Ateneo - UPO

Plant-Microbe interactions with a special focus on beneficial micro-organisms and their exploitation.

No textbooks are available. Scientific papers and the slides used during the lessons will be provided.

Understanding the complexity of the interactions between plants and microorganisms, as well as their possible applications.

Basic knowledge in plant cell biology, in botany, microbiology and micology.

Lessons in the classroom.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities

Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The final exam will be oral. The interview will start with about three questions on general topics, concerning the subjected presented during the course,
allowing the students to develop a theme and show the level of their in depth study.
Detailed questions will follow, in order to:
1) explore untouched topics;
2) clarify doubts;
3) show the ability to establish connections.
The final mark will be the average of the marks of each question.

Plant microbe interactions in a Plant Biotechnology frame. Types of interactions. Definition of symbiosis. Plant structural and chemical defenses. Plant
constitutive and inducible defenses. Pathogen recognition. Pattern triggered immunity and Effector triggered immunity.
Plant growth promoting bacteria: generalities. The case of nitrogen fixing bacteria with special reference to rhizobia. The NFC clade.
Mycorrhizal symbioses. General introduction, types of mycorrhizae. Orchid, ericodi, arbuscular and ecto-mycorrhizae.
The common symbiosis signalling pathway of rhizobial and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Signalling in ectomycorrhizae.
Case studies: the interaction of beneficial soil microbiota and plants, effects on the quality of products.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY TO COMPREHEND – learning: (i) the main types of plant-microbe beneficial interactions, (ii) the possible exploitation in agriculture and environmental sciences; - understanding the mechanisms that control the main interactions between plants and microorganisms.

ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND COMPREHENSION – Ability to integrate the knowledge and abilities acquired during the class with those derived from other courses. – Ability to comprehend the functioning and aims of some plant-based applications of environmental biotechnology.

COMMUNICATION ABILITIES – Using an appropriate scientific language during oral and written communication. – Ability to identify and present essential information.

AUTONOMY OF JUDGEMENT – Ability to interpretate experimental results concerning the biology of applied plant-microbe interactions.

ABILITY TO LEARN – Ability to describe scientific themes concerning the plant-microbe interactions and to learn how they could be exploited. Such ability will be developed by involving the students in discussion during the lessons.