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The Master Programme: One Academic Year  (60 ECTS)

The Master Programme provides a one academic year curriculum whose main objective is to prepare motivated students towards professional and academic careers that will promote integrated pest and disease management strategies for a sustainable intensification of arboriculture in the Mediterranean agroecosystems.

The Master Programme deals with the management of pests and diseases in arboriculture with a look towards agroecological and food systems. Students will learn about the ecological and epidemiological features of pests and pathogens, and how to apply innovative and smart tools for diagnosis, monitoring and management. IPM strategies will be introduced and analysed in depth for the main pests affecting the Mediterranean fruit crops. In addition, students will learn how to cope with the main risks related to emergent transboundary pests and diseases, and how to apply quarantine measures that can prevent and control their spread.

Courses are addressed to new graduate students and young professionals with a university background related to agronomic, horticultural and plant protection issues.

At the end of the course students will know:

• How to analyse and plan agroecosystems for a sustainable management of pests and diseases;
• The range of products for pests and diseases control and their relevant regulations;
• The tools for a rapid and timely diagnosis and monitoring of pathogens and pests affecting fruit crops;
• How to solve farm problems by using diverse methods including farm biodiversity management, cultivars/graft combination choices, use of pesticides and biological control;
• How to plan and implement IPM programmes for the main fruit crops, in different contexts;
• How to organize and manage important preventive measures for pest and disease control, i.e. plant quarantine and certification programmes for plant propagating material. 

The Master of Science Programme: Two Academic Years  (120 ECTS)

The second year is dedicated to scientific research related to a pest/pathogen of economic importance for the Mediterranean region.

Students who have successfully completed the first year and met all the prerequisites set by the Institute, carry out scientific research and draft a final thesis on an original topic related to a pest or pathogen of great interest for the Mediterranean region.  In particular, students build capacity and develop skills in:

• Application of innovative field and/or laboratory techniques/methodologies/technical protocols relating to the research topic;
• In-depth and critical analysis of research data;
• Autonomy in work;
• Teamwork;
• Bibliographic search on English scientific material;
• Preparation and presentation of a scientific paper.

The aim of the course is to promote the transfer of knowledge to and between the Mediterranean countries. The MSc thesis work can be carried out at CIHEAM Bari or at another Mediterranean scientific research institution. The scientific outcome of the research work is usually announced on the occasion of national and international conferences and/or published in scientific journals.

Topics of MSc theses on pests/pathogens of fruit and vegetable crops are to be chosen among the following research lines:

• Sampling methodologies;
• Pests monitoring, identification and management;
• Pathogen detection, characterization and control;
• Pest/pathogen epidemiology;
• Remote sensing, GIS and Information technology applied in plant health;
• Forecasting models for pests and diseases;
• Detection and control of mycotoxins and pesticide residues.

During the second year, some students will be guided towards a PhD programme jointly carried out by Italian Universities and CIHEAM Bari.

For further details, please download here the Information Sheet for 2020-2021 IPM Master and Master of Science Programmes.