Plant Biology

Recommended Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of biology.

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods: lectures to expose students to the different syllabus topics with the support of PowerPoint presentations; practical laboratory classes to perform microscopic observations and experimental work

Learning Outcomes

This curricular unit is concerned with the study of plants in diverse aspects, providing students with basic knowledge about their histology, anatomy, physiology and taxonomy. Upon completion of the curricular unit program, students will be able to:

a) Identify the main types of plant cells and tissues;

b) Identify the primary and secondary structures of roots, stems and leaves of vascular plants;

c) Identify the macronutrients and micronutrients of plants;

d) Measure the water potential of plant tissues;

e) Explain the mechanisms involved in the movement of water and solutes through plants;

f) Describe the process of photosynthesis and distinguish the different pathways of carbon fixation;

g) Know the major groups of plant hormones and describe their role on growth and development of plants;

h) Be familiar with plant cell and tissue culture techniques, and realize their importance in plant micropropagation;

Understand how plants respond and adapt to different types of abiotic stress

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Lectures:

The plant cell: structural peculiarities.

Tissue systems; tissues and their component cells. Root, stem and leaf anatomy: primary and secondary structures.

Major taxonomic groups of vascular plants.

Nutritional requirements of plants.

Water relations of plant cell. The movement of water and solutes in plants.

Photosynthesis. C3, C4 and CAM pathways of carbon fixation.

Regulation of growth and development: plant hormones and their physiological effects.

In vitro morphogenesis and micropropagation.

Plant responses and adaptations to different types of abiotic stress.

Laboratory classes:

Identification of plant tissues. Identification of primary and secondary structures of roots, stems and leaves.

Cell membrane permeability. Determination of the water potential of a plant tissue.

Determination of stomatal density and stomatal size.

Quantification of chlorophylls and carotenoids in leaf extracts.

Effects of plant growth regulators on leaf senescence and seed germination.

Head Lecturer(s)

António Henrique da Silva Paranhos

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Other: Active participation in class discussions or activities : 2.0%
Midterm exam: Two midterm lecture written exams (70%) and two midterm lab practical exams (28%): 98.0%

Bibliography

Azcon-Bieto, J. & Talon, M. (1996). Fisiología y Bioquímica Vegetal. McGraw-Hill Interamericana de España, Madrid.

Moreira, I. (1993). Histologia Vegetal, 3ª ed. Didática Editora, Lisboa.

Raven, P.H., Evert, R.F. & Eichhorn, S.E. (1999). Biology of Plants, 6th ed. Worth Publishers, Inc., New York.

Raven, P.H., Evert, R.F. & Eichhorn, S.E. (2001). Biologia Vegetal, 6ª ed. Guanabara Koogan S. A., Rio de Janeiro.

Salisbury, F.B. & Ross, C.W. (1992). Plant Physiology, 4th ed. Wadsworth Publishing Company, California.

Shanker, A.K. & Venkateswarlu, B. (2011). Abiotic Stress in Plants - Mechanisms and Adaptations, InTech, Rijeka.

Tais, L. & Zeiger, E. (2010). Plant Physiology on line, 5th ed. Sinauer Associates Inc. http://5e.plantphys.net/

Vahdati, K. & Leslie, C. (2013). Abiotic Stress - Plant Responses and Applications in Agriculture, InTech, Rijeka.