Ateneo - UPO

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANTS AND PECULIARITY OF PLANT CELLS 2. TRANSPORTATION OF WATER, SOLUTES AND PHOTOSYNTHETIC PRODUCTS 3. METABOLISM 4. GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND DEFENSE 5. PLANT AND ENVIRONMENT 6. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY

1. Taiz – Zeiger - Fisiologia Vegetale Piccin Padova 2012

Develop the ability to interpret in a mechanistic manner the basic phenomena related to plant life. Understand the relationships between plant physiology and cultivation practice, both in optimal conditions and in limiting environmental conditions

To understand the plant physiological mechanisms, the discussion of the topics in the programme will rely on previous knowledge of cell and plant biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics and mathematics.

The course consists of lectures presenting the programme with the aid of slides. The slides, together with material for further reading, will be available on the teaching website.

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Control of the learning capacity by discussing the topics during the lessons. In any case, the teacher will be available on appointment for clarifications on the topics of the lessons or on the material provided

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANTS AND PECULIARITY OF PLANT CELLS Cell wall, chloroplasts, vacuole, plasmodesma. 2. TRANSPORTATION OF WATER, SOLUTES AND PHOTOSYNTHETIC PRODUCTS Movement of water from the ground to the atmosphere. Electrochemical potential of water and water potential. Movement of water in the plant. Mineral nutrition and absorption of solutes. Transport, allocation and distribution of photosynthesis products. 3. METABOLISM Photosynthesis: light reactions. Photosynthetic apparatus, linear and cyclic photosynthetic electron flow. Photoinhibition. Site of action of photosynthetic herbicides. Photosynthesis: dark reactions. The Rubisco enzyme and the CO2 fixation. Calvin Benson cycle (C3). Photorespiration. C4 and CAM plants. Starch and sucrose biosynthesis. Nitrogen and sulfur assimilation. 4. GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND DEFENSE Importance of light as an environmental signal. Photoreceptors: phytochrome and cryptochrome. Plant hormones: Auxin, Gibberellin, Cytokinins, Abscisic acid, Ethylene. 5. PLANT AND ENVIRONMENT Introduction to plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. 6. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY Historical outline of plant biotechnology. Importance of plant physiology and biotechnology for the improvement of crop plants.

To be able to integrate the knowledge acquired through the theoretical lessons with the ability developed individually to understand and analyse biochemical, physiological and morphogenetic processes of plant organisms and their regulation. ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING To be able to associate the fundamentals of plant physiology to the growth and production models of crop plants, and the relationships cause-effect that determine what happens in practice. COMMUNICATION SKILLS To be able to elaborate clearly and rigorously and to summarize the contents of the discipline in a concise manner, using appropriate terms during the examination. AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT To be able of critical analysis of the elements related to what acquired during the lessons. LEARNING ABILITY To be able to describe in an exhaustive manner scientific issues related to plant physiology. This ability will be developed by autonomously deepening the topics covered in class, by reading additional texts and scientific articles.