PLSCI 4100 - [Plant Responses to Environmental Stresses and Global Climate Change]

Fall. Not offered: 2024-2025. Next offered: 2025-2026. 3 credits. Student option grading.

Prerequisite: PLSCI 3420 or equivalent, plus PLSCI 3430 or equivalent. Offered in odd-numbered years only. Co-meets with PLSCI 6100.

O. Vatamaniuk.

Abiotic stresses including drought, temperature extremes, flooding, salinity, and toxic metals limit crop productivity, particularly in developing countries where people are resource-poor and have limited options. Anticipated global climate changes are expected to exacerbate the impact of stresses even further. Therefore, knowledge of stress response mechanisms is urgently needed for developing novel molecular breeding and genomics approaches for generating plants and management systems that will improve performance in hostile environmental conditions. This course explores the molecular, physiological, developmental and morphological characteristics that plants use to adapt to environmental stresses. Emphases are placed on stresses associated with global climate change including drought, flooding, extreme temperatures, salt, and environmental pollution. The course will also discuss strategies for improving stress tolerance in crops.

Outcome 1: Have an in-depth understanding of the impact of various abiotic stresses on plant metabolism, growth, development, and yield.

Outcome 2: Describe adaptation/resistance mechanisms of plants to different abiotic factors.

Outcome 3: Compare common and unique effects of various abiotic stress and crosstalk between pathways that lead to plants adaptation/resistance.

Outcome 4: Understand approaches and scientific basis behind approaches for improving plant stress tolerance.

Outcome 5: Improve ability to analyze and critique the primary scientific literature, scientific writing, and communication skills.

Outcome 6: Explain, evaluate, and interpret original experimental data of the response of plants to environmental conditions, and design and interpret results of one’s own experiments.