Grapevine Protection

The course provides knowledge on plant pathogens and insects noxious to grapevine, on control end prevention methods that can be applied in the vineyards and in the nurseries, with emphasis on grapevine pathogens transmitted by insect vectors.

The students will be able, through the skills provided by the course:
- to identify the most important species of pathogens and insects, indigenous and exotic, with a high risk of introduction, which cause direct and indirect damages of economic interest to grapevine
- to evaluate the influence of the environment on development of pathogen and insect populations in the vineyard, on the epidemiology of the plant pathogens they transmit
- to set up appropriate protection and prevention strategies, with particular emphasis on techniques with a low environmental impact
Knowledge
At the end of the course the student will have theoretical and practical knowledge on:
- identification of grapevine pathogens and insects
- Impact of pest insects and diseases on grapevine production
- Role of vector insects in spreading grapevine pathogenic viruses and bacteria
- Grapevine insect pest and disease control and prevention tools, including insecticides/fungicides, agronomic, mechanical, biological ones
ability to apply knowldege
At the end of the course the student will bew able to:
- design prevention and control programs of several pathogens and pests of grapevine
- design prevention and control programs of grapevine diseases transmitted by vector insects
- design rational plans for the application of pesticides and alternative control methods in order to maximize efficacy and minimize side effects, thus preventing damages to beneficial organisms and avoiding the selection of pesticide-resistance strains
Indipendent thinking
At the end of the course the students will be able to evaluate and choose the best control programs against selected pathogens and pest insects of grapevine
Communication skills
The students will acquire a correct terminology on entomology/plant pathology and control methods. Moreover, by the analysis of papers and of scientific seminars, they will develop the ability to analyse and understand scientific works
Learning ability
At the end of the course the students will be able to evaluate and compare the different grapevine pests/pathogens control options as well as to identify useful and reliable sources of scientific information