Program of the Course

Course structure and contents (study program):
The course is divided into two parts:

- Plant Biology Part (5 + 1 CFU)
Plant organisms
The notion of vegetable organism. Biodiversity. Plants and man: ecological, economic and social aspects
The plant cell
The cell wall: biosynthesis, structure, chemical composition and function.
The cytoplasmic membrane: structure, chemical composition and function.
The nucleus and the nucleolus. Mitochondria, microcorps, dictiosomes. The plastids. Chloroplast: structural and functional aspects. Photosynthesis. Physiological aspects of the photosynthesis process. The cytoskeleton: microtubules, microfilaments, structural associated proteins and molecular motors. Peculiar aspects of the cell division process: the preprophasic band, the mitotic spindle, the fragmoplast.
Plants: structure and function
Vegetable fabrics. Primary and secondary meristematic tissues. Fundamental, supportive, integumental, absorption, secretory and conductive tissues.
The root: functions of the root, primary and secondary structure, lateral and adventitious roots; water absorption and mineral salts. The transport of raw sap.
The stem: stem functions, primary structure in monocotyledons and dicotyledons; vascular exchange rate, secondary structure; cork, phytogen and felloderma.
The leaf: form, structure and function; epidermis, mesophyll, conducting bundles; the stoma: anatomy and stomatal mechanism. The transport of processed sap.
The flower: the gynoecium and the androcean. The pollination.
The fruit: development of the embryo; endosperm; fruit development.
The seed: structural aspects; dissemination.
Elements of plant classification.

-Part of Introduction to Plant Biotechnology (3CFU)
What are Biotechnologies.
The old biotechnologies for food production, the
hydroponic crops, plant cell cultures.
The Green Revolution of the 50s-70s of the last century.
Current applications of Plant Biotechnology:
Plant Biotechnologies for quality improvement of foods
Applications of hydroponic crops
Plants transformed for environmental purposes
Vaccine plants
Molecular Farming
The plantibodies
Plants for BioMasse production
Plants for the production of biofuels and bioplastics
Bioactive molecules of vegetable origin for the production of drugs.
Considerations: Plant Biotechnologies and their impact on the Company. Positive and negative repercussions in economic, employment, environmental and health terms.

Referral texts for Plant Biology:
- Pasqua G., Abbate G., Forni C., Botanica Generale e Diversità Vegetale, Piccin Editore, Padova.
- Mauseth J.D.,, II° edizione italiana, Botanica (parte generale), Idelson Gnocchi Editori, Napoli.
- Rost T.L., Barbour M.G., Stocking C.R., Murphy T.M., I° edizione italiana, Biologia delle piante,
Zanichelli Editore, Bologna.

Referral texts for Introduction to Plant Biotecnology:
- Tiezzi A., Biotecnologie Vegetali, il futuro che viene da lontano. Argomenti per una riflessione”. Casa Editrice Aracne, Roma, 2011.
- Tiezzi A. Dispensa "La Scienza ci dice....", 2021.

The teacher makes available all the slides shown during the course.