Plant Breeding and Biotechnology

Course manual 2018/2019

Course content

This course provides knowledge on recent developments in plant breeding and future prospects in plant biotechnology. A thorough understanding of plant breeding and genetic modification is linked to applications in various fields (crop improvement, functional food, medicines, soil remediation and biofuel production). After a general introduction into a field, recent papers covering new developments in biotechnology will be discussed by/with the participants. Students should get acquainted with technological challenges and possibilities of Plant Biotechnology. Through case studies, societal aspects of the application of current GM-crops will be discussed. Invited lectures from Plant Breeding companies will illustrate the state of the art in applied plant breeding.

The following subjects will be dealt with:

• Modern plant breeding (DNA markers, Targeted modification tools)
• Plant transformation, T-DNA integration and expression
• Epigenetics,RNAi methodology and application
• Plant architecture
• Genetics of Flower colot
• GM-Crops worldwide (including societal aspects)
• Plants as sources for food supplements and nutrients
• Production of pharmaceutical proteins and chemicals
• Biofuel production
• Phytoremediation

Study materials

Syllabus

• Selected book chapters, recent review articles, scientific papers

Objectives

In modern plant breeding molecular biology techniques and biotechnology have a prominent place. To understand these approaches and their applications we will discuss these using striking examples. Both the biology and the technology will be discussed.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Computer lab session/practical training
• Presentation/symposium

Learning activities

Attendance

The programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).

Additional requirements for this course:

Attendance at lectures is highly recommended. Attendance of student presentations and group discussions is mandatory. Attendance during computer practical is mandatory.

Assessment

Inspection of assessed work

The manner of inspection will be communicated via the digitial learning environment.

Assignments

Presentation

• Students individually prepare a presentation of a scientific paper and discuss the results in a broader context. There are four sessions with presentations. Students give feedback and will grade the presentation, the lecturer will give the final grade and feedback.

Reviews

• Those students that do not present a paper will be asked to give a short review of one of the papers that are presented by their peers. They will summarize the major findings of the paper and critically evaluate the results in a one page review. In this review future prospects of the research line will be discussed. The lecturer grades the paper and provides feedback.

Computer practical

• Students receive a DNA sequence that they have to annotate (structure, function, on line data) and comment on with regard to the role of such a “candidate” gene in a specific process, for instance salt stress responses. Based on a tutorial students will fill in a report with regard to the gene under investigation. They work in teams of two students and hand in a digital report of their findings with regard to the gene assigned to them.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Contact information

Coordinator

• prof. dr. M.A. Haring