Theory
Introduction: Importance of plant diseases, scope and objectives of Plant Pathology. History of Plant Pathology with special reference to Indian work. Terms and concepts in Plant Pathology. Pathogenesis. Causes / factors affecting disease development: disease triangle and tetrahedron and classification of plant diseases. Important plant pathogenic organisms, different groups:fungi, bacteria, fastidious vesicular bacteria, phytoplasmas, spiroplasmas, viruses, viroids, algae, protozoa, phanerogamic parasites and nematodes with examples of diseases caused by them. Diseases and symptoms due to abiotic causes.
Fungi: General characters, definition of fungus, somatic structures, types of fungal thalli, fungal tissues, modifications of thallus, reproduction ( asexual and sexual ). Nomenclature, Binomial system of nomenclature, rules of nomenclature, classification of fungi. Key to divisions, sub-divisions, orders and classes.
Bacteria and mollicutes: general morphological characters. Basic methods of classification and reproduction.
Viruses: Nature, structure, replication and transmission. Study of phanerogamic plant parasites.
Nematodes: General morphology and reproduction, classification, symptoms and nature of damage caused by plant nematodes ( Heterodera, Meloidogyne, Anguina, Radopholusetc.)
Growth and reproduction of plant pathogens. Liberation / dispersal and survival of plant pathogens. Types of parasitism and variability in plant pathogens. Pathogenesis. Role of enzymes, toxins and growth regulators in disease development. Defense mechanism in plants. Epidemiology: Factors affecting disease development. Principles and methods of plant disease management. Nature, chemical combination, classification, mode of action and formulations of fungicides and antibiotics.