72
Environmental and Applied Botanics
REGGIO DI CALABRIA
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The discipline examines biological structures and processes typical of plants and analyzes the plant biodiversity starting from the analysis of the characters unifying the plant world: plant cells, tissues and plant organs.
In particular, the "General Botany" aims to provide the student with knowledge of the structure and organization of plants at different levels: cell, tissue and organ; to know the functions of the different cellular compartments and organelles, the mode of cell division, the functional role of the different organs that make up a plant and the uses they have in agronomy, forestry and the food industry.
"Systematic Botany" aims to analyze and study the biodiversity of the plant world by providing students with the cognitive elements to be able to recognize the main taxa of plants and to understand the diversity of forms of reproduction and development. All major groups of organisms traditionally included among the plants are studied, but particular emphasis is given to vascular plants for the application role.
Course Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of general biology, cells and biological macromolecules.
Teaching Methods
Lectures and exercises
Assessment Methods
Closed-ended test on topics related to the program.
Texts
Resources and main references
Teaching materials
Textbook reference
Pasqua G., Abbate G., Forni C., 2019 – Botanica Generale e Diversità Vegetale. IV Edizione. Piccin, Padova.
Textbook practical part
Baroni E., 1981 – Guida botanica d'Italia. Cappelli, Bologna.
Davis Ph , Cullen J., 1991 – Guida alla identificazione delle Angiosperme. Zanichelli, Bologna.
Langer R.H.M., Hill G.D.,1989 – Piante agrarie. Egragricole, Bologna
Textbook of consultation
Strasburger, E. et al., 1992 – Trattato di Botanica, Parte Sistematica. Delfino Editore, Roma.
Judd W.S. et al., 2007 – Botanica Sistematica. Un approccio filogenetico. Piccin, Padova.
Raven P.H., Evert R.F., Eichhorn S.E. 2002 - Biologia delle Piante. Zanichelli, Bologna.
Stern K.R. ed all. 2009 – Introduzione alla biologia vegetale. McGraw-Hill
Gerola F.M. et al., 2002 – Biologia e diversità dei Vegetali. UTET, Torino.
Longo C., 1997- Biologia vegetale, Morfologia e Fisiologia. UTET, Torino.
Tonzig S., Marré E., 1986 – Botanica generale, Morfologia e Fisiologia vegetali. UTET, Torino.
Contents
General Botany
Cytology. Form and structure of the plant cell. Cytosol, plasma membrane, cytoskeleton, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus. Plastids: ultrastructure and differentiation. Vacuole. Reserve substances inside and outside the plastid and their agro -food interest. Nucleus: mitosis, meiosis and cytokinesis. Cell wall: structure, chemical composition and modification.
Histology. Meristematic tissues. Parenchymal tissues. Conducting tissues. Protection tissues. Mechanical tissues. Secretory tissues.
Organography. Outline of thallus structure. Organography of the corm. Seed germination. Stem. Morphology and anatomy. Primary structure in pteridophytes, gymnosperms, monocots and dicots. Secondary structure in dicots. Secondary growth in monocots. Secondary structure in gymnosperms. Metamorphosis of the stem. Root. Morphology, anatomy. Primary structure. Secondary structure. Metamorphosis of the roots. Leaf. Origin and differentiation. Morphology and anatomy. Metamorphosis of the leaf.
Reproduction and sexuality. Vegetative propagation and asexual. Sexual reproduction and its modalities.
Functions of the plant cell. Overview of photosynthesis, plants C3, C4, CAM and cellular respiration. Absorption and transport of water and solutes. Transpiration. Guttation.
Systematic Botany
Systematics, taxonomy, classification, criteria and taxonomic models. Definition of species and other systematic categories; nomenclature rules. Evolution and phylogeny of plants, speciation processes.
Prokaryotes. Notes on the cell, origin and evolution.
Algae. Notes on cell structure, morphological organisation, metabolism, reproduction and systematics.
Bryophyta: gametophyte, sporophyte: morphology, reproduction and life cycle. Systematics. Ecology, importance and phylogeny.
Pteridophyte. The gametophyte, the sporophyte: morphology, reproduction and life cycle. Systematic: Psilopsida, Licopsida, Sphenopsida, Filicopsida. Ecology, importance and phylogeny.
Gymnosperms. Sporophyte, male and female gametophyte. Life cycle, pollination, fertilization. The seed. Systematics: Cycadopsida, Ginkopsida, Coniferopsida (Pinaceae, Cupressaceae); Gnetopdida. Phylogenetic relationships.
Angiospermae. Generalities on vegetative apparatus. Flower, inflorescence, female gametophyte, ovule, ovary, male gametophyte, pollen, pollination, fertilization, embryo development, seed, biological cycle. Fruit, classification and dispersion. Systematics (special attention is paid to the families of agricultural, forestry and food interest): Magnoliatae (dicots): Magnoliidae (Magnoliaceae , Ranunculaceae, Papaveraceae); Rosidae (Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Rutaceae, Apiaceae, Euphorbiaceae); Dillenidae (Brassicaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Malvaceae); Caryophyllidae (Caryophyllaceae, Chenopodiaceae); Asterideae (Oleaceae, Convolvulaceae, Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Solanaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Asteraceae); Liliatae ( monocots); Liliidae (Liliaceae, Iridaceae, Orchidaceae); Commelinidae (Cyperaceae , Poaceae). Phylogeny: evolutionary trends and main phylogenetic hypotheses.
Fungi. Myxomicota. Eumicota: morphological organization, metabolism, reproduction. Systematics of the major groups of fungi of interest in agriculture and food: Chytridiomycetes, Oomycetes, Zigomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, Deuteromycetes. Symbiotic associations: Lichens, Mycorrhizae.