Online
Master's course Plant Breeding - Breeding for Resistance
As a working professional in the plant breeding sector, biotic stress factors can be a major obstacle in producing high quality and high yielding crop products. This is where resistance breeding comes in, providing a solution to improve plant defence against these stressors. This online academic-level course specifically focuses on the defence mechanisms and strategies that protect host plants from pests and pathogens, inheritance of resistance genes, and ensuring their long-term effectiveness. After completing this course, you will have a thorough understanding of the major characteristics of various resistance traits, and be able to discuss plant-pathogen interaction using the correct terminology, develop effective and durable resistance breeding strategies, and choose the most appropriate screening and selection methods for developing cultivars with resistance to pathogens and pests.
Registration deadline: 1 October 2023
Exam date: 16 November 2023
Why follow this online course?
Biotic stress factors are among the main limitations for producing high quality and high quantities of vegetal products. Resistance breeding focuses on the use of genetic resources for improving plant defence against these stress factors. Biotic stress factors include pathogens and pests that infect or feed on crop plants. The present course deals with defence mechanisms and strategies that protect host plants against pests and pathogens, inheritance of resistance genes, and durable effectiveness of resistance genes.
Is this online course for you?
If you are a working professional in the plant breeding sector, this course is the perfect opportunity for you to expand your knowledge and sharpen your skills. This comprehensive course will provide you with the tools you need to succeed and advance in your career, especially in combination with the more advanced plant breeding courses in an Online Master's course series Plant Breeding.
This course is also part of the Online Master's course series - Plant Breeding for Resistance: Plant Pathology & Epidemiology.
What you'll learn
After successful completion of this online course, you will to be able to:
- explain the major characteristics of various resistance traits;
- discuss the various aspects of plant-pathogen interaction using the correct terminology;
- use the knowledge of plant-pathogen interaction to develop breeding strategies for improved and durably effective resistance;
- choose the most appropriate screening and selection methods to develop cultivars with effective resistance to pathogens and pests.
Learning methods
- study the textbook on Breeding Crops with Resistance to Diseases and Pests and papers on important pathogens and recent developments;
- make exercises, assignments, and e-learning modules, some corresponding to certain parts of the book and others online;
- study your favourite pathogen, make assignments and write a paper
Practical information
STAP budget
When enrolling in this course, you may apply for the use of the STAP budget. Check if you are eligible for the STAP-budget.
Literature
Purchase textbook before start of the course (not included in the course fee): Niks RE, Parlevliet JE, Lindhout P, Bai Y (2019) Breeding crops with resistance to diseases and pests. Wageningen Academic Publishers: 204pp.
Time investment
This course is quite time-intensive and requires approximately 20 hours per week for the average participant. There are assignments with deadlines.
It's important to realise that, if you do not comply with these recommendations, you cannot claim extra support from the instructor and cannot claim a refund of the registration fee, if you decide to discontinue the course.
Prerequisite knowledge
You should have sufficient knowledge on concepts and methodologies related to plant biology, such as (Mendelian) genetics, plant breeding, plant physiology, molecular biology and plant pathology and epidemiology. If you lack certain knowledge or skills listed above, we strongly recommend you join the course Principles of Plant Breeding and/or Plant Pathology and Epidemiology first.
Examination
Participation in the remote proctored exam is optional. If you decide not to participate in the exam, you do not qualify for a certificate and/or Micro-credentials.
The date of examination is 16-11-2023 (16 November 2023) from 08:30 to 22:00 (Amsterdam Time Zone). The duration of an exam is 3 hours. The resit will be scheduled in the week of 5 February 2024.
Certificate
Upon successful completion – passing the exam - , a digital certificate with 2 study credits (ECTS) is issued. This certificate gives no immediate rights to apply towards a formal degree programme at a university; but might support your request to admission. In case you've also completed the Course Plant Pathology & Disease successfully, you can obtain a Micro-credentials certificate.
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More information & Registration
You can register for this course. Have any questions? Contact Wageningen Academy.