2024
Plant Biotechnology
Name: Plant Biotechnology
Code: FIT13557L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area:
Agronomy
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
The students should learn and use the most elementary techniques of in vitro plant tissues culture.
They must know how to apply genetic transformation techniques of plant cells.
They must have a personal opinion on the GMOs and be able to argue on the subject defending its opinion.
They also should understand what molecular markers are and to know their potentialities for plant biotechnology and plant breeding.
They must know how to apply genetic transformation techniques of plant cells.
They must have a personal opinion on the GMOs and be able to argue on the subject defending its opinion.
They also should understand what molecular markers are and to know their potentialities for plant biotechnology and plant breeding.
Contents
- Plant Biotechnology: Theoretical definition, main proposes and basic concepts.
- Laboratory infrastructures and equipment: Special details of a plant biotechnology laboratory; Main equipment and its use.
- In vitro culture techniques: Micropropagation; Haploidization; Somatic Embryogenesis; Suspension Cells Culture; Protoplast Culture.
- Genetic Transformation: Genetically Modified Organisms; Notion of genetically modified organism; Gene transfer methods; Selection of transformed plants; Stability of the transferred gene; Ethical aspects of the recombinant DNA technique.
- Genetic and Molecular Markers; Kinds of markers and its use; Singularity of the DNA-markers.
- Laboratory infrastructures and equipment: Special details of a plant biotechnology laboratory; Main equipment and its use.
- In vitro culture techniques: Micropropagation; Haploidization; Somatic Embryogenesis; Suspension Cells Culture; Protoplast Culture.
- Genetic Transformation: Genetically Modified Organisms; Notion of genetically modified organism; Gene transfer methods; Selection of transformed plants; Stability of the transferred gene; Ethical aspects of the recombinant DNA technique.
- Genetic and Molecular Markers; Kinds of markers and its use; Singularity of the DNA-markers.
Teaching Methods
Teaching:
The theoretical component is taught in the classroom with multimedia resources and all documentation will become available on the Moodle platform. The practical component is taught in laboratory. The students will install and monitor an in vitro culture, extract and quantify plant DNA and use PCR for amplification of DNA fragments acquired by the use of random DNA markers.
Evaluation:
The evaluation is done by written tests for both, the theoretical and the practical components. Students can opt for a continuous evaluation system or for a final exam. In the continuous evaluation, 2 written tests will be performed during the semester. The final exam will be carried out by students who choose this regime, or those who have started the continuous evaluation process and intend to give up. Students who are unable to obtain approval on any of the normal period regimens have the possibility to take the UC on appeal.
The theoretical component is taught in the classroom with multimedia resources and all documentation will become available on the Moodle platform. The practical component is taught in laboratory. The students will install and monitor an in vitro culture, extract and quantify plant DNA and use PCR for amplification of DNA fragments acquired by the use of random DNA markers.
Evaluation:
The evaluation is done by written tests for both, the theoretical and the practical components. Students can opt for a continuous evaluation system or for a final exam. In the continuous evaluation, 2 written tests will be performed during the semester. The final exam will be carried out by students who choose this regime, or those who have started the continuous evaluation process and intend to give up. Students who are unable to obtain approval on any of the normal period regimens have the possibility to take the UC on appeal.
Teaching Staff (2023/2024 )
