Level 3M

Objective/s

•  Provide knowledge of various plant diseases caused by biotic and abiotic factors
•  Introduce losses due to postharvest diseases
•  Impart knowledge on identification, characterization and management of diseases using molecular biological approaches
•  Provide knowledge of host pathogen interaction and various disease management practices

Intended learning outcomes

• Interpret the concepts and fundamentals of plant diseases caused by biotic and abiotic factors
• Apply effective methods to prevent postharvest losses
• Analyze the concepts and techniques of plant disease diagnosis
• Apply basic concepts and techniques of molecular plant pathology
• Adopt plant disease management practices
• Discuss recent trends in plant pathology

Course Contents

•  Diseases caused by biotic and abiotic factors: Diseases of field crops; Post-harvest diseases of fruits, vegetables and flowers; Post-harvest disease management practices;
• Interactions between plants and pathogens: effect of pathogens on plant physiology and structure, plant resistance and pathogen response.
• Diseases caused by proteins; Plant parasitic nematodes; Techniques used in plant disease diagnosis; Methods in molecular diagnosis (nucleic acid based diagnosis, immunoassays, monoclonal antibodies) Plant disease management.
• Ecological plant pathology: epidemiology, disease forecasting, disease assessment;
• Plant disease management: chemical, cultural, biological control, etc. and integrated approaches. Introduction to recent trends and developments in different disciplines in plant pathology.

Evaluation /Assessment strategy

               End of Course Examination           :            70%

Practical: In-course assessment(s)              :             30%

                  End of Course Examination        :             70%

Overall mark = (6MT+4MP)/10, 

MT = Marks for theory component, MP = Marks for practical component

References

• Agrios, G. N. (2005). Plant Pathology, 5th Ed. Elsevier Academic Press.
• Narayanasamy, P. (2008). Molecular Biology in plant pathogenesis and disease management: Microbial plant pathogens. Springer.
• De Costa, D. M. (2014). Molecular Biological Techniques –Applications in Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
• Lacomme, C. (2015). Plant pathology: Techniques and protocols, 2nd Ed. Humana Press.

• Impart knowledge of metabolic pathways
• Provide knowledge of techniques in biochemistry

Intended learning outcomes

• Explain metabolism of major macromolecules
• Discuss the regulation of metabolic pathways
• Interpret sequences and structure of protein
• Apply the biochemical techniques in various studies
• Explain the role of secondary metabolites in plants

Course Contents

• Metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids
• Techniques in biochemistry; colorimetry, autoradiography, HPLC and electrophoresis.
• Organization and regulation of metabolic pathways, principles of biosynthesis of primary and secondary metabolites, origin and distribution of primary and secondary metabolites within plants, functional proteins and biological membranes.

Evaluation /Assessment strategy

               End of Course Examination                 :           70%

Practical: In-course assessment(s)                    :            30%

                   End of Course Examination             :             70%

Overall mark = (6MT+4MP)/10,

MT = Marks for theory component, MP = Marks for practical component

References

• Nelson, D. L., Lechninger, A. L. and Lehninger, M. M. C. (2000).  Principles of Biochemistry, 5th Ed. W. H. Freeman.
• Stryer, L. (2011). Biochemistry, 6th Ed. Library of congress cataloging in publication data.
• Voet, D., Voet, J. G. and Pratt, C. W. (1999). Biochemistry, 4th Ed. Wiley, John and Sons publishers.

• Provide knowledge of theoretical principles of molecular genetics
• Introduce new approaches in molecular genetics

Intended learning outcomes

• Recall various properties of nucleic acids.
• Explain the structure and function of genes.
• Discuss the genetic consequences and molecular mechanisms of several prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene regulation systems.
• Apply the construction of molecular maps using markers

Course Contents

•  Genetic system within plasmids, mitochondria and chloroplasts.
• Organization of Eukaryotic genes.
• Prokaryotic gene regulation, Eukaryotic gene regulation – DNA replication, recombination, transcription, translation and gene expression
• Microbial genetics.
• Transposable elements, transposition.
• Genetic variation and genetic analysis – quantitative, population and evolution. Genetic mapping using different tools and markers.
• Gene manipulation.
• Functional genomics, Phylogenetic analysis, Epigenetics, Disease diagnosis and gene therapy.
• Mutation, DNA repair, Genes and cancer: oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, Evolution of genes and genomes, Ethical issues related to genetic studies.

Evaluation /Assessment strategy

                End of Course Examination                :           70%

Practical: In-course assessment(s)                    :            30%

                  End of Course Examination              :             70%

Overall mark = (6MT+4MP)/10,

MT = Marks for theory component, MP = Marks for practical component

References

• Robert Schleif, (1993),Genetics and Molecular Biology , Second edition, The Johns Hopkins University Press (ISBN 0-8018-4673-0).
• Larry Snyder,  Wendy Champness (2013), Molecular Genetics of Bacteria, Fourth revised edition, ASM press (ISBN: 978-1-55581-627-8).
• Watson, James D. (2014), Molecular biology of the gene, Seventh edition, Pearson/ Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (ISBN:9780321762436.

Objective/s:  

• Provide deeper insights of plant physiology and novel applications.
• Appreciate knowledge on photosynthesis, productivity, stomatal
• Physiology and  photomorphogenesis of plants

Intended learning outcomes:  

• Discuss the evolution of photosynthetic system and organization of   chloroplast.
• Explain photosystems, mechanism of ATP and NADPH   synthesis.
• Analyze CO2 concentrating mechanisms, Rubisco and plant productivity.
• Apply phenotypic plasticity, plant growth and hormones.
• Elaborate the role of phytochrome in plant development.

