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Course Goals: This course is designed to meet special needs of graduate students in plant pathology, but it might be of interest to students in plant biology, food science, or biology who meet the entry level requirements.

The course deals with advanced topics in the systematics, morphology, and ecology of the fungi. In addition to providing an understanding of the fungi, the course is intended to make mycology useful tool to the plant pathologist.

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Entry Level: Students should have a background at the level provided by Introductory Mycology (PBI 119).
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Course Format: Three lecture and two laboratory periods per week.

Special assignments:
  • Collection and identification of fungi.
  • Presentation and discussion of recent literature.

Grading:

  • A (90-100%)
  • B (80-90%)
  • C (70-80%)
  • D (60-70%)
  • F (below 60%)

Course Requirements:
  • Midterm 20%
  • Final 25%
  • Collection 40%
  • Discussion 15%
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Subject Outline: Lectures
  • Importance of mycological studies to plant pathology
  • Basic morphological concepts of the fungi
  • Fungal nomenclature and the International Botanical Code
  • Techniques used to study the fungi
  • Sexuality in the fungi
  • Biological basis of reproduction in the fungi
  • Species concepts and speciation
  • Phylogenetic relationships among the major groups of fungi
  • Evolution in the classification of the Fungi Imperfecti
  • Discussion of the works of Saccardo, Hughes, Ellis, etc.
  • Concept of the conidioma
  • The role of sclerotia in the classification and ecology of plant pathogenic fungi
  • Problems in the classification of fungi: pleomorphism, ontogeny, genetic variation
  • The role of the stroma in the classification of plant pathogenic fungi
  • The role of the ascus and centrum characters in the taxonomy of the Pyrenomycetes
  • Concept of the apothecium
  • Morphology, taxonomy, and ecology of selected groups: (e.g., Hyphomycetes, Coelomycetes, Pyrenomycetes, Ustilaginomycetes, Urendineomycetes, Oomycetes).

Laboratory

Laboratories are devoted to comparative morphology, identification of species using keys and literature, ecological adaptations, and analysis of species criteria in selected groups of plant pathogenic fungi.

Potential course overlap:

None. Occasional topics may overlap with other Plant Pathology courses (e.g., PLP215 or PLP130).