The continuing increase in the worlds population coupled with the many treats of climate change are putting increasing pressure on the need to produce more food in a secure and sustainable manner. As the primary producers plants are central to this, whether we use a conventional or a GM breeding strategy. To help maximise food production and inform conservation we need to understand bow plants deal with changes in nutrients, light, water and pollutants such as salt and heavy metals. As plant pathogens are favoured by climate change we also need to evaluate their various strategies for dealing with pests and herbivores.
The aim of this course is to help you develop an understanding of how higher plants function, in their development and physiology, in relation to key influences in their natural environments. During the course you will use information from both conventional molecular approaches. The course is lecture based with emphasis on using the scientific literature. A central feature is a series of practicals in which you will directly experience some of the phenomena introduced in lectures and begin to refine your skills in experimental design and execution as well as how scientists write up their experimental results.
This course will show plants as a dynamic and relevant part of the natural world and will be of interest to you whether you are interested in the more environmental aspect of the natural world as well as those who wish to exploit the new ‘omics technologies to delve deeper in the world of the plant cell.