virology. 4th ed. Harcourt Academic Press 2001. ISBN 0123611601  Jeffers, J.N.R. (1982) Modelling. Chapman & Hall, ISBN 0 412 24360 1

 Koul, O; Dhaliwal, G. S.; Cuperus, G. W. (2004) Integrated Pest Management: Potential, Constraints and Challenges. CABI Publishing, ISBN 0851996868  Maier, R.M. et al (2000) Environmental microbiology Academic Press ISBN 0124975704  Matthews (2002) Matthews' plant virology (4th ed.) Roger Hull.  Naylor, EL . (2002) Weed Management Handbook, 9th Edition. Blackwell Publishing  Panda, N; Kush, G. S.; Khush, G.S. (1995). Host Plant Resistance to Insects. CABI Publishing, ISBN 085198632  Silvertown JW & Charlesworth D. (2001) An Introduction to Plant Population Biology (4th Edition). Blackwell Press.  Singh RS. Plant Disease Management (2001) ISBN 1-57808-160-2;  Strange, R. L. Introduction to plant pathology. Wiley-VCH, 2003. ISBN 047084973 8

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

 To understand the impact of plant pests, diseases and weeds on food production.  To understand key concepts associated with the biology and ecology of plant pathogens, pests and weeds.  To assess a range of advanced approaches for controlling pests, diseases and weeds.  To develop and evaluate the components of integrated crop pest and disease management systems.  To analyse the conflicting and complex requirements of environmental and crop protection.

Transferable skills

Analysis and evaluation