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 | 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. |
| Course description |
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.
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.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 25,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
71 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
100 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
This course is assessed only by an end of semester exam involving short essay questions. |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of constraints on, and opportunities for improved agricultural practice and food production, conventional and GM plant breeding.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the methods employed in modern agriculture.
- Produce and critique rational strategies for achieving sustainable, high-yield agriculture.
- Demonstrate the ability to engage with social issues that arise from the use of the latest agricultural technologies.
- Research relevant scientific literature to create written and oral presentations that are concise, coherent and cogen. Show in-depth knowledge of the plant biotechnology field and produce a logical, considered and integrated strategy for a solution to specific plant biotechnological problems.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
10 Lectures. |
| Keywords | PLSCPlantBi |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Alistair McCormick
Tel:
Email: Alistair.McCormick@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Dr Edward Dewhirst
Tel: (0131 6)50 8649
Email: edewhirs@ed.ac.uk |
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