BOT345 Plant Photobiology

Plant photobiology will be divided into two aspects:

1. The fundamental science of photobiology
2. The application of photobiological principles and measurements

The first part of the course will focus on building factual and conceptual knowledge of photobiological principles, including detailed information on photosynthesis, light harvesting, photochemistry and chlorophyll fluorescence. Light sensing by various photoreceptors will be discussed, as well as the downstream effects of different spectral quality, irradiation and photoperiod on plant growth and development.

The second part of the course will focus on building procedural knowledge, wherein the concepts learned in the first part of the course may be applied. The use of photobiological measurements will be investigated as a means of determining plant photosynthetic parameters, as well as stress symptoms. The course gives opportunities to specialise in various aspects of light; in plant production systems and natural ecosystems, including plant-pathogen interactions.

Knowledge: The students will gain factual and conceptual knowledge on photobiological principles, and the processes involved from light perception to utilisation in photochemistry, light stress mitigation and chlorophyll fluorescence, light reception by different photoreceptors and the way in which they affect plant growth and development. Furthermore, the students will learn how to use this conceptual knowledge in a practical way and be able to i) understand the use of photobiological measurements and how these may be used as indicators of plant status, and ii) understand the different ways in which light may be used in a practical setting, such as in plant production systems.

Skills: The students will learn the use of some advanced equipment for measuring different aspects of light - i.e. light intensity and spectral quality - as well as measuring and using photobiological parameters, such as gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence, to assess plant status and responses to different conditions. The students will be able to use the conceptual knowledge learned in order to design and execute their own short-term experiments, as well as collect data, analyse results and present their findings both as a scientific paper and an oral presentation.