Allina Bennett (NPDN Professional Development Coordinator, University of Florida – SPDN)
The Communicator: Volume 5, Issue 7, July 2024
New Course Alert: Fundamentals of Plant Diagnostics Now Available on LearnUpon
We are excited to announce that the Fundamentals of Plant Diagnostics course is now available in the LearnUpon course catalog! Access the course directly using this link.
Course Description
Taught by Mary Ann Hansen, the Fundamentals of Plant Diagnostics course delves into the central concepts of diagnosing plant problems.
The initial triaging of plant problems is a crucial step in narrowing down possible causes and a key part of the overall diagnostic process. Beyond foundational concepts, this course offers practical opportunities for learners to apply each concept using examples of plant problems.
The course is structured into four comprehensive modules and a final assessment:
- Module 1: Covers the basic steps in diagnosing plant problems.
- Module 2: Focuses on distinguishing between biotic and abiotic problems.
- Module 3: Concentrates on triaging biotic plant problems, with a major focus on plant diseases, as well as injuries caused by arthropods and other animals.
- Module 4: Concentrates on triaging abiotic plant problems.
- Assessment: Provides an opportunity to test your knowledge. A set of 25 questions will be randomly selected from a pool to assess your comprehension of the course material. For diagnosticians already knowledgeable about the content, a straight-to-test option is available- simply navigate to the course section labeled Assessment.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Understand the basic steps in plant problem diagnosis and the importance of each step.
- Distinguish between symptoms on plants caused by biotic and abiotic factors.
- Recognize symptoms and signs caused by different types of biotic agents.
- Identify symptoms caused by various abiotic factors.
- Apply diagnostic steps to a range of plant problems.
Essential Proficiency Program
This course is the first in the Essential Proficiency Program course catalog. For more information about Essential Proficiency, refer to the article in this edition of the NPDN Communicator and visit the Essential Proficiency Program page.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your plant diagnostic skills. Enroll in the LearnUpon course Fundamentals of Plant Diagnostics today!
The links in this article are available to NPDN members when they are logged in.
As always, please reach out to the NPDN Professional Development Coordinator, Allina at allina.bennett@ufl.edu if you have any questions.
