Print Syllabus

Syllabus

P000155 Evolutionary Plant Pathology – effects on genes, individuals, populations and species, 4.0 Credits

Subjects

Education cycle

Postgraduate level

Grading scale

Language

English

Prior knowledge

Applicants must be admitted to PhD studies within natural sciences. Priority will be given to students accepted at a university that is part of the NOVA network. MSc students and post-docs at a NOVA network university can be admitted, if space allows. PhD students from other universities can be admitted if space allows but must pay a fee.

Objectives

The famous geneticist and evolutionary biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky stated that “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”, and this indeed also applies to the field of plant pathology. Our understanding of physiological, biochemical,
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genetic and omics data can be enhanced when viewed in an evolutionary context. The co-evolutionary arms race between pathogens and plant hosts results in rapid changes in effector and resistance proteins, respectively, driving population differentiation and adaptation. Eventually, the evolutionary history of a species will leave its mark on genome structure and function. In this course, the nature of evolutionary processes and their impacts on genes, individuals, populations and species within the area of plant pathology will be discussed. After the course, the students should have reached a higher understanding of basic principles of evolutionary processes and how these apply to plant pathology. The course will also offer the students opportunities to discuss methods and tools suitable for future work within the area.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to
• discuss the nature of population genetic and evolutionary processes
• analyse the impact of evolutionary processes on genes, individuals, populations and species, within plant pathology
• discuss examples of methods and tools used in evolutionary biology
• examine how evolutionary processes impact the students own PhD work
• present and discuss their own PhD work with peers

Content

Subject-related content
This course will cover the nature of evolutionary processes and their impacts on genes, individuals, populations and species within the area of plant pathology. Aspects that will be covered include the influence of population genetic processes (i.e. selection, genetic drift and gene flow, mutation), molecular evolution, epigenetic processes and genomic consequences of selection. Plant pathology phenomena of these processes, including pathogen adaptation to different hosts and abiotic stress, the two-speed genome hypothesis and effector evolution, plant disease resistance and breeding, fungicide resistance, evolution of biocontrol interactions and ecological effectors, and speciation will be covered. Basic concepts and underlying mechanisms will be covered alongside with an introduction to the methods and tools that are used in these research areas.

Teaching formats
To further student learning and promote discussion, a variety of methods are used. The course includes a weekly journal club running on-line for two months before the physical course. Students will read and actively discuss literature within the subject area provided by the international and Nordic teachers. The main part of the course will run for one week where lectures by two international and several Nordic teachers are mixed with exercises, discussions and individual assignments that will help participants to integrate acquired knowledge into their own research projects. The students are expected to present their own work through oral or poster presentations, and to engage in active discussions. An excursion will be included.

The course focuses on the following generic competencies:

information competence, critical thinking, scientific methods, digital competence, use of technology, oral and written communication, teamwork, plan and manage time.

Formats and requirements for examination

Attendance at all scheduled activities and approved assignment.

Additional information

The Nordic perspective on Plant Pathology

Due to their unique geographic location, the Nordic countries have conditions for crops that are not duplicated elsewhere in the world. The unique daylength and temperature conditions provide opportunities and challenges for crops and cropping systems but also brings unique conditions for plant diseases. Global climate change is predicted to have a greater impact on the Nordic countries compared with the world average, and this will also affect the distribution and abundance of plant pathogens. Additionally, these plant diseases must be dealt with using plant protection strategies with a minimum input of chemical pesticides.

Plant pathology is a discipline that requires extensive specialization in different disciplines, such as mycology, bacteriology, virology, ecology, epidemiology and molecular biology including omics. The subject deals with many different crops and diseases, which require expertise at different integration levels. By utilizing the expertise in different fields provided by researchers in the different Nordic countries in a common series of courses, it is possible to attain a critical mass of students and teachers needed for an international elite standard. The university partners arranging this course series have collaborated in PhD education since 1980. By joining forces, we have been able to attract internationally renowned teachers and thereby facilitate an international network for our students. This could not have been accomplished by any of the individual universities by themselves. A direct result of the joint course collaboration are contacts and further collaboration with colleagues in other Nordic countries.

The NOVA course in Plant Pathology has been organized each year since 1980 and has been fundamental for educating the next generation of Nordic plant pathologists and for providing them with a broad contact network. Traditionally, we have planned course packages consisting of courses for four consecutive years (in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland) to provide continuity and for involving Nordic colleagues in the overall planning. We intend to keep this progressive and forward-looking planning. Hence, for the coming years 2026-2029 we plan to organize courses in Sweden (2026), Denmark (2027), Norway (2028), and Finland (2029).

Responsible department

Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology