Biodiversity and importance of insects.
Morphology: exoskeleton, head, thorax, abdomen, endoskeleton.
Anatomy: circulatory system, digestive system, respiratory system, nervous system, sense organs, etc.
Insect reproduction and development.
Insect ecology. Social behaviour.
Monitoring and control methods.
Systematics and phylogeny.
The main orders of insects and identification using dichotomous keys.

Slides provided by the lecturer
E. Tremblay, 2003. Entomologia applicata. Vol. I, generalità e mezzi di controllo. Liguori Ed. Napoli.
Lineamenti di zoologia generale – Padova University Press

Introduction to plant pathology, historical notes. Examples of diseases of particular economic and social impact.
The basic concepts are:
Disease and damage in plant pathology.
Abiotic (non-infectious) and biotic (infectious) diseases.
Disease triangle
Koch’s postulates.
Classification of diseases
Complex diseases
Overview of the causal agents of infectious diseases and their biology
Fungi
Oomycetes
Bacteria
Phytoplasms
Viruses and viroids
Parasitic phanerogam
The steps of disease onset
From pre-infection to escape.
Inoculum concept: charge, density and potential
Pathogenicity
Symptomatology
Difference between symptoms and signs
Types of symptoms: chromatic alterations, necrosis, cankers, tumors, early fall of organs, alteration of shape and size, exudates, alterations of water status
Critical analysis of symptoms
Diagnostics
Critical approach to diagnosis: anamnesis, field observations, sample collection and storage.
Basic methods: in vivo and in vitro laboratory diagnosis, pathogen isolation, microscopic observation of structures.
Advanced methods: immunological and molecular techniques

Suggested books:
- Elementi di Patologia Forestale, Capretti P. e Ragazzi A., Patron Editore
- Fondamenti di Patologia Vegetale, Matta A., Patron Editore

• Abiotic damages: water variations and imbalances; thermal variations and imbalances; exceptional events (hail, snow, lightning, fire, etc.); nutritional deficit (or excesses); lighting deficit; Phytotoxic Air Pollutants (IFA); other pollutants.
• Root rot: Chestnut ink disease and other rot by Phytophthora spp.; root rot by Armillaria spp.; Heterobasidion annosum s.l.; Rosellinia necatrix.
• Tracheomycosis: Dutch Elm Disease by Ophiostoma ulmi and novo-ulmi; Ceratocystis platani.
• Cankers: bark canker of cypress by Seiridium cardinale; larch cancer by Lachnellula willkommii; bark canker of chestnut by Cryphonectria parasitica; charcoal canker of oak by Biscogniauxia mediterranea; beech canker by Nectria ditissima; ring canker by Nectria spp.
• Crown diseases of conifers: desiccation of pine needles by Thyriopsis halepensis; cryptogamic red of pines by Lophodermium seditiosum and L. pinastri; red bands of pine needles by Dothistroma pini; white fir phylloposis by Lirula nervisequa; spruce phylloptosis by Lophodermium piceae; Herpotrichia juniperi; Pine needles and strobili desiccation by Diplodia pinea.
• Crown diseases of broadleaves: anthracnose (Apiognomonia spp., Guignardia aesculi; other anthracnose agents;) leaf curl (Taphrina spp. ); powdery mildews (Microsphaera alphitoides, Microsphaera platani); leaf spot (Marssonina brunnea, M. juglandis, etc.; black maple notches; spring defoliation of poplar by Venturia spp. ; anthracnose or "black spots" by Gloeosporium spp.
• Rust: on conifers (Chrysomyxa rhododendri, C. abietis, Cronartium flaccidum and C. ribicola, Gymnosporangium sabinae, G. tremelloides, G. clavariiforme, Melampsora pinitorqua; poplar rusts by Melampsora spp.
• Wood decay: theory of Microenvironmental Conditioning (CM); mode of action of white, brown and soft caries; theory of compartmentalization (CODIT); diagnosis; main causal agents (Phellinus spp. ; Stereum spp. ; Ganoderma spp. ; Trametes spp. ; Pleurotus spp. ; Fomitiporia spp. ; Phaeolus spp. ; Fomitopsis spp. ; Lenzites spp. ; Fistulina spp. ; Inonotus spp.
• Diseases of the forest nursery: Damping-off.
• Complex diseases: forest decline; oak decline; beech decline, etc. ; Role of endophytism in weakness pathogens.

Suggested books:
- Elementi di Patologia Forestale, Capretti P. e Ragazzi A., Patron Editore
- Fondamenti di Patologia Vegetale, Matta A., Patron Editore