Course Contents:

• Ultra-structure of plant cell
• Genetics, assembly and evolution of photosynthetic system, organization of photosynthetic apparatus, chloroplast genome and proteins
• Photosynthetic pigments, light signal, photosystem I and II, mechanism of electron transport, proton transport and ATP synthesis.
• Regulation of Calvin cycle, CO2 concentrating mechanisms, C2 oxidative photosynthetic carbon cycle, structure, synthesis, mechanism and regulations of Rubisco, photosynthesis and plant productivity
• Significance of photosynthesis in agriculture.
• Ecological considerations and photosynthesis.
• Phenotypic plasticity.
• Blue light photoreceptors and stomatal physiology.
• Recent advances in photosynthesis.
• Nutrient film technique, hydroponics.
• Nutrient deficiency.
• Plant growth, plant growth measurements.
• Hormonal regulation in plant development.
• Commercial applications of plant hormones.
• Photomorphogenesis: Phytochrome, PHY genes, localization of phytochromes, functional domains, structure of phytochrome, lag time and escape time, phytochrome induced responses.
• Circadian rhythms, ecological functions, cellular and molecular mechanisms.
• Laboratory sessions and visit related to the above topics.

Evaluation /Assessment strategy

                End of Course Examination                :           70%

Practical: In-course assessment(s)                    :            30%

                  End of Course Examination              :             70%

Overall mark = (6MT+4MP)/10,

MT = Marks for theory component, MP = Marks for practical component

 References

• Taiz, L and Zeiger, E. (2010). Plant physiology, 5th edition. USA: Sinauer Associates Inc.
• Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Moller, M and Murphy, A. (2018). Plant physiology and development, 6th edition. USA: Sinauer Associates Inc.

• Provide knowledge of economically important plants with special reference to medicinal plants, weeds, plantation crops, food crops and marine vegetation

Intended learning outcomes:  

• Discuss medicinal plants, ethnobotany and biologically active compounds
• Explain physiology, harvesting, handling and storage of tropical fruit crops
• Distinguish the different types of weeds and their control methods
• Discuss the economic importance of various crops
• Identify different groups of marine algae                
• Choose the techniques in culturing marine algae
• Explain coastal zone conservation practices

Course Contents:

• Medicinal plants; Description, identification, nomenclature and classification of medicinal plants, climate and species distribution, endemics, ethnobotany.
• Pharmaceutical plants from ethnobotanical studies.
• Biologically active compounds and methods of extraction.
• Antifungal, antibacterial and antioxidant activity of bioactive compounds.
• Quality control and conservation of medicinal plants.
• Pomology: Introduction, tropical fruit crops, climate, growth and development- flowering, pollination/fertilization, fruit set – Fruit growth, Fruit maturation, harvest, handling and storage.
• Current research on pomology.
• Plantation crops:  Identification, distribution, description, biology and economic importance of plantation crops in Sri Lanka.
• Weed Biology: Major weeds of Sri Lanka, noxious weeds, identification, description and control.
• Marine Botany: Marine vegetation, Phytoplankton, uses, culturing and economic importance of marine algae, algal-based products, marine and coastal zone conservation.

Evaluation /Assessment strategy

                End of Course Examination                :           70%

Practical: In-course assessment(s)                    :            30%

                  End of Course Examination              :             70%

Overall mark = (6MT+4MP)/10,

MT = Marks for theory component, MP = Marks for practical component

References

• Rao, V. S. (1999). Principles of weed science, Second edition, Science Publishers.
• Theivendirarajah, K. (2008).  Palmyrah Palm (Borassus flabellifer L.), A monograph.
• Dawes, C. J. (1998).  Marine Botany, Second edition, Wiley and Co.
• Pandey, B. P. (2003). Economic Botany. New Delhi: S. Chand & Company Ltd.
• Kochhar, S. L. (2016). Economic botany. Cambridge University Press.
• Peter, K. V. (2007). Fruit crops. Horticulture Science Series, Vol. 3. New India: Publishing Agency.

Objective/s:  

• Impart knowledge of different plant breeding techniques
• Provide knowledge of botanical garden and germplasm conservation
• Introduce  statistical methods in plant breeding

Intended learning outcomes:  

• Discuss different conservation methods
• Explain the merits and demerits of different plant breeding techniques
• Test new plant cultivars

Course Contents:

• Role of plant breeding in society.
• Modes of reproduction and types of cultivar.
• Germplasm conservation.
• Botanic Gardens, Plant Breeding Organizations.
• Statistical methods in plant breeding.
• Techniques in plant breeding: classic and modern methods.
• Selected breeding objectives.
• Cultivar release and commercial seed production.
• Breeding of major crops: Cereal grains and fruit crops in Jaffna.

Evaluation /Assessment strategy

                End of Course Examination                :           70%

Practical: In-course assessment(s)                    :            30%

                  End of Course Examination              :             70%

Overall mark = (6MT+4MP)/10,

MT = Marks for theory component, MP = Marks for practical component

 References

• Brown, J. and Caligari, P. (2008). An Introduction to Plant Breeding. Blackwell Publishers.
• Acquaah, G. (2012). Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding. Wiley – Blackwell Publishers.
• Schlegel, R. H. J. (2003).  Encyclopedic Dictionary of Plant Breeding and Related Subjects. New York: Haworth Press.
• Allard, R. W. (1999). Principles of Plant Breeding. John Wiley and Sons.
• Sleper, D. A. and Poehlman, J. M. (2006). Breeding Field Crops, Blackwell, Iowa.