CONTACT HOURS:        3 hours of lectures plus a 3-hour practical per week for a 13 week teaching
                                            semester

PRE-REQUISITE COURSE:   Crop Ecology and Physiology

COURSE CONTENT

1.  ADAPTATIONS OF PLANTS TO WATER AND TEMPERATURE STRESS

Mophological adaptations, Turgor maintenance, stomatal
responses, CO2 recycling, ABA and water stress, praline and
water stress. Photosynthetic responses to high temperatures,
adaptation (kinetic)  responses   of   enzymes   to   high   temps, membrane stability and temperature stress, stress proteins.
Breeding and selection for temperature/water stress,

2.    GROWTH REGULATORS - Auxins, Gibberellins, Cytokinins, AHA and
Ethylene - chemistry, theories on mode of action, movement in
the plant and physiological effects. Use of growth regulators
in agriculture.

3.    NITROGEN METABOLISM - Nitrate uptake, nitrate reduction
nitrate utilization. Nitrate reductase - regulation substrate
effect, light effect. Utilization of reduced N-Ammonia (GOGAT), urea.

4.    NITROGEN FIXATION - Nodulation-infection, development Host
strain interactions - infectivity, effectivity (role of Rj2,
Rj3 and Rj4 host genes) and efficiency. Biochemistry of
nitrogen fixation - role of leghaemoglbobin, acetylene
reduction assay, energy requirements. Nitrogenase - (Electron
allocation efficiency), Hydrogenase (HUP+HUP-strains).  Effect
of combined N applications, water stress and temperature. N
supplying capacity of N fixing systems. Non legume systems,
Improving N fixation.

5.    REGULATORY ROLE OF MINERAL NUTRIENTS IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND CARBOHYDRATE TRANSPORT

Phosphate - energy reactions, role in carbohydrate transport
from the chloroplast, starch accumulation in leaves.
Magnesium - role of Mg in energy reactions and activation
of Rubisco, consequences of  Mg deficiency to
photosynthetic productivity.
Zinc - influence on carbohydrate metabolism/transport.
Calcum - regulation of concentration in the cytoplasm, role of
Calmodulin.
 

6. CROP MODELLING:  Modelling crop growth and productivity

Practicals

Effects of hormones on plant growth
Acetylene reduction assay of nitrogen fixation
ABA and stomatal responses of plants