Lect.

Chap. 3rd ed

 Reading topic (Taiz and Zeiger)

1-3

 1

Life cycle and organization of plant
To understand how plants carry out their vital functions, we will first get acquainted with the features of plant bodies, organs, tissues and cells.

4-5

3, 4

Water and its behaviour
Water is essential for plant life, starting from seed germination to growth into a mature plant.  How does it travel into the plant body, into aerial leaves and into cells?  What forces determine the movement of water?

6

5

Inorganic nutrients

Plants require a host of mineral nutrients for their growth.  What are these nutrients and what roles do they play? 

7-8

6

Nutrient uptake, and guard cell movement

How is essential nutrients taken up by plants?  How do solutes cross the membrane barrier?  Passive (downhill) and active (uphill) transport are mediated by specific proteins.

9

11

Respiration

Oxygen is required for germination and growth.  Respiration or oxidation of stored foods (fat & sugars) releases energy (ATP) which is used in biosynthesis and growth

11-12

10

Translocation and distribution of food reserves via the phloem

Plants distribute metabolites from tissues that make or store food reserves (source) to growing tissues (sink).  This distribution occurs in conducting elements called phloem.

13

7

Photosynthesis.
Sunlight through photosynthesis is the ultimate source of energy that sustains life.  Light energy is absorbed by pigments in chloroplasts and used for energy to build, and to maintain growth, and for increasing plant biomass

14-15

7

Photosynthesis:  Electron transport and ATP formation
Light energy is used remove electrons from water and the electrons reduce NADP⁺, forming NADPH and ATP. 

16-17

8

Photosynthesis: C metabolism.  C3, C4 and CAM.  Review enzy, ch. 2
ATP and NADPH are required to reduce CO₂ to sugars.  C4 and CAM plants evolved mechanisms to fix CO₂ more efficiently.  CO₂ fixed are converted to sucrose and starch for export and storage.

18-19

12

Nitrogen. 
Plants obtain N from the environment and incorporate it into proteins, DNA, etc:  All plants can take up NO₃^- and NH₄⁺ from the soil.  Amazingly, some plants can fix N₂ gas from the atmosphere!

20

13

Plant defense and pharmaceuticals: Alkaloid synthesis

22-24

16

Control of growth and development from seed to mature plant.  The orderly development of the plant depends on environmental stimuli, a balance of hormones, and changes in gene expression.  (Review ch. 14)

23

17-18

Photomorphogenesis.  Photoreceptors.
Light quality and quantity are the most significant factors affecting plant development.  Three photoreceptors.

25-27

19-23

Hormones regulate development.  How?
At least 7 different hormones act to regulate growth.

28-29

20, 23

Flowering, Reproduction and Seed Development