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 | Students are required to have passed at least two of the following: Molecular Genetics 3, Molecular Microbiology 3, Structures and Functions of Proteins 3, Biotechnology 3, Developmental Biology 3, Evolution and Ecology of Plants 3, Genomes and Genomics 3, Molecular Cell Biology 3. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, 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 27.5,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
68 )
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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 |
Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Plant Biotechnology Exam | 120 | |
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, the methods employed in modern agriculture, conventional and GM plant breeding.
- 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 cogent.
- 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 |
11 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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