Undergraduate Course: Plant Biotechnology (PLSC10023)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | The planet's population is predicted to peak at over 9 billion in the second half of this century. To provide food and dignified living conditions, agricultural productivity will have to increase 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2050. This task is extremely urgent and challenging, as it will have to coincide with a transition to more sustainable agricultural practices and as agricultural land is lost due to climate change and urbanisation. This course will focus on plants in exploring the fundamental constraints and opportunities in sustainable food and bioenergy production, as well as the use of plants to supply high-value products. Topics to be covered: Modern food production; Ten thousand years of crop domestication; Soils underpin fertility and sustainability; Agricultural practice; Plant breeding; Herbicide tolerance; Plant defence; Abiotic stress resistance; Sustainable energy and C-skeleton cycles; Exploitation of plants for cellulosic-, and of algae for hydrocarbon-based fuels; Chemical feed stocks; plants and plant cells as factories for high value products; natural products. |
| Course description |
Not entered
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2016/17, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 30 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 39,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
57 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
100 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Students progress will be assessed by examination in the December diet. |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Plant Biotechnology | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
1) Students will gain an appreciation of modern agriculture, the challenges facing it and ways forward to address an impending crisis.
2) Students will critically evaluate scientific papers.
3) Students will sharpen skills to communicate and discuss complex issues both orally and in writing.
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
First class takes place 2pm-5pm. |
| Keywords | PLSCPlantBi |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Peter Doerner
Tel: (0131 6)50 7080
Email: Peter.Doerner@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Emma Currie
Tel: (0131 6)50 5988
Email: Emma.Currie@ed.ac.uk |
|
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