PLSC 415 (FOR 414)   PLANT PATHOLOGY     FALL 2009

(Note: PLSC 416, Plant Pathology Laboratory, will not be offered Fall 2009)

Instructor:      Guy R. Knudsen (Professor, Microbial Ecology & Plant Pathology)

Contact:  email (best):  gknudsen@uidaho.edu       phone:  885-7933

Office hours:  Weekdays by appointment only (email or telephone for one).  109 Ag Science.      

Class hours and location:   MWF 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m., Ag Science 339

Credit hours:  3

Textbook:  Schumann & D'Arcy, Essential Plant Pathology  (in the bookstore soon!) (I will also put a copy of the textbook on 2-hr reserve in the library)

Grading:  We will have a total of 5 in-class exams (including the final exam), approximately one every three weeks or so.  All of the exams (including the final) are weighted equally.  About a week before each exam, I will hand out a set of review questions to be turned in during the in‑class review session which will take place during the last class session before the exam.  The review questions will be worth 10 points (out of 100) for that exam.  I don't grade "on a curve". Final course grade will consist of: 5/6 exam average (90-100 = A, 80-89  = B, etc.), and 1/6 "class participation".  Class participation points come from regular attendance and constructive participation, please email me in advance if you can't make it to class for any reason.    

Lecture topics:  Following is an approximate schedule of the topics we will cover in class, subject to revision as necessary:

Introduction; the science of plant pathology

Ecology of disease and parasitism

Soil as a microbial habitat

Fungi as pathogens of plants

Disease cycles

(exam 1)

Bacteria as pathogens of plants

Rhizosphere and phyllosphere habitats

Nematodes as plant pathogens

(exam 2)

Viruses as plant pathogens

Abiotic disorders of plants

Parasitic plants

(exam 3)

Genetics and ecology of plant-parasite interactions

Plant disease resistance

(exam 4)

Plant disease epidemiology

Plant disease management and control

(exam 5)