Plant Breeding

Recommended Prerequisites

Genetics.

Teaching Methods

The theoretical contents of the curricular unit will be presented through lectures illustrated whenever possible with practical cases. Students are encouraged to apply the competences acquired through practical activities, including the analysis of case studies. They will also be encouraged to participate in a debate, where they can expose their opinion about genetically modified organisms. The evaluation includes the presentation and discussion in groups of a topic of interest using several articles from international journals.

Learning Outcomes

I this course, students will learn and understand the different techniques of plant breding, from conventional breeding to genome editing. Students will also understand the pros and cons of using each of these approaches. In the practical component, students will learn the different procedures for inducing polyploidy in various types of plant explants, and to genetically transform model plants, as well as, to understand how the the analysis of the genetic stability of these organisms is made, using various methodological approaches. Students should acquire skills to autonomously analyze different issues related with plant breeding:

1. Ability to understand: learn concepts related to the improvement of plants and apply these concepts in the area of plant biotechnology.

2. Ability to solve problems: apply concepts and methods learned in the course in the resolution of problems related with plant breeding.

3. Communication: analyse information and e able to transmit it in a clear way.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

THEORETICAL PROGRAM: Introduction to Plant Molecular Breeding; Classic Genetic Breeding; Classic Molecular Methods of Plant Breeding; Polyploidy and Plant Breeding; Genetic Transformation methods; Genome Editing; Applications of Genetic Transformation; Public Acceptance of Plant Biotechnology; Regulations; Future of Molecular Breeding in Plants. PRACTICAL PROGRAM: Genetic Transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana; Polyploid induction using Various Plant explants; Detection and analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants obtained by genetic transformation; Analysis of genetic stability of the mutants by molecular markers and flow cytometry.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 20.0%
Research work: 40.0%
Exam: 40.0%

Bibliography

Bibliografia principal/Main bibliography:

Chrispeels MJ, Gepts P, Fowler MR (2018) Plant genes & agriculture: sustainability through biotechnology. Sinauer Associates. Oxford University Press, New York.

Canhoto J (2010) Biotecnologia Vegetal – da Clonagem de Plantas à Transformação Genética. 1ª edição. Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra.

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/047001590X

ISAAA - https://www.isaaa.org/

Mao Y, Botella JR, Liu Y, Zhu JK (2019) Gene editing in plants: progress and challenges. National Science Review 6 (3), ISSN 2095-5138, EISSN 2053-714X

Para cada tópico a ser investigado é fornecida bibliografia específica no formato de artigos científicos / For each topic to be explored, specific bibliography in the format of scientific papers will be provided.