Prof. Suomin Wang
Rm 105, Biye Bldg.
0931-8910983
Office Hours: Drop in or by appointment
E-mail address: smwang@lzu.edu.cn

Dr. Jinlin Zhang
Rm 604, Biye Bldg.
0931-8913447
Office Hours: Drop in or by appointment
E-mail address: jlzhang@lzu.edu.cn

Dr. Aike Bao
Rm 604, Biye Bldg.
0931-8913447
Office Hours: Drop in or by appointment
E-mail address: baoaik@lzu.edu.cn

Text: Wang Z. 2009. Plant Physiology. Second Ed. China Agricultural Publishing. pp. 576. The textbook is available for purchase at China Agricultural Publishing.

Other references:

Lambers H, Chapin FS, Pons TL. Plant Physiological Ecology(Second Edition). Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2008.

Taiz L, Zeiger E. Plant Physiology(Third Edition). Snauer Assocates, Inc., 2002.

Pessarakli M. Handbook of Plant and Crop Physiology(Second Edition). Marcel Dekker, Inc., 2001.

Hopkins WG. Introduction to Plant Physiology. John Wiley and Sons lnc., 1999.

will be provided as required.

Grade Assignment:
Mid-term Examination (During class time) 15%
Laboratory Experiments and Reports (During class time) 25%
Participation in Group Discussions (During class time) 10%
Final Examination (During regular examination period) 50%

Note: Late assignments will not be accepted and will automatically receive a grade of zero.

Examinations will include questions and problems from lectures, laboratories and assigned readings.

Course Description: This course deals with the basic principles and concepts of plant life and explores the interaction between plants and environments. Recent advances and trends in researches in this field will be discussed.

Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students should:

1) Understand basic principles, mechanisms and concepts of main plant metabolisms including matter and energy exchange between plants and environments.
2) Be able to develop solutions to simple plant physiological problems through the application of traditional physiological and molecular biological methods.
3) Effectively communicate scientific knowledge related to plant physiology.

Lectures are scheduled in every spring semester.
Labs are scheduled in the same semester.

COURSE OUTLINE

Chapter 1. PLANT CELL STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS
- general description of plant cell

- plant cell wall

- biomembrane

- plant cell ultrastructure

Chapter 2. PLANT WATER METABOLISM
- the roles of water in plant life
- plant cell water uptake
- plant root uptake

- plant transpiration

- plant water transport  

- physiological bases of reasonable irrigation 

Chapter 3. PLANT MINERAL AND NITROGEN NUTRITION
- plant essential elements
- solution uptake of plant cell
- mineral uptake and unitization in plant
- assimilation of nitrogen, sulfur and phosphor

- physiological bases of reasonable fertilization

- plant soilless culture 

Chapter 4. PLANT PHOTOSYNTHESIS
- concepts of plant photosynthesis

- chloroplast and photosynthetic pigment

- mechanisms of photosynthesis

- factors affecting photosynthesis

- photosynthetic rate and agricultural production

Chapter 5. PLANT RESPIRATION
- concepts of respiration
- plant respiration pathways

- electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation

- regulation of respiration metabolism

- indexes and factors of plant respiration
- plant respiration and agricultural production

Chapter 6. TRANSPORT AND ALLOCATION OF ASSIMILATION MATTERS
- transport system of organic matters in plant
- organic matter transport in phloem
- mechanisms of phloem transport

- assimilate allocation

- distribution and its regulation of organic matters

Chapter 7. PLANT CELL SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION
- general concept of plant cell signal transduction
- process of plant cell signal transduction

- examples of plant cell signal transduction

Chapter 8. PLANT GROWTH SUBSTANCE
- concepts and research methods of plant growth substance
- auxins

- gibberellins

- cytokinins
- abscisic acid
- ethylene
- brassinolide  
- other plant growth substance
- application of plant growth substance in agricultural practices

Chapter 9. PLANT PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS AND MOVEMENT
- phytochrome and photomorphogenesis
- blue light receptor and reaction
- plant movement

Chapter 10. PLANT GROWTH PHYSIOLOGY
- concepts and regulation of growth and development
- mitosis, growth and differentiation of plant cell
- plant cell, tissue and organ culture
- plant growth and differentiation

- plant growth analysis

- effects of environmental factors on plant growth

Chapter 11. PLANT FLORAL PHYSIOLOGY

- vernalization

- photoperiodic induction

- floral organ development and sex expression

- multi-factor pathways of floral induction

Chapter 12. PLANT PROCREATION AND SENESCENCE
- fertilization physiology

- seed development

- fruit development and maturation

- plant dormancy

- plant senescence and abscission

Chapter 13. PLANT STRESS PHYSIOLOGY

- general theory of plant stress physiology

- plant cold tolerance

- plant hot tolerance

- plant drought and flood tolerance

- plant salt tolerance

- plant disease and pest resistance

- plant tolerance to environmental pollution