SEM IV (Minor)

Title of the Course: Plant Physiology and Metabolism 
Nature of course: Minor-IV 
Course code: 
Total Credits: 04 
Distribution of Marks: 60+40=100


Course outcome
CO 1: Ability to identify different physiological processes in plant. 
CO 2: Ability to discuss absorption, transpiration, photosynthesis, growth in plants. 
CO3: Examine the metabolic process in plants.

Learning outcomes:

1. Demonstrate physiological processes in plants 
2. Explain the absorption, transpiration, photosynthesis, growth in plants 
3. Evaluate the metabolic activities of plants 

Course content
Unit 1: Plant-water relations Water Potential and its components, water absorption by roots, aquaporins, the pathways of water movement, symplast, apoplast, transmembrane pathways, root pressure, guttation. Ascent of sap–cohesion-tension theory. Transpiration and factors affecting transpiration, antitranspirants, and mechanism of stomatal movement. 

Unit 2: Mineral nutrition & Nutrient Uptake Essential and beneficial elements, macro and micronutrients, methods of study and use of nutrient solutions, criteria for essentiality, mineral deficiency symptoms, roles of essential elements, chelating agents. Soil as a nutrient reservoir, transport of ions across cell membrane, passive absorption, electrochemical gradient, facilitated diffusion, active absorption, role of ATP, carrier systems, proton ATPase pump and ion flux, uniport, co-transport, symport, antiport. 

Unit 3: Carbon assimilation & metabolism Photosynthetic pigments, role of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls and accessory pigments), antenna molecules and reaction centres, photochemical reactions, photosynthetic electron transport, PSI, PSII, Q cycle, CO2 reduction, photorespiration, C4-pathways; Crassulacean acid metabolism; Factors affecting CO2 reduction. Respiration: aerobic and anaerobic, glycolysis and Kreb cycle 

Unit 4: Translocation in the phloem Experimental evidence in support of phloem as the site of sugar translocation. Pressure–Flow Model; Phloem loading and unloading; Source–sink relationship. 

Unit 5: Plant growth regulators Discovery, chemical nature (basic structure), bioassay and physiological roles of Auxin, Gibberellins, Cytokinin, Abscisic acid, Ethylene, Brassinosteroids and Jasmonic acid.

Unit 6: Physiology of flowering Photoperiodism, flowering stimulus, florigen concept, vernalization, seed dormancy. Phytochrome, crytochromes and phototropins: Discovery, chemical nature, role in photomorphogenesis, low energy responses (LER) and high irradiance responses (HIR), mode of action. 

Practicals
1. Determination of osmotic potential of plant cell sap by plasmolytic method. 
2. Determination of water potential of given tissue (potato tuber) by weight method. 
3. Calculation of stomatal index and stomatal frequency from the two surfaces of leaves of a mesophyte and xerophyte. 
4. To study the phenomenon of seed germination (effect of light). 
5. Separation of chloroplast pigments by paper chromatography/TLC 
6. Separation of chloroplast pigments by solvent extraction 
7. Quantitative analysis of absorption spectrum of photosynthetic pigments. 

Suggested Readings 
1. Taiz, L. and Zeiger, E., Plant Physiology, 5th edition (Sinauer Associates, USA, 2012). 
2. URL: http://www.sinauer.com/media/wysiwyg/tocs/PlantPhysiology5.pdf 
3. Lambers, H. and Chapin, F. S., Plant Physiological Ecology (Springer, 2000). 
4. Mukherji, S. and Ghosh, A.K., Plant Physiology, 1st edition (New Central Book Agency Private Ltd. Kolkata, 2009). 
5. http://www.annualreviews.org/journal/arplant 6. Hormones: http://nptel.ac.in/courses/102103012/27

For e-study materials, visit at Botany Note  and Dr. Jayantas Blog

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