To study the economic importance of bacterial diseases; plant pathogenic bacteria; ecology and spread of bacterial diseases; host range; measurement of bacterial growth; diseases caused by plant pathogenic bacteria; entry of bacteria into plants; pathogenicity and virulence factors in bacterial diseases; plant response to bacterial infection; diagnosis of bacterial diseases: symptoms, microscopic examination, isolation, gram stain test, biochemical tests, serological tests, fatty acid-based tests, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based analysis, pathogenicity, Bacterial mechanisms underlying pathogenesis and virulence in interactions causing plant disease, and symbiotic compatibility in mutualisms. After successful accomplishment of this course the students will be able to

1. To become familiar with current taxonomy of plant pathogenic prokaryotes and important bacterial diseases.
2. To become familiar with techniques for manipulating bacteria such as isolation, identification and inoculation of pathogens.
3. To gain the knowledge of different pathogenic mechanisms used by different groups of major bacterial pathogens.
4. To understand the ecology of various plant pathogenic bacteria and current disease management strategies for bacterial diseases.
5. To develop the academic ability to critically review research articles about biological/agricultural sciences