Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
Aims of the course are to fornish tool for understanding the basic biochemical and physiological processes involved in the life cycle of plants with particular regards for the aspects establishing crop yield and adaptation to biotic stress and/or resources scarcity.
Expected learning outcomes
The student other than to known both the biochemical and physiological basis of plant function and crop yield will be able to understand how genetic and environmental factors can affect these factors. Mainly, he/she will be able to identify biochemical and physiological bottle-necks of quali- and quantitative yield traits in a view of sustainable and low-input agriculture.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
PROTEINS (0.5 CFU)
Amino acids. Proteins: synthesis, structure and functions.
PRINCIPLES OF BIOENERGETIC (0.25 CFU)
Bioenergetics and thermodynamics - Phosphoryl group Transfers and ATP - Biological oxidation-reduction reactions. Electrochemical potential.
ENZYMES (0.5 CFU)
Enzyme catalysis and specificity - Enzyme kinetics - Regulation of enzymes activity.
PRIMARY CARBON METABOLISM (1.25 CFU)
Glycolysis - Pentose Phosphate Pathway - Citric acid cycle. Fatty acid catabolism - Electron-transfer reactions in mitochondria - Oxidative Phosphorylation. Fatty Acid beta-Oxidation.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS (1.5 CFU)
Chemistry and physiology of photosynthetic pigments - Pigment light excitation and de-excitation - Photosynthetic units: photosystem I and photosystem II - Photosynthetic electron flow and photophosphorylation - Calvin cycle - Photorespiration - C3, C4 and CAM pathways for carbon dioxide fixation - Eco-physiological aspects of photosynthesis. Efficiency of photosynthetic conversion of assimilation; biomass: costs and yield.
TRANSPORT (0.5 CFU)
Solutes electrochemical potential. Nutrient root uptake and their systemic translocation. Thermodynamic, kinetic and molecular aspects of transmembrane solute transport.
PLANT-WATER RELATIONSHIPS (1 CFU)
Water chemical-physical properties. The water potential. Root water absorption and xylem translocation. Plant transpiration: driving forces; stomatal closure. Plant water balance. Stomata and stomatal regulation. Water and growth: cellular distension.
BIOSYNTHETIC METABOLIC PATHWAYS (1.25 CFU)
Gluconeogenesis - Sucrose and starch biosynthesis - Nitrogen and sulphur reductive assimilations. Photosynthate allocation within plant. Phloem sucrose loading and unloading - Sink-source relationships in plants. Accumulation of reserve substances in the seed.
PLANT MINERAL NUTRITION (0.5 CFU)
Macronutrients and micronutrients and their functions. Response strategies to conditions of nutritional deficiency.
PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS (0.25 CFU)
The photoreceptor systems. Photoperiodism: a brief introduction.
HORMONAL PLANT SYSTEM (0.5 CFU)
Plant hormones and plant growth regulators. Hormonal signalling pathways: a brief introduction.
Amino acids. Proteins: synthesis, structure and functions.
PRINCIPLES OF BIOENERGETIC (0.25 CFU)
Bioenergetics and thermodynamics - Phosphoryl group Transfers and ATP - Biological oxidation-reduction reactions. Electrochemical potential.
ENZYMES (0.5 CFU)
Enzyme catalysis and specificity - Enzyme kinetics - Regulation of enzymes activity.
PRIMARY CARBON METABOLISM (1.25 CFU)
Glycolysis - Pentose Phosphate Pathway - Citric acid cycle. Fatty acid catabolism - Electron-transfer reactions in mitochondria - Oxidative Phosphorylation. Fatty Acid beta-Oxidation.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS (1.5 CFU)
Chemistry and physiology of photosynthetic pigments - Pigment light excitation and de-excitation - Photosynthetic units: photosystem I and photosystem II - Photosynthetic electron flow and photophosphorylation - Calvin cycle - Photorespiration - C3, C4 and CAM pathways for carbon dioxide fixation - Eco-physiological aspects of photosynthesis. Efficiency of photosynthetic conversion of assimilation; biomass: costs and yield.
TRANSPORT (0.5 CFU)
Solutes electrochemical potential. Nutrient root uptake and their systemic translocation. Thermodynamic, kinetic and molecular aspects of transmembrane solute transport.
PLANT-WATER RELATIONSHIPS (1 CFU)
Water chemical-physical properties. The water potential. Root water absorption and xylem translocation. Plant transpiration: driving forces; stomatal closure. Plant water balance. Stomata and stomatal regulation. Water and growth: cellular distension.
BIOSYNTHETIC METABOLIC PATHWAYS (1.25 CFU)
Gluconeogenesis - Sucrose and starch biosynthesis - Nitrogen and sulphur reductive assimilations. Photosynthate allocation within plant. Phloem sucrose loading and unloading - Sink-source relationships in plants. Accumulation of reserve substances in the seed.
PLANT MINERAL NUTRITION (0.5 CFU)
Macronutrients and micronutrients and their functions. Response strategies to conditions of nutritional deficiency.
PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS (0.25 CFU)
The photoreceptor systems. Photoperiodism: a brief introduction.
HORMONAL PLANT SYSTEM (0.5 CFU)
Plant hormones and plant growth regulators. Hormonal signalling pathways: a brief introduction.
Prerequisites for admission
Adequate knowledge and skills of general and organic chemistry, plant biology as well as mathematics and physics acquired in the first-year basic courses are required.
Teaching methods
The course consists exclusively of frontal lessons. In the presentation of the various contents, a method is adopted which, starting from the description of a characteristic and/or a biological phenomenon, stimulates the students, through inductive procedures, to the deduction and formalization of the underlying biochemical and physiological mechanisms. Students are progressively guided in the acquisition of this ability also through moments of discussion involving the whole class group. The individual lessons are accompanied by a series of slides taken from some of the recommended texts. The material used in the classroom is made available to students.
Teaching Resources
- Taiz L., Zeiger E. Moller I.M. Plant Physiology and Development, Sixth Edition. ISBN-13: 978 1605353531
- Slides available on Ariel website.
- Slides available on Ariel website.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The learning shall be carried out by a oral test.
The oral examination is structured in 5 open questions on different subjects of the course. Each question is evaluated with a score from 0/30 to 6/30. The overall score is given by the sum of each application ones. For the evaluation are considered different aspects, such as the accuracy of the response, the terminology used to define the process and the level of depth of the answer.
Students with specific learning disabilities or other disabilities are requested to contact the teacher via email at least 15 days before the exam session to agree on any personal compensatory measure. In the email addressed to the teacher, the respective University services must be reported in CC: [email protected] (for students with LD) and [email protected] (for students with other disabilities).
The oral examination is structured in 5 open questions on different subjects of the course. Each question is evaluated with a score from 0/30 to 6/30. The overall score is given by the sum of each application ones. For the evaluation are considered different aspects, such as the accuracy of the response, the terminology used to define the process and the level of depth of the answer.
Students with specific learning disabilities or other disabilities are requested to contact the teacher via email at least 15 days before the exam session to agree on any personal compensatory measure. In the email addressed to the teacher, the respective University services must be reported in CC: [email protected] (for students with LD) and [email protected] (for students with other disabilities).
AGR/13 - AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY - University credits: 8
Lessons: 64 hours
Professor:
Espen Luca
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Espen LucaProfessor(s)
Reception:
On Fridays from 9.00 to 12.00 or by appointment.
At the office or via MS Teams.