Horticulture Crop Plant Physiology Syllabus
This course provides students with a background into the physiological processes of plants with an emphasis on horticultural crops and how the processes relate to horticultural crop production practices. Among the topics covered are photosynthesis, respiration, water relations and morphogenesis. This course is an ACCEPtS course offered online to students at the University of Arkansas, Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University and Oklahoma State University. This course is available through any of the participating universities.
Primary Instructors:
Dr. Jeff Kuehny 225 J.C. Miller Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803 E-mail: [email protected] Phone:225-578-1043
Dr. Don LaBonte 131 J.C. Miller Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 225-578-1024
Office Hours:
Drs. Kuehny and La Bonte are available by appointment. Appointments should be scheduled via telephone or email as listed above.
Prerequisites: Principles of Horticulture and first semester college chemistry (or equivalents)
Credits:
You will receive 3 semester credits for this course.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students should have:
1. Developed an understanding the basic principles of plant cells and cellular metabolism. 2. Developed an understanding of water relations, mineral nutrition, ion transport, phloem transport, and how these physiological factors interact with the environment and the related crop response. 3. Developed an understanding of respiratory pathways and photosynthetic processes in relation to crop yield and the manipulation of plant growth regulators, herbicides and environmental factors affecting these processes. 4. Developed knowledge of plant growth and development to the production and scheduling of agricultural crops. 5. Developed enhanced problem solving skills to optimize crop production based on an understanding of physiological processes and the interaction with the environment.
Course Progress and Participation:
It is especially important that students set aside a regular time to study the course content and participate in the discussion forum questions. Students who do so learn more and perform better on exams than students who fail to regularly read and work with the course content. Be sure to pay attention to forum deadlines and exam dates. These will help to keep you moving through the course material and up to date.
Failure to complete assignments on time will result in a 0% grade for those activities. Unless an advisor’s (in the case of a conflicting university-sponsored activity) or physician’s statement (in the case of illness) is provided regarding such failures. NO late work will be accepted.
Required Text:
Plant Physiology, 5th Edition. L. Taiz and E. Zeigler. Sinauer Assoc., Inc., Publishers. 2010. Casebound Textbook 978-0-87893-866-7 $124.95; Looseleaf Textbook 978-0-87893-511-6 $74.95; CourseSmart eBook 978-0-87893-507-9 $74.95 (180 day subscription) http://www.sinauer.com/detail.php?id=8667 Other supportive material will be available on the course web site.
Supplementary Reading:
Other supporting materials will be provided on line through the course web site.
Other Requirements:
It should be understood that this is an online class where lectures, discussion assignments, quizzes, etc. will be administered via the internet. Students are responsible for all information posted on the web site and should have access to the internet throughout the semester. All lectures are recorded using Flash Media Player. Free software is available at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/.
Cell phones may NOT be used as a calculator during exams!!
Content Delivery Method:
HORT 3803 is an internet-based course. Lectures for this course will be provided via podcast through the course website. SKYPE will be used to conference with students for questions during office hours, reviews and other needs for direct communication. All quizzes will be administered the the course web site. All lectures are recorded using Flash Media Player. Free software is available at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/.
Assignments and Grading:
Discussion Forums:
Discussion Forums will cover specific questions, ideas or concepts that relate to the lecture topic of that week. Each specific forum is designed to help students apply information from the lecture to not only the industry but in everyday life. Specific forums will be open for a set time period throughout the semester, usually for that lecture week. Students MUST participate in online discussions. Students are required to post a response to the discussion question AND review and discuss other classmates’ responses as well. You will be graded for your initial response and your participation with your peers’ responses. DO NOT leave initial responses in the forums to the last minute! Peers will not have enough time to react to and discuss your response. Responses made within 24 hours of the close of the discussion forum will not receive full credit. In a discussion forum the postings are directed to the entire class even though you may be replying to an individual’s comments. You may be thinking “Am I required to make comments about EVERYTHING posted?” No. If we did that we would be inundated with text to read and the comments wouldn’t be as rich. Make comments on what interests you. All comments on postings are always created in the message box and not as an attachment. Students will be assessed on response content, timeliness and frequency of responses (This should be a sharing of ideas; two or three comments per forum is NOT a conversation).
Quizzes and Exams:
Each week there will be two 5-point quizzes given on the lecture topic; one on Tuesday and the other on Thursday. This is designed so that students must keep up with lecture topics from the beginning of each week. Quizzes are administered online through the course web site and can be taken at any time during the day within the given time slot (quizzes will be open for a 24-hour period unless specified otherwise). Students will have only one attempt per quiz. Three general exams worth 150 points each will include 50 questions of multiple choice, true/false, matching, and short answer essay formats. The final exam is worth 200 points and will be comprehensive. Exams will be taken online through Moodle during specific time slots in a monitored computer lab. Failure to complete exams during this time will result in 0 points unless previously discussed with the instructor. See course schedule for quiz and exam dates.
Graduate Students:
You will be responsible for collecting information on the crop of your choice or assigned and organizing that information into a research summary on a particular physiological subject pertaining to that crop. We will review the first and subsequent drafts of the paper. We will return all of our comments back to you, and you will revise your work accordingly. Instructions and format are as follows:
LIBRARY RESEARCH REPORT
OBJECTIVES
l. To motivate you to find information and assimilate data into a meaningful summary of a meaningful development relating to the physiology of the crop you chose. This is especially important to continued success with understanding and applying your knowledge of plant physiology after graduation.
2. To allow you to transfer printed knowledge to a new, real life situation...applying what you have learned.
ASSIGNMENT
Prepare, submit, and thereafter revise a short (five to eight page), succinctly written paper discussing 1) a cultural program of the particular crop and 2) aspects of plant physiology, plant pathology, entomology, or economics as related to your crop. The information should be based on previous peer reviewed research and personal communication with experts, and any other pertinent peer reviewed reference you find. This paper accounts for 1/5 of your final grade.
