BOTA 21013

>< Type/Status : Core
>< Course title : Plant Physiology
>< Prerequisite : BOTA 12013 and BOTA 12022
>< Corequisite : BOTA 21022
>< Objective : By the end of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate a substantive understanding of plant functions.
>< Course content:

Water relations: water potential concept, cell and plant water relations. Stomatal physiology.

Photosynthesis: photochemistry and electron transport, photophosphorylation, carbon reduction cycle, C3, C4 and CAM pathways, photorespiration. Phloem transport.

Mineral nutrition: concept of essentiality, functions and deficiency symptoms, principles, characteristics and general mechanisms of solute absorption.

Growth and Development: growth and growth kinetics, auxins, gibberellines, cytokinins, ethylene and growth inhibitors. Photoperiodism. Vernalization.
Chemical basis of life. Water as the solvent of life. pH scale, buffers and Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. Membrane structure and functions.

>< Methodology: Lectures and tutorials.
>< Scheme of evaluation: End of course written examination.
>< Recommended reading:
01. Salisbury, F B and Ross, C W (1992). Plant Physiology, 4th Edition. Wadsworth.
02. Hopkins, W G (1995). Introduction to Plant Physiology. John Wiley & Sons.
03. Stryer, L (1995). Biochemistry. 4th Edition. W H Freeman.

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