2026

Crop Protection

Name: Crop Protection
Code: FIT16515M
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area: Agronomy

Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Learning Goals

1.Acquire knowledge of the general principles of integrated disease and pest management aimed at reducing the economic and aesthetic losses associated with them. 2. Develop the ability to analyze a phytosanitary problem based on observing the affected crop, understanding the pathogen/pest and the stages of its life cycle, as well as the environmental conditions that influence and facilitate its spread, and propose a disease and pest management scheme. 3. Acquire knowledge of the general principles of weed management according to the crop production system, aimed at reducing associated economic and aesthetic losses. 4. Learn about new technologies for disease diagnosis and pest identification based on digital systems and remote imaging. 5. Be able to analyze and discuss potential ethical issues (health and environmental quality) that may arise from proposed or future management measures.

Contents

Part 1 ? IDM: Study of the main methods of Integrated Disease Management, grouped into four principles: Exclusion (quarantine and legislative measures), Eradication (soil treatments, control of reservoirs and vectors, rotation), Protection (cultural practices, fungicides, resistance management, biological control) and Resistance (resistant plants obtained through breeding or engineering, use of elicitors). Emphasis is placed on early surveillance, climate monitoring, forecasting models and economic thresholds for effective integrated management. Part 2 ? IPM: Study of the main methods and tactics of Integrated Pest Management in three phases: Risk assessment (quantitative and qualitative methods), Economic injury level (analysis of EILs and practical application) and Control measures (biological, cultural, biotechnical, genetic and chemical methods), evaluating their applicability, advantages and limitations within Integrated Crop Protection.

Teaching Methods

The teaching methods will include the following: As these are weekly 4-hour theoretical?practical, there will be an effort to include presentations given by specialists in specific topics who will be invited for this purpose, as well as the observation of practical crop cases showing phytosanitary problems, in order to collect samples and teach diagnosis based on symptomatology. Part of the classes will involve carrying out digital diagnostic tests for pests and diseases in order to establish an IDM/IPM program.

Assessment

- Continuous evaluation: Two written tests, each counting for 50% of the final grade. Minimum final grade for approval, 10 points, obtained by the arithmetic average of the two tests. Students who do not obtain at least 10 points in the first test, automatically transit to the final evaluation regime.
- Final evaluation: Written exam worth 100% of the final grade. Minimum grade for approval, 10 points.