Ateneo - UPO

In this information sheet information about the Plant genetics module are reported providing an overview about aspects related to the organization, educational, scientific contents and inherent to expected knowledge results.

No texts are available. Scientific papers, whose references will be provided during the lessons, and the slides will represent the teaching materials.

Understanding the complexity of genetic changes that allowed evolution of plant useful traits, features of crop genomes, approaches to generate useful biodiversity and genetics-genomics approaches for biofortification with nutritional compounds.

Basic knowledge in genetics, plant cell biology, botany.

Frontal lessons in the classroom with slides and videos.

Nothing to be added.

The final exam will be written. The test will be based on questions with multiple answers concerning the topics presented during the course. If allowed by the exam execution procedure, also a limited number of open questions will be foreseen, allowing the students to develop a theme and to demonstrate the level of their in depth understanding. To each question an a priori maximum score will be assigned. The final marks will be the sum of the marks of each question.

Domestication traits, from wild to cultuvated species: genes that contributed to the modification of plant architecture, including spike/panicle shape, plant height, accumulation of nutraceutical compounds. Genomes evolution and crop genomes features: genomes duplication and fate of duplicated genes, polyploidy, impact of transposable elements on traits evolution, genomics databases. Advanced approaches for generation of biodiversity: TILLING; EcoTilling (and analytical approaches, e.g. Tilling by sequencing); plant genetic transformation (agrobaterium-based and biolistic); Genome editing (different genome editing approaches, its origin, examples of plants edited for useful traits, evolution of the editing procedure). Genetics-genomics for biofortification: target genes for plant breeding and metabolic engineering in biofortification; strategies for increasing carotenoid in crop plants; Tilling and GWAS in wheat and maize to increase carotenoids; Golden rice I and II; metabolic engineering strategies to increase and stabilize folic acid content in rice; Iron biofortification in rice: single and multiple genes approaches.

Knowledge and understanding: it is expected that a Plant Genetics course, characterized by several specific and characterizing topics, the obtained specific knowledge level will be in agreement with International standards. This will allow the student to deal with concepts related to yield, quality of the final products and improvement of the nutritional compounds content.
Applying knowledge and understanding: several course sections focused
on different practical cases of sectors related to genes involved in the evolution of useful traits, features of plant genomes, approaches for the generation of useful biodiversity and improving the content of nutritional compounds in plant edible products; it is therefore expected an increased
problem solving aptitude in plant genetics problems related to the explained sectors, correlated to increased skills towards practical application of the acquired knowledge.
Making judments: it is expected an increased knowledge-based and personalized judgement capability on the plant genetics topics
Communication skills: a knowledge-based increased skills in communications are expected about plant genetics-related topics
Learning skills: knowledge in plant genetics offers a robust cultural base for understanding several other subjects; as an exemplification it can be mentioned disciplines related to botany, plant physiology, plant biochemistry.