ENY 5405 Insect Vectors of Plant Pathogens
Description
This course presents current information on insect, other arthropod and nematode vectors of plant pathogens, and the role and management of these vectors in agricultural and environmental areas. The material discussed in this course deals with the identification and morphology of important vectors and how these features affect transmission of plant pathogens.
Prerequisites
Students must have an introductory course in entomology (ENY3005, ENY5006, or equivalent) completed before beginning this course. An introductory course in plant pathology would be helpful, but is not required.
Course Format
Location: Online
Course Goals
The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the biology of arthropods and nematodes and the role they play in the spread of different plant pathogens. This course was designed to foster your creative and critical thinking skills by directing you through an independent exploration of weekly topics. The lectures begin by providing introductory material and readings to provide you with the background necessary to understand the topic. Questions will be posed during the lectures that will direct your exploration of the literature.
Writing assignments are designed to help you improve your scientific writing skills and provide you an outlet for demonstrating your comprehension of the topic. As the semester advances lectures will become shorter and you will be asked to pose questions and provide answers. By the end of the semester you should be more comfortable with this higher-level inquiry-based learning approach (that is expected from graduate students and research scientists) and that you have a new appreciation for insects as vectors of plant pathogens.
Topics
| Module | Topic |
| Week 1 | Guest lecture: Historical background of vector-borne plant disease |
| Week 2 | Guest lecture: Mechanisms of insect transmission of plant pathogens |
| Week 3 | Ecological aspects of insect transmission of plant pathogens |
| Week 4 | Guest lecture: Classification and biology of vectors (aphids, leafhoppers, whiteflies, nematodes, others) |
| Week 5 | Guest lecture: Psyllids, vectors of citrus greening |
| Week 6 | Case studies: A. Sharpshooter leafhoppers, vectors of Xylella fastidiosa B. Leafhoppers, vector of Phytoplasmas and Spiroplasmas |
| Week 7 | Mechanisms of nematode transmission of plant pathogens |
| Week 8 | I-Non persistent viruses Case study: The majority of potyviruses (aphids) |
| Week 9 | II-Semi-persistent viruses Case study: Citrus tristeza virus III-Persistent viruses.Case study: Geminiviruses such as Tomato yellow leaf curl virus |
| Week 10 | Guest lecture: Rose rosette disease and mites as vectors |
| Week 11 | Introduction to fungal plant pathogens: Classification |
| Week 12 | Fungal/insect symbiosis and commensalism |
| Week 13 | Insects that vector fungal organisms Case studies: Chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease and Laurel wilt |
| Week 14 | Bioterrorism intro. |
| Week 15 | Border patrol, and the use of insect vectored plant pathogens. |
| Week 16 | Group Project |
