PLPPM 4020 - [Ecology and Evolution of Plant-Pathogen Interactions]

(OPHLS-AG)

Spring. Next Offered: 2019-2020 (offered alternate years). 2 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: PLPPM 3010 or permission of instructor.

M. Milgroom.

The scope of this course is the ecology and evolution of plant-pathogen interactions. In particular, the three main themes are 1) the evolution of virulence, 2) evolution in gene-for-gene systems and 3) durability of disease resistance in plants. These topics will be approached by integrating theory and evidence from the molecular, organismal and population levels of biological organization. These topics are essential for understanding plant-pathogen interactions in a broader context. This course is directly relevant for plant breeders, plant geneticists and plant pathologists working on developing novel approaches for enhancing disease resistance, as well as for plant scientists managing disease in the field. This course uses a flipped classroom/seminar style approach, relying on outside readings and in-class discussions.

Outcome 1: Understand evolutionary principles governing host-pathogen interactions.

Outcome 2: Apply knowledge about plant-pathogen interactions to predict the impacts of evolutionary forces on disease ecology and emergence.

Outcome 3: Predict the effects of virulence on the success of pathogens.

Outcome 4: Analyze how breeding for and deploying resistance affect the ecology and evolution of pathogen populations.

Outcome 5: Propose and evaluate testable hypotheses in their own work, and critically evaluate the hypotheses and conclusions of others.