Crops, Physiology and Environment

The abiotic environment (light, temperature and wind, CO2 concentration, drought and salinity) strongly influences plant growth and crop production. In this course the focus is on key concepts relating the functioning of plants to their abiotic environment. Crop production and plant growth is described by mathematical equations to enable the quantification of effects of environmental conditions. These concepts are relevant for both open field and greenhouse cropping systems and examples are taken from both systems. Students will learn to comprehend meaningful integrated concepts that combine knowledge from plant physiology and environmental sciences. These concepts aim to better understand the complexity of plant-environment systems and ultimately can be used to develop new hypotheses for research and for practical applications in crop production.
Keywords: light, temperature, CO2 concentration, plant growth analysis, photosynthesis, biomass production, biomass partitioning, yield component analysis, potential and water limited plant growth, concept map.

• Calculate organ, plant, and crop growth using principles of crop growth analysis (e.g., RGR, NAR, LAR).

• Explain crop