Plant Development

Recommended Prerequisites

General knowledge of cell biology, plant physiology and genetics.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical and practical classes during the semester. During the practical classes students will be grouped (3 - 5) and will develop a work related with one particular subject of plant development. The presentations of this research project will be discussed with the professor and colleagues and, by the end of the course, students will write a report and will present and discuss their work.

Learning Outcomes

Students will learn concept and methods used in the study of plant development. Applications of the studies of plant development in practical subjects. By the end of the course the students must have acquired skills and knowledge which will able them to understand the mechanisms of plant development and the ways how they can be studied.

1. Understanding capacity: to be able to understand concepts related with development and to relate them with practical applications in areas such as agriculture and plant biotechnology.

2. Ability to solve practical problems: to apply the concepts and methods learnt on this course to solve practical issues.

3. Communication: be able to analyse scientific information and to transmit it in a clear and concise way either in oral or written form.

4. Self learning: to be able to carry on short research projects in an autonomous way and to show the capacity to interpret scientific data.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. General aspects of plant development

- The plant cell

- Cell wall

- Experimental methods to analyse plant development

- Organization of the plant body

- Tissues and functions

2. Embryo development

- Phases of embryo development

- Genes controlling embryogenesis

- Auxins and the transition of symmetry

3. Apical meristems

- Shoot and root apical meristems

- Interaction between genes controlling the SAM

- Axillary meristems

- The genetic control of the activity of the root apical meristem

4. Secondary meristems

- Vascular cambium and vascular tissues

- Cork cambium and periderm

- Genetic control of the secondary meristems

5. Reproductive development

- Floral organ formation. Genetic control of flowering. The ABC model

- Physiological control of flowering: photoperiod and vernalization

- Seed and fruit development

Head Lecturer(s)

Jorge Manuel Pataca Leal Canhoto

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Laboratory work or Field work: 20.0%
Mini Tests: 20.0%
Exam: 60.0%

Bibliography

- Aftab, T. 2022. Auxins, cytokinins and gibberellins signaling in plants. Springer, Berlin.

- Bowman, J., 1993. Arabidopsis: an Atlas of Plant Development. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

- Buchanan, B.B., Gruissem, W. & Jones, R.L. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants. Wiley Blackwell and American Society of Plant Biologysts, Oxford.

- Ford, E. D. 2023. Dynamics of Plant Growth: Integrating Morphology, Physiology and Development. Oxford Press, Oxford.

- Kim, Y.S., Funada, R. & Singh, A. P. 2016. Secondary Xylem Biology. Academic Press, London.

- Taiz, L., Moller, I.A., Murphy, A. Zeiger, E., 2022. Plant Physiology and Development, 7ª ed. Sinauer Associates Inc. Publishers. Sunderland, Massachusetts.

- Encyclopedia of Life Sciences - www.els.net/WileyCDA.