Plant Physiology

Code:

B0210

Acronym:

B0210

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Biological Sciences

Instance: 2011/2012 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Biology
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Biochemistry

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:BQ	82	Plano de Estudos a partir de 2007	1	-	5	-	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The basic objective of the course is to make the student understand how plants work. Plants are complex organisms and the course will focus on physiological aspects that make them unique organisms. The course will especially focus on the biochemical and the molecular mechanisms underlying plant growth and development. How plants interact with physical conditions of their environment will be a matter to explore too.

Program

Plant anatomy and development - basic notions. Meristems, primary and secondary growth and plant tissue systems. Anatomy of root, stem and leaf.
Water balance of plants: Cell water potential and its components, osmotic behavior of plant cells. Water in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum; main driving forces for water flow throughout the plant: water movement in soil, water absorption by roots,water transport trough xylem, diffusion of water vapor through stomata. Effect of environmental factors on leaf transpiration – mechanisms of control of stomatal opening. Translocation in phloem: Concept of source and sink, phloem loading and unloading. Mechanism of pressure flow in phloem.
Photomorphogenesis mediated by red light: Phytochrome: ecological functions of phytochrome – sleep movements of leaves, shade avoidance, seeds germination, and circadian clock genes. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of phytochrome signal transduction pathways.
Plant defense: secondary metabolites, jasmonates and salicilic acid in defence against biotic stresses.
Mineral nutrients. Essential nutrients. Classification of mineral nutrients according to their relative concentration in plant tissue and according to biochemical function. Nutrient solutions and cultures without soil. Plant nutrients. Relationship between function, nutrient mobility and and nutrient deficiency symptoms. Biochemical tests to detect deficiencies in mineral nutrients.
Plant growth and development, and internal and environmental signals. Signal molecules in plants. Plant hormones; concept and perception. Hormone types. Auxin: the emergence of the auxin concept and chemical identity. Natural and synthetic auxins. Biosynthesis of IAA. Polar transport of IAA. Nonpolar transport of IAA via phloem. Physiological effects of auxin. Main commercial applications of auxin in horticulture and agriculture. Gibberellins (GAs); the discovery of the GAs and chemical identity. Regulation of GAs biosynthesis. Physiological effects of GAs and action mechanisms. GAs signal transduction in cereal aleurone layers. Main commercial applications of GAs. Cytokinins: the discovery and identification. Biosynthesis and transport. The biological roles of cytokinins. Main commercial applications of cytokinins. Ethylene; discovery, structure and biosynthesis. Regulation of ethylene biosynthesis. Physiological effects of ethylene and mechanism of action. Main commercial applications of ethylene. Abscisic acid (ABA); discovery, chemical structure, biosynthesis and transport. Variable concentration of ABA throughout plant development and in response to environmental stress. Physiological effects of ABA. Transduction pathway of ABA in guard cells. Brassinosteroids (BRs); discovery and occurrence. Biosynthesis and transport of BRs. Physiological effects of BRs. Role of BRs in plant protection from abiotic and biotic stresses. Prospective uses of BR in agriculture.
Stress physiology. Factors that determine the response of plants to stresses. Mechanisms of stress resistance. Acclimation and adaptation. Stress and increased production of reactive oxygen species. Antioxidant defense system in plants. The ascorbate-glutathione cycle. Antioxidant network.

Mandatory literature

000103971. ISBN: 978-0-87893-866-7

Complementary Bibliography

000072345. ISBN: 0-943088-39-9
000102346. ISBN: 978-0-7637-5345-0

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures and laboratory classes.
Lectures are presented in slideshow using the software "PowerPoint".
Laboratory classes enable the acquisition of specific skills, including those arising from the implementation of practical experiments. These classes are compulsory.

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Eligibility for exams

It is mandatory to attend the practical classes - minimum 2/3.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Grade = grade final exam, covering theory (T) and practical subjects (P)
[(2T+1P)/20 points)]

Classification improvement

To improve the final grade the student needs to request a new final exam, in accordance with current legislation on the subject.