SyllabusThe subject will cover the following topics:
Basic processes
- Plant water relations (water potential and its components, cohesion-tension theory, stomatal regulation);
- Photosynthesis (light and dark reactions, C3, C4 and CAM modes, photorespiration);
- Respiration (basic biochemistry and location);
- Assimilate transport and partitioning (Munch hypothesis, phloem loading and unloading, regulation of phloem transport);
- Nutrient acquisition (energetics, active and passive uptake)
Developmental processes
- Growth analysis (growth indices, environmental influences on growth and partitioning);
- Physical cues for growth and reproduction (dormancy, floral initiation, photoperiodism, vernalisation, phytochrome);
- Plant hormones (types, mobility, signal transduction, roles, growth regulators);
- Reproductive growth (fruit set and growth, fruit composition, maturity and ripening)
Plants and the environment
- Light (photosynthesis in sun and shade, acclimation, agricultural and horticultural production);
- Carbon dioxide (elevated CO2 - C3 vs C4, stomatal conductance, respiration, interaction with other environmental variables);
- Temperature (biochemistry, photosynthesis, assimilate transport, thermal time, chilling);
- Water (phenology, RDI, drought);
- Nutrients (essential nutrients, deficiencies) |
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