PATH 2000H
Social Impact of Plant Diseases (Honors)
Name of Instructor: Ron Walcott
Semester and Year: Fall 2004
| Date | Topic | Required Reading |
| Aug. 19 | Introduction (syllabus/orientation) | Plant diseases in a hungry world- Schumann |
| Aug. 24 | Biology of plant disease | |
| Aug. 26 | Origin and History of Plant Pathology | Whetzel |
| Aug. 31 | Origin and history of Plant Pathology contÕd | Whetzel |
| Sept. 2 | Ergot of rye - Ergotism and LSD | Matossian |
| Sept. 7 | (PDIN) Ergot of rye - Ergotism and LSD contÕd | Matossian |
| Sept. 9 | Role of ergotism in the Salem witch-trials | The Salem Witch Trials (video) Matossian |
| Sept. 14 | Role of ergotism in the Salem witch-trials contÕd | Caporael:The Satan loosed on Salem |
| Sept. 16 | Late blight of potato | Donelly |
| Sept. 21 | EXAM I | |
| Sept. 23 | Irish potato famine contÕd |
The Great Hunger (video) |
| Sept. 28 | Irish potato famine contÕd | Donelly |
| Sept. 30 | (PDIN) Coffee rust - Why the English drink tea | Carefoot and Sprott |
| Oct. 5 | Why the English drink tea | Carefoot and Sprott |
| Oct. 7 | Can bacteria cause plant diseases: Fisher-Smith controversy | Campbell/Smith Biography |
| Oct. 12 | Chestnut blight - The importance of plant quarantines | Campbell |
| Oct. 14 | Viruses as plant pathogens | |
| Oct. 19 | Dutch elm disease - monoculture lessons not learned | APS Dutch Elm disease video |
| Oct. 21 | EXAM II | |
| Oct. 26 | Genetically modified crops | Harvest of Fear video |
| Oct. 28 | (PDIN) Genetically modified crops (continued) | |
| Nov. 2 | FALL BREAK NO CLASSES | |
| Nov. 4 | ||
| Nov. 9 | The Great Bengal famine | Pike |
| Nov. 11 | Southern corn leaf blight - monocultures strike again | |
| Nov. 16 | Citrus canker - FloridaÕs canker wars | Gottwald |
| Nov. 18 | Student debate | |
| Nov. 23 | Student debate | |
| Nov. 25 | THANKSGIVING | |
| Nov. 30 | (PDIN) Current disease threats - Karnal bunt / Exploding watermelon disease | |
| Dec. 2 | Current disease threats: Soybean rust / Sudden Oak death | |
| Dec. 7 | Agro-terrorism - The threat of pathogens as weapons | Madden et al, 2003 |
| Dec. 9 | (PDIN) Reflections and final thoughts | |
Specific course requirements and grading policy:
A - F based on the following activities:
| Activity | Due Date | Percentage of total grade | Notes |
| 1 hour exam (2) | Sep 21, Oct. 21 | 50 (25 x 2) | Short essay, multiple choice, fill in blanks |
| Debate | Nov. 18 - 23 | 20 | |
| Homework assignments - Plant Diseases in the News | See lecture schedule | 30 (6 x 5) |
Attendance policy: Attendance will not be taken in class but it is expected. A student who incurs more than three unexcused absences may be withdrawn from the class at the discretion of the instructor.
Required course material: None. All reading materials will be provided as hand-outs or by WebCT.
Policy for make-up exams: If a student is misses an exam, a grade of zero will be assigned