Advanced Plant Biology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The aims of this subject are to extend the student's ability to:

• apply the principles and units of chemical measurement and energy balances;

• comprehend the biochemistry of major plant physiological processes including photosynthesis;

• understand how water, inorganic nutrients and sugars are translocated around the plant body

• understand the biological process of germination, growth, flowering, dormancy and senescence;

• be able to describe the effects of plant hormones on plant growth and development;

• comprehend the effects of herbicides on plant metabolism, the environment and health;

• understand the physiological basis of plant responses to disease and decay

• comprehend the structure of genetic information and the mechanisms of gene expression

• identify responses of native plants to aspects of the Australian environment

• demonstrate the ability to design and conduct experiments relating to plant physiology

• have developed good scientific report writing skills.

Content to be studied includes:

• nutrient cycling, uptake and assays;

• photosynthesis;

• respiration;

• germination, growth, flowering and senescence;

• the biology of mycorrhizal fungi;

• competition, breeding and genetics;

• stress physiology;

• physiological plant pathology;

• hormone biology;

• mechanisms of herbicide action;

• plant pollutants; and

• the biology of native plants.

One 1-hour mid-semester examination worth 20% of final marks, one final 2-hour examination worth 40% of final marks and three practical reports equivalent to 2000 words worth 30% of final marks, attendance at practical classes woth 10% of final marks.

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This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

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Study commitment for this subject is five hours per week.