(PLNTPTH 685) Diagnostic Field Plant Pathology (U  G  3 cr)

Summer Quarter 2009 Dates: July 20-29 Location: Wooster

Offered every other summer.  Ten days, July 20-29.  The course meets every weekday from 8 am - 5 pm, July 20-28, and the final exam is July 29.  Course requisite: Plant Path 401 or 615, and permission of instructor.

Plant pathology is the study of the origin, epidemiology, genetics, physiology and management of plant diseases.  Plant Pathology 685 is focused on the diagnosis of plant diseases and identification of causal agents.  This is a laboratory-intensive course in which students will learn traditional and modern diagnostic procedures and apply what has been learned to the diagnosis of a set of unknowns.  Instructors will conduct lecture and laboratory exercies focusing on the principle groups of plant pathogens: fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes.  Field trips will provide opportunities for study of field diagnostic practices and for collection of unknowns.

Topics:

• Basic diagnostic techniques
• Review of bacterial and viral diagnostic procedures
• Serology lecture and lab
• Diagnosing diseases caused by viruses
• Virus diagnostics lab
• Idnetification of fungal structures in live samples
• Molecular diagnostics - PCR lectures and lab
• Nematode identificaton
• Diagnostic Networking

Unknowns: 15 per group of two students

Field trips: Vegetables, fruit, field crops (corn, soybeans), turf, ornamentals, ladnscape and trees

The course requires a great deal of hands-on time. The teaching laboratory in Selby Hall will be open evenings and during the weekend between July 20-28 to allow sufficient time to complete exercises and identify unknowns.  Therefore it is recommended that students who do not live within a convenient commuting distance stay in Wooster during the course.  Wil will help make housing arrangements - please contact Laurel Leedy in Wooster (leedy.22@osu.edu) or Monica Lewandowski in Columbus (lewandowski.52@osu.edu) if you need housing in Wooster.

The course will be offered if at least eight students register.  Dr. Miller requests a preliminary head count by Fri., May 1 - please contact her at miller.769@osu.edu if you are likely to enroll.