Disease Management and Food Security

This subject is not offered in 2011.

Forty-eight hours contact time: 72 hours directed study, assessment and reading (total 120 hours).

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject outlines the principles and methods used to identify and manage major pests and pathogens causing plant and animal disease, in particular their applications in securing food production, quality and trade.

Topics include:

• methods for efficient and accurate disease diagnosis;
• biosecurity, quarantine and food trade barriers;
• applied technologies and transgenics for developing pest and disease resistance;
• impacts of pests and diseases on the natural ecology;
• postharvest and food storage diseases and impacts; and
• innovative and integrated management control strategies.

On completion of this subject, students will be knowledgeable of:

• cutting edge technologies used for accurate and timely pest and disease diagnosis;
• the impacts of pests and disease on the movement and global trading of food products;
• the strategies employed for protecting against major invasive pests and pathogens; and
• practicable approaches to integrated control in commercial species.

Assessment in this subject will include:

• One 3000 word essay on a topic chosen from a list of provided topics (worth 30%) due in Week 6;
• A report on a field excursion of 2000 words maximum (worth 20%) due in Week 10; and
• A two hour exam (worth 50%).

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students should have developed:

• An ability to critically review scientific literature;
• Communication skills, through written and oral presentations; and
• A sense of intellectual curiosity