Physiology of plant membranes. The water and the plant. Pigments. Photosynthesis.
Allocation of photosynthetic products. Specific metabolic pathways of plants. Photosynthetic adaptations. Mineral nutrition. Plant hormones.
The use of plants for environmental clean-up: strategies for the remediation of soils polluted by metals or organic contaminants (phytoextraction, phytomining, phytostabilisation, phytovolatilisation, revegetation, constructed wetlands)
Knowledge acquired
Learning in biochemical, biophysical and molecular processes key to the functional mechanisms of plants
Competence acquired
Learning a basic understanding of key biological mechanisms involved in vital functions and in the adaptive capacity of plants. Know the typical physiological functions of plants and the importance of their contribution to maintaining the environmental balance
To acquire qualification aimed to the knowledge of the polluted soil remediation techniques using higher plants.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):
An overview of the vital functions of plants, knowledge needed for each area of research and application that has as its object the use of plants in agronomy, biotechnology, environmental strategy, etc..
Prerequisites
Courses to be used as requirements (required and/or recommended)
CFU: 6
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150
Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities: 90
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 60
Contact hours for: Laboratory (hours): 0
Contact hours for: Laboratory-field/practice (hours): 0
Seminars (hours): 0
Stages: 0
Intermediate examinations: 0
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab:
Twice a week for a total of 4 hours
Teaching tools
Power Point Presentation, notes, slides.
After appointment, any day of the week that is not engaged by other institutional activities.
Type of Assessment
Exam modality:
Final oral examination
Course program
Course Contents (detailed programme): Peculiar characteristics of the plant cell and architectural structure of the plant. Wall and cell membranes: structure and functions. Diffusion and transport across the membranes. Water and plants cells: water potential and its components, root uptake of water, water movement in the root, root pressure water translocation through the xylem, the tension-cohesion theory. The stomata: opening and closing mechanisms, environmental control stomata opening and closing.
Plants and mineral nutrition: macro and micro-nutrients. Plants and nitrogen: nitrogen cycle, reducing assimilation of nitrate and ammonia assimilation, biological fixation of nitrogen. Assimilation and organic sulfur.
Photosynthesis: photosynthetic apparatus, plastids and organization of photosynthetic membranes, Photosystem. The photosynthetic pigments: chlorophylls and carotenoids. Mechanisms of absorption of light, excited states and types of transitions of electrons. Photolysis of water. Plastoquinones cyclic processes. Non-cyclic, cyclic and pseudociclic photosphorilation.
Photosynthetic carbon metabolism: Rubisco and Calvin cycle, photorespiration, photosynthetic adaptations, plants C4 and CAM plants. Synthesis of sucrose and starch synthesis.
Translocation of photosynthesis products : loading and unloading of the phloem, the concept of source and sink.
The plant hormones: the role of hormones in regulating development. Auxins: cell growth elongation, cell wall extendibility and regulation of water potential. Cytokinin: role in morphogenesis and in senescence. Gibberellin: regulation of stem elongation, of cell vascular cambium growth and of the hydrolysis of reserve substances in the seeds germinating. Abscisic acid: regulation of stomata movements, control over the development of seeds. Ethylene responses to various stress effects on ripening of fruits, senescence.
Environmental pollution and sustainable development. Reasons and typologies of environmental degradation. Classes of pollutants, persistence and effects on ecosystems.
Soil pollution. Legislative aspects: DLgs152/06. Classification of the remediation techniques; review of the classical remediation methodologies.
Phytoremediation: principles and techniques (phytostabilization, phytostimulation, phytodegradation, phytovolatilization, rhizofiltration). Natural and assisted phytoextraction; phytoextraction efficiency and relative parameters influencing the yield.
Rhizofiltration of wastewater; applications; removal processes and role of the plants; plant species and their selection. Classification of the wetland systems, different kinds of typologies; projecting and constructing a wetland, case studies in Italy.
Lab practices: hydroponic cultivation, growth with heavy metal stress, estimation of metal toxicity, assessment of plant metal tolerance and accumulation capacity.
Visit to a treatment plants for wastewaters and to a constructed wetland.