CHAP 1 ENTO

• The "Basic bridging module" for "P07 Soil & Plant Science WS 2024/25" covers agricultural basics by topic & lecturer.
• The course is part of the MSc International Organic Agriculture (IOA) and MSc Sustainable International Agriculture (SIA) programs.
• The module aims to provide students entering the SIA program with basic agronomy knowledge and refresh agricultural principles related to organic cropping systems.
• Students taking this module will be able to follow advanced courses in the covered fields and get updated on state-of-the-art knowledge pertinent to organic agriculture.
• The course covers fundamentals of soil and plant science, analyzing exemplary agricultural systems in temperate and tropical environments.
• Four disciplines covered include Soil Science, Plant Nutrition, Plant Breeding & Genetics, and Phytomedicine.
• The module password is "P0724".
• The coordination is done by Helmut Saucke.

Examination Requirements

• Soil Science: Focuses on physical, chemical, and biological properties, soil formation, and classification.
• Plant Nutrition: Focuses on the roles of major and minor elements, nutrient availability, mobilization, and food quality.
• Plant Breeding and Genetics: Focuses on plant morphology, genetics, breeding principles, domestication, characterization, evaluation, genetic resources, and the genetic basis for plant breeding.
• Plant Protection: Focuses on principles of plant pathology and entomology, genetics of plant diseases, epidemiology, plant defense mechanisms, insect physiology, ecology, and integrated control programs.

Timetable

• The course is held in R1102 Wiz Nord and Kaula Wiz Nord.
• First exam is on Friday, February 21, 2025, from 10:00 to 12:30.
• Third exam is on Thursday, April 4, 2025, from 10:00 to 12:30.

Lecturers

• Prof. T. Weber (TW) covers Soil Science and is allocated 12 hours, with 22 exam points.
• Mariko Ingold (MI) covers Soil Science.
• Prof. A. Bürkert (AB) covers Crop Science & Nutrition and is allocated 12.5 hours, with 22 exam points.
• Prof. G. Backes (GB) covers Genetics/Breeding, Bio and is allocated 12 hours, with 22 exam points.
• Dr. Jelena Baćanović-Šiš covers Crop Protection and Pathology and is allocated 12 hours, with 17 exam points.
• Helmut Saucke (HS) covers Crop Protection and Insects and is allocated 11 hours, with 17 exam points.
• The total hours of teaching are 60 summing to 100 exam points.

Additional Info

• Literature for further reading includes textbooks and scientific papers.
• There are seven groups of insect pests in relation to humankind.
• Insects are classified in part based on their anatomy.

Insect Pests

• Insect classifications relate to mankind.
• Ancient Greek philosophy considers humankind to be the center of the universe.
• There are seven groups of insect pests.

Groups of Insect Pests

• Herbivores: Plant eaters that affect crops e.g. the Colorado potato beetle.
• Vectors: Insects transmitting diseases to plants, animals, and humans (e.g., cicadas, aphids, mosquitoes, fleas, ticks).
• Hygiene Pests: Insects that contaminate food products and cause allergic reactions (e.g., cockroaches, house flies).
• Nuisance Pests: Insects that reduce fitness in livestock (e.g., house flies).
• Storage Pests: Insects that damage stored cereal moths and flour beetles.
• Forest Pests: Insects that affect trees (e.g., bark beetles, loopers).
• Technical Pests: Insects that damage timber and wooden structures (e.g., termites).

Anatomy of Arthropods

• Taxonomy briefly reviews natural classification as it reflects phylogenetic relationships.
• The basic features of arthropods include outer and inner anatomy.
• Outer anatomy includes a segmented invertebrate body divided into the head, thorax and abdomen.
• Legs and wings insert at the thorax.
• Insects have three pairs of legs (Hexapoda), Poda means feet.
• Insectorders are recognised by differentiating flies, beetles, bugs, butterflies, among others.
• Insects are classified according to five external criteria, they are: frontwings, hindwings, legs, antenna and mouthparts.
• Mouthparts are further differentiated into mandibles and stylett, biting and stinging respectively.
• Inner anatomy includes the nervous system with a brain in the head and ganglia in the segmented body.
• The Trachea system allows for respiration used for oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange. -Oxygen is delivered directly to the muscles.
• Air sacks are included in the system.
• The Haemolymph system includes a dorsal heart with wing circulation.

