Module Identifier | BS32020 | ||
Module Title | PLANT INTERACTIONS WITH PESTS AND PATHOGENS | ||
Academic Year | 2001/2002 | ||
Co-ordinator | Dr Luis Mur | ||
Semester | Semester 2 | ||
Other staff | Dr Gareth Griffith, Dr Ian Scott | ||
Pre-Requisite | |||
Course delivery | Lecture | 30 Hours | |
Seminar | 1 Hours 1 x 1 hours | ||
Assessment | Practical exercise | Continuous assessment of practicals | 20% |
Exam | 3 Hours One 3-hour theory paper | 80% | |
Resit assessment | 3 Hours One 3-hour theory paper (plus resubmission of failed coursework or an alternative) | 80% |
Plant Responses to pathogens
Plant responses to pathogenic challenge will focus on resistance associated with the hypersensitive response (HR). Key events discussed will include, the plants anti-microbial recognition, and subsequent signalling events leading to the generation of free-radicals ('the oxidative burst'), programmed cell death leading to defence gene expression. Following the HR, plants display a systemic acquired resistance (SAR) to further infection. The exhibition of SAR has been shown to be absolutely dependent on salicylic acid (SA). The role of SA in conferring SAR, together with its modes of action and biosynthesis will be discussed.
Combating the effects of insect attack
Insect grazing obviously elicits a wound response but in addition insect anti-feedants such as hexanals and the subsequent expression of proteinase inhibitors (PI) are induced. Each will be considered and the chemical signalling pathways based on 'wound-signal' jasmonic acid will be examined in some detail. The production by the wounded plant of gaseous signals to attract insect parasitoids will also be examined.
The application of biotechnology
Many biotechnological companies have aiming to increase field-resistance to pathogens and insects using methods that will be outlined in this section of the course.
Workshop
A 'Plant Pathogenicity' workshop will allow infected plants to be examined and interpreted.
? appreciate how various approaches in microscopy, biochemistry and genetics are applied to increase scientific knowledge
? have developed 'fact-finding' skills by being encouraged to consult primary sources of information to supplement the lectures.