Plant Physiology

Catalog description

Classical and current concepts in plant constituents, mineral nutrition, water relations, respiration, photosynthesis, photoperiodism, plant growth regulators, growth and development, and responses to the environment. Using these concepts, students will be able to explain how specific processes in a plant integrate with other relevant processes to determine the overall response of the plant to a particular set of conditions; describe how multiple plant biochemical pathways intersect and influence each other; describe how energy affects processes at all levels of biological organization from the molecule and cell to organisms and ecosystems; and be able to explain how plants perceive and respond to their environment, including signal transduction, intercellular communication, and information processing. As part of their work in this course, students will demonstrate an ability to read and discuss the scientific literature on plants and critically analyze current issues in plant physiology including impacts on human health, agricultural biotechnology, and bioenergy.