STEPS
1 Research your crop/topic using all the resources you can find. A good starting point is the electronic databases in your library. Also, be sure to take advantage of the Agricola, Biological Abstracts and Web of Knowledge digital database to do your initial reference searching.
2. Formulate your first draft and hand it in by the date provided. It must be typed (as revision will occur... and double spaced with at least 1 inch margins on the right and left sides). All drafts will be reviewed by the instructor and will be discussed with each of you. It is imperative that you have this rough draft completed so that you will have a completed manuscript by the end of the semester! You will then incorporate our comments into the paper and turn it in (along with the marked-up copies). After revision, you must turn in the final draft on the date assigned.
3. You are encouraged to take advantage of enhanced computer technology in preparing your report. For example, if you see a good color or black and white picture, this image can be scanned and incorporated into the paper. Just make sure to reference any material used and make sure that it is not copyrighted! Please use the manuscript format in the guide to authors for the Journal of ASHS found at http://www.ashs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=178&Itemid=114.
FORMAT
Your manuscripts should include the following information about the crop:
I. Introduction - taxonomy, ecology, life cycle, history, breeding
II. Culture
A. Market - statistics, production areas, sales areas
B. Propagation
C. Cropping environment and any related physiology
l. Physical environment
2. Biotic environment
D. The latest developments in plant physiology that have or may have a significant impact on this crop and its future. NOTE: This should be the primary part of your paper.
III. Postharvest Information and related physiology
A. Optimum harvest stage
B. Shipping and handling procedures
C. Consumer care
IV. Literature Cited - including citations of "personal communication". You should have at least 10 peer reviewed cited articles.
Grading:
For both undergraduate and graduate credit. Letter grades assigned for corresponding grade percentages will be:
A 90 – 100 B 80 – 89 C 70 - 79 D 60 – 69 F 0 - 59
Component and Point Value
Exam 1 – 150 Exam 2 – 150 Exam 3 – 150 Final Exam – 200 Discussion Forum – 10 at 21 pts = 210 (15 pts for response; 6 pts for participation comments) Quizzes – 28 at 5 pts = 140 *Research Paper (Graduate students only) – 200 Total – 1000 pts (1200 pts Graduate students)
Helpful Tips:
Ø TIME MANAGEMENT!!!!! o DO NOT download lectures at the end of the week. You will never have enough time to understand the material before exams. Allow time EVERYDAY to go over lecture material, assigned textbook readings, supplemental readings and other available resources on Moodle. Ø Print out corresponding PowerPoint’s for each lecture before watching the video. Follow along as you listen and TAKE NOTES! Ø Students should consider getting together as groups and watch lectures together! The amount of information covered in this class can sometimes be overwhelming. Watching lectures and taking notes together can make it easier to keep yourself and other classmates on track. Ø CHECK MOODLE EVERYDAY! This is an interactive class with new information being posted often. Ø Take advantage of the Question and Comment area in the Discussion Forum. If you are confused about something in the class use this forum to post it! Other students may have the same questions and this forum allows classmates to talk to each other.
Internet Etiquette:
Keep in mind that we are addressing each other as professionals, and we must mind our manners. There are no "stupid" questions or comments in this class! Don't be afraid to ask a question or make a comment. Please respect different opinions, perspectives, and values in the discussion board and in all other class activities. Internet Netiquette includes not sending e-mail messages in ALL CAPS or too many !!!!!!!s.
Code of Student Conduct:
It is the responsibility of all students to familiarize themselves with the Code of Student Conduct and other University rules and regulations governing student conduct and activities.
Academic dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty can result in probation, suspension, or expulsion from the course.
As a core part of its mission, the University of Arkansas provides students with the opportunity to further their educational goals through programs of study and research in an environment that promotes freedom of inquiry and academic responsibility. Accomplishing this mission is only possible when intellectual honesty and individual integrity prevail.”
Each University of Arkansas student is required to be familiar with and abide by the University’s ‘Academic Integrity Policy’ which may be found at www.uark.provost.edu.
Students with questions about how these policies apply to a particular course or assignment should immediately contact their instructor.
Disabilities Statement:
If you have special needs addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act, please notify your instructor immediately for proper accommodations.
Make-up Policy:
No late assignments will be accepted and quizzes and exams cannot be made up if missed unless previous arrangements are made with the instructor.
Tentative Lecture Schedule
Week Discussion Topic 1 Organic Molecules, Cell and Structure of Higher Plants 2 Enzymes and Enzyme Kinetics 3 Water Relation Concepts and Environmental Stress 4 Water Relation Concepts and Environmental Stress EXAM 1 (COVERS WEEKS 1-3) 5 Mechanisms of Ion Transport 6 Mineral Nutrition, Nutrient Mobility and Availability to Plants 7 Principles of Plant Respiration 8 Factors Affecting Plant Respiration; Postharvest Storage EXAM 2 (COVERS WEEKS 4-7) 9 Carbon Fixation and Carbohydrate Synthesis 10 Comparison of C-3, C-4 and CAM Plants 11 Light and Effects of Light Quality and Quantity on Plant Growth Graduate students – first draft research paper due end of week EXAM 3 (COVERS WEEKS 8-11) 12 Environmental Effects on Photosynthesis and Transport of Sugars Transport in Phloem 13 Principles of hormones and growth regulators 14 Plant Growth and Development Flowering 15 Plant Growth and Development Flowering 16 Graduate students – final draft research paper due end of week Review FINAL EXAM
(Dates may be subject to change upon notification from professor)