Plant Pathology 415:  Information and Assignments

8/24/09   Welcome to Plant Pathology 415!

8/26  Reading assignment:  Chapter 1 in the textbook.  Note:  books should be in the bookstore on Friday, but meanwhile (or if you don't wish to buy the textbook) there is a copy on 2-hr reserve in the library that you can read.

8/26  Looking ahead, we will have our five in-class exams on these dates:  9/18, 10/9, 10/30, 11/18, and 12/15 ("final")

8/31  note:  I changed two of the future exam dates above (2nd and 3rd exams) to a later date.  There was a little too much material to cover for the first exam, and this will let us defer some of it.

9/2  Books are in, at the bookstore.

9/2  I've posted a page of "background" material here.  This is especially critical if you haven't previously had an introductory microbiology and/or an introductory plant science course, or if you need to brush up those areas.

9/2  Reading assignment:  Chapter 2.  Please read the whole chapter, and focus especially on any material related to Pythium spp. and Pythium diseases, which will appear on the first exam!

9/6  Please read the following article: "Seeding date controls Pythium in winter wheat", located here:  http://pnwsteep.wsu.edu/tillagehandbook/chapter4/041187.htm    It will be important to read and understand this article prior to the first exam!  

9/9  Here are review questions for Exam 1, please answer and turn in next Wednesday (9/16) in class!

9/11  There is a pretty nice little mycology site here     The focus is on forest pathology, but most of the material is applicable to pathology of other plants as well.  Check it out!

9/11  A few more things to be familiar with for Exam 1, which don't appear on the review page:

         -Fungal spore types, as presented in today's lecture 

         -Fungi as heterotrophs

         -chitin in cell walls of higher fungi and Zygomycetes, cellulose in Oomycete cell walls 

         -soil aggregates as a component of the habitat of soilborne pathogens 

9/29  Reading assignment:  Chapters 3 (bacterial pathogens) and 4 (nematode pathogens) in the textbook.  This material will be on the next exam!

10/1  Review questions for Exam 2 are posted here.  Remember, due in class on Wednesday, 10/7!

10/12  Reading assignment:  Chapters 5, 6, and 7 will be on the next exam!

10/12  No Class on Friday this week:  Friday is the inauguration of the new university president.  The faculty senate voted to cancel UI classes on Friday so students & faculty could attend the ceremony.  I personally think it's a waste of scarce university resources.  I won't be attending, and encourage you to make your own decision.  It might be a good time to get some extra studying done, which is something that would actually benefit you instead of being another cog in the administration's PR machine. 

10/22  The 3rd exam has been moved from Friday 10/30 to Monday 11/2. 

10/23  Exam 3 review questions are posted HERE.  Due in class on Friday 10/30!

11/2  EXAM 3:  sorry about the photocopier malfunction that resulted in most people only getting half an exam today!  We will have the second half of the exam on Wednesday (this week!) so please come prepared!  It won't take up the whole class period, so afterwards I will spend a few minutes going over the answers, for anyone who wants to stick around.  Chris and Brandon, you already took the whole exam so attendance is optional on Wednesday for you. 

11/6  EXAM 4:  needs to be moved to Friday, Nov. 20 (since we're a little behind schedule).  Review will be on Wednesday 11/18, review questions to be posted early next week.  New "Big 16" diseases that will be on the next exam:  Verticillium wilt, Potato late blight, Leaf rust of wheat.

11/12  Review questions for Exam 4 are posted here.  Due in class next Wednesday (11/18)

11/16  Please look at this online article:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4069/is_200603/ai_n17171693/?tag=content;col1

  -what implications do you find here for survival and spread of late blight in Idaho?