Universidad de Jaén

1. Introduction to Plant Physiology
   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
2. Light and photosynthetic apparatus.
   1. Introduction
   2. Study of the photosynthetic apparatus: chloroplasts
   3. Photosynthetic pigments
   4. Light properties
   5. Light absortion by Photosynthetic pigments
3. Phothosiynthesis: The light reactions
   1. Introduction
   2. Acyclic electron transport and photophosphorylation
   3. Cyclic photophosphorylation
   4. Herbicides and light reactions
4. Phothosiynthesis: The carbon reactions
   1. Calvin cycle.
   2. Sucrose, starch and fructans biosynthesis
   3. Fotorespiration
   4. CO  ₂ concentration mechanisms
      1. Carbon assimilation in C  ₄ plants
      2. Crassulacean acid metabolism
   5. Other processes occurring in chloroplasts.
5. Environmental factors affecting photosynthesis.
   1. Introduction
   2. Factors affecting photosynthesis
      1. Environmental
      2. Endogenous
6. Respiration in plants.
   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
7. Assimilation of mineral nutrients.
   1. Introduction
   2. Nitrogen assimilation
   3. Sulfur assimilation
   4. Energy and reducing power transfer from chloroplast to hyaloplasm
   5. Cation assimilation
8. Introduction to secondary metabolism.
   1. Secondary metabolites: concept, characteristics and functions
   2. Terpenes
   3. Phenolic compounds
   4. Nitrogen-containing compounds
9. Water balance of plants: basic concepts
   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
10. Water movement from soil to atmosphere through plant.
    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
11. Phloem transport.
    1. Phloem anatomy
    2. Materials  transported
    3. Transport characteristics
    4. Phloem loading
    5. Phloem unloading
    6. Transport mechanism through phloem
    7. Control of the distribution and use of photosynthesized compounds. 
    8. Phloem as a way to signals transport
12. Mineral nutrition.
    1. Introduction
    2. Essential elements and essentiality criteria.
    3. Macronutrients and micronutrients.
    4. Functions of essential elements
    5. Analysis of nutrient status
    6. Role of symbiotic associations.
13. Solutie absorption and transport.
    1. Introduction
    2. Active and passive transport and the Nerst equation
    3. Active and passive transport mechanisms in plants
    4. Plasmalemma redox systems
    5. Homeosthays of membrane potential, pH and  free cytoplasmic Ca  ²⁺
14. Plant development.
    1. Introduction
    2. Basic concepts
    3. Life cycle of the plants
       1. Embryogenesis
       2. Vegetative step
       3. Reproductive step
15. Plant hormones.
    1. Hormones as chemical messengers
    2. Chemical nature, physiological effects and action mechanisms of plant hormones
       1. Auxins
       2. Citokinins
       3. Gibberellins
       4. Ethylene
       5. Abscisic acid
       6. Brassinosteroids
       7. Other plant hormones and plant regulators
16. Photomorphogenesis.
    1. Phytochromes
    2. Blue light receptors
       1. Chryptochromes
       2. Phototropines
       3. Zeaxantine
    3. UV b photoreceptors
17.  The physiology of flowering.
    1. Introduction
    2. Flower development
    3. Regulation of flowering
       1. Photoperiodism
       2. Vernalization
       3. Other signals involved in flowering
18. Seed and fruit physiology.
    1. Pollination
    2. The seed
       1. Development
       2. Dormancy
       3. Germination
    3. The fruit
       1. Growing and development
       2. Fruits nutrition
       3. Fruit maduration
19. Senescence and abscission.
    1. Introduction
    2. Physiological and biochemical processes modified during plant senescence
    3. The senescence of some plant organs
    4. Programmed cell death
    5. The control of senescence
    6. Abscission
20. Plant movementes
    1. Introduction
    2. Tropisms: concept and types
    3. Nastic movementes: concept and types

Practical lessons are organized as minor research projects whose results are analyzed and then set as an abstract, poster and oral communication in the Practical Congress

PROGRAMM OF SEMINARS:

The seminars (18 hours) 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.

• 2 Seminars are about the contents of the first four months (4 hours)
• 2 Seminars are about the contents of the second four months (4 hours)
• 2 Seminars in the computer room devoted to the analysis of the results (4 hours)
• 1 Seminar to design the abstract, poster and oral presentation for the Practical Congress

4 hours are employed attending the Practical Congress, which includes attending oral communications and the assessment of posters and oral communications presented by the students 

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 absences without just cause.

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

a) Two midterm written exams valued with 37.5 points each: 35 corresponding to theory and 2.5 corresponding to practical sessions.

b) Brief tests in classroom, without previous notice, every 2 theoretical topics. All these tests together will have a global value of 5 points in each midterm exam.

To pass the subject through partial exams, students should have got, among brief tests and partial exam, 19 points out of 37.5 in every partial.

c) One final written test, consisting of two partial tests valued with 75 points (37.5 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 13 points in each partial and a global score of 37.5 out of 75

The score related to participation in seminars, virtual teaching platform (10 points maximum) and that related to "Practical Congress"  (15 points maximum) will be considered only once partial tests have been passed