Arthoropoda

• Arthropoda are divided into three classes: Crustacea, Arachnida, and Insecta.
• Arachnida have 4 pairs of legs.
• Insecta have 3 pairs of legs.
• Insecta are further divided into Hemimetaboles and Holometaboles.
• Adult stages have wings and larva/ Nymphs never fly.
• Some species exist with unwinged adults.

Taxonomy

• Taxonomy is a system of hierarchical classification.
• It follows: Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species
• Cydia nigricana (Lep.: Tortricidae) is an example.
• The scientific name is the key for any literature search.

Insect Orders

• Eight important insect orders are: feeding on plants/ herbivore.
• Include flies, beetles, bugs and butterflies.
• Insect classification is further classified into Hemimetabole and Holometabole.
• A) Hemimetabole Insect orders lack a pupal stage.
  • Orthoptera: Grasshoppers, locusts, Manthids, cockroaches, Termites, earwig. Chew biting mouthparts.
  • Thysanoptera: Thrips, stinging sucking on plants, some carnivour. Sucking stinging mouthparts.
  • Rhynchota: bugs, Cicada, Aphids, whiteflies, scale insects and mealy bugs. Sucking stinging mouthparts. Aphids are among the most relevant insect pests in agricultural crops of temperate zones
• B) Holometabole Insect orders includes pupal stage.
  • Hymenoptera: Wasps, honey bees, solitary bees, parasitic wasps, ants.. Chewing biting mouthparts.
  • Coleoptera: beetles with paired wings, front pair sclerotinized, adult & larvae chewing biting mouthparts.
  • Lepidoptera: butterflies Larvae caterpillers chewing biting mouthparts.
  • Neuroptera: lacewings Lacewing, beneficial predatory phytophagous species, Chewing biting mouthparts.
  • Diptera: flies, gnats and midges mosquito, sucking leaking stinging mouthparts.
  • Siphonaptera: Flees, Ectoparasites, wingless and blood sucking.
  • Anoplura & Mallophaga: Lice, true lice, blood sucking parasites mamals and birds, sucking stinging mouthparts.

Insect Development

• Development stages are regulated by hormones.
• Instars are reached by moulting, including removal of old skin and its replacement.
• The exoskeleton includes chitin.
• Moulting steps regulated by hormones juvenile hormone and ecdyson.
• Winged insects are adults and the larva and nymphs cannot fly.
• Insects reproduce mainly through Sexual reproduction: eggs and sperm.
• Asexual reproduction (Parthenogenesis) honey bees are of the 1n, queen lays eggs.
• In aphids: females produce clones that divide.

Summary of Insect Features

• Arthropods/insects include being segmented invertebrates, body divided in head, thorax and abdomen.
• Exoskeleton include chitin, regular moults of larva, and regulation with juvenil-hormone & ecdysone.
• Adult insects do not moult.
• All forms of insects are Winged and wingless: insects 3 pairs of legs, spiders & mites 4 pairs, and Crustacea > 4 pairs.
• Development is hemimetabol is nymphs and holometabol is pupal stage!.
• Insects Respiration is achieved with a Tracheal system for oxygen and carbon dioxide, but nota blood!
• Insects have an open blood system, Haemolymph that is pumped via a tubular, dorsal heart.

Questions for Training

• Crop protection, direct control measures.
• Define target and non target pests, who is who in in agricultural crops.
• Define Arthropods and contrast between insect, spider, mite crustaceans.
• Features of arthropods and insects (inner, outer anatomy).
• Vectors, nuicance, hygiene pests, storage pests.
• Difference in insect development – in hemimetaboles and holometaboles.
• Insect taxonomy, list 8 insect orders and their development.
• Explain why insects moult.
• Explain what happens when botanical insecticide interferes with an insects moulting process.
• Parthenogenesis in insect development. List 2 examples.
• Aphid seasonal life cycle & reproduction strategies.
• Annual host change?
• Comment on winged, unwinged form, parthenogenis and egg stage.