Universidad de Jaén

1. Introduction to Plant Physiology
2. 1. What does Plant Physiology focus on?
   2. Plant characteristics
   3. Classification of organisms  based on the type of energy and molecules they need to take from the outside
3. Light and photosynthetic apparatus.
4. 1. Introduction
   2. Study of the photosynthetic apparatus: chloroplasts
   3. Photosynthetic pigments
   4. Light properties
   5. Light absortion by Photosynthetic pigments
5. Phothosiynthesis: The light reactions
   1. Introduction
   2. Acyclic electron transport and photophosphorylation
   3. Cyclic photophosphorylation
   4. Herbicides and light reactions
6. Phothosiynthesis: The carbon reactions
7. 1. Calvin cycle.
   2. Sucrose, starch and fructans biosynthesis
   3. Fotorespiration
   4. CO ₂ concentration mechanisms
   5. 1. Carbon assimilation in C ₄ plants
      2. Crassulacean acid metabolism
   6. Other processes occurring in chloroplasts.
8. Environmental factors affecting photosynthesis.
9. 1. Introduction
   2. Factors affecting photosynthesis
   3. 1. Environmental
      2. Endogenous
10. Respiration in plants.
11. 1. Introduction
    2. Hexoses biosynthesis from reserve carbohydrates
    3. Glycolisis
    4. Anaerobial processing of pyruvate
    5. Aerobial processing of pyruvate
    6. Penthose phosphate pathway
    7. Factors affecting respiration in plants
12. Assimilation of mineral nutrients.
13. 1. Introduction
    2. Nitrogen assimilation
    3. Sulfur assimilation
    4. Energy and reducing power transfer from chloroplast to hyaloplasm
    5. Cation assimilation
14. Introduction to secondary metabolism.
15. 1. Secondary metabolites: concept, characteristics and functions
    2. Terpenes
    3. Phenolic compounds
    4. Nitrogen-containing compounds
16. Water balance of plants: basic concepts
17. 1. Water properties confering its biological properties
    2. Water movements
    3. Water potential and its components: units
    4. Methods to measure water potential and its components
18. Water movement from soil to atmosphere through plant.
19. 1. Water in soil. Introduction
    2. Water absorption by roots
    3. Xylen anatomy
    4. Water transport through the xylem
    5. Transpiration through the stomata and its control
20. Phloem transport.
21. 1. Phloem anatomy
    2. Materials  transported
    3. Transport properties
    4. Transport mechanisms through phloem
    5. Control of the distribution of photosynthesized compounds. Loading and unloading mechanisms.
    6. Use of photosynthesized compounds 
22. Mineral nutrition.
23. 1. Introduction
    2. Essential elements and essentiality criteria.
    3. Macro and micronutrients.
    4. Analysis of nutrient status
    5. Role of symbiotic associations.
24. Solutie absorption and transport.
25. 1. Introduction
    2. The Nerst equation
    3. Active and passive transport.
    4. Plasmalemma redox systems
    5. Homeosthays of membrane potential, pH and  free cytoplasmic Ca ²⁺
26. Plant development.
27. 1. Embryogenesis
    2. Shoot and root development
    3. Senescence and cell death.
28. Endogen control of development.
29. 1. Regulation based on perception and translation signals
    2. Auxins
    3. Citokinins
    4. Gibberellins
    5. Ethylene
    6. Abscisic acid
    7. Other plant hormones and plant regulators
30. Photomorphogenesis.
31. 1. Light as source of information for plants
    2. Plant photoreceptors
    3. Morphogenetic responses in plants
32. Flowering.
33. 1. Flower development
    2. Regulation of flowering
    3. 1. Photoperiodism
       2. Vernalization
       3. Biochemical signals involved in flowering
34. Fruit and seed physiology.
35. 1. Fruit growing and ripening
    2. Seed dormancy and germination
36. Senescence and abscission.
37. 1. Plant and organs senescence
    2. Abscission
38. Plant responses to adverse conditions.
39. 1. The concept of stress.
    2. Biotic and abiotic stress.
    3. Plant defense mechanisms against stress
40. Introduction to plant biotechnology.
41. 1. Plant biotechnology concept
    2. Risks and benefits of plant biotechnology
    3. Future prospects for plant biotechnology

Practical lessons are organized as minor research projects whose results are analized and then set as a poster or oral communication in the IV Practical Congress

PROGRAMM OF SEMINARS:

The seminars (10 h) are organized to detail, in small groups of students and with its active participation, relevant aspects of theoretical subject contents. Seminars can also be employed to solve practical problems in order to reinforce what students have studied in master classes.

• 1 Seminar about photosyntheisis (2 hours)
• 1 Seminar about water relations (2 hours)
• 2 Seminars to analize the results obtained in practical sessions (4 hours)
• 1 Seminar to design summary and poster (2 hours)

5 hours are devoted to the IV Practical Congress. Students attend oral presentations and evaluate the posters presented by the rest of students involved in Plant Physiology subject.

Students with special educational needs should contact the Student Attention Service (Servicio de Atención y Ayudas al Estudiante) in order to receive the appropriate academic support

Laboratory and computer sessions are compulsory. Students will not pass the subject with 3 or more absenses without just cause.

To assess the knowledge gained in both theoretical and practical sessions, students will complete:

a) Brief tests in classroom every 2 theoretical topics. All these tests together will have a global value of 14 points.

b) Two partial exams valued with 30 points each. To pass one of these exams, students should have got 15 points.

To pass the subject through partial exams, students should have got, among brief tests and partial exam, 18,5 points out of 37 in every partial.

c) One final test, consisting of two partial tests valued with 74 points (37 points for each partial exam). In this final test, students will have the opportunity to do those partial tests they have not passed or not done previously. To pass this final test, students should have a minimum score of 15 points in each partial and a global score of 37 out of 74

The score related to participation in seminars, virtual teaching platform and that related to "Practical Congress" will be considered only once partial tests have been passed