HORT 842b: Plant Physiology

Instructor(s): Paul Twigg

Number of Credit Hours: 3

Cross-listings: University of Nebraska Kearney Biology 403/803.01.

Prerequisites: Admission to the Horticulture graduate certificate program; and permission https://agronomy.unl.edu/online/horticulture-graduate-certificates.

When Offered: Course is taught by faculty from the University of Nebraska Kearney, and will be offered in the fall semester of even-numbered calendar years.

Description: Life processes of plants, with an emphasis on water relations and hormonal and stress physiology. Includes fundamental concepts underlying the science of crop physiology, including crop phenology, canopy development and light interception, photosynthesis and respiration, and dry matter partitioning.  

Learning Outcomes/Course Objectives

  1. To become familiar with plant cell types and structures.
  2. To learn the importance plant nutrition and plant water and nutrient movement mechanisms.
  3. To become familiar with plant metabolism with an emphasis on the array of photosynthesis mechanisms and their interaction with physiological and ecological considerations.
  4. To learn about the mechanisms of plant hormones and their interactions with plant growth and environmental interactions.
  5. To become familiar with growth, seed dormancy, seedling germination and establishment, floral development, and senescence.
  6. To become familiar with biotic and abiotic interactions with plants.
  7. To relate the topics of plant physiology to real world issues in crops and horticulture.
  8. To analyze literature surrounding the class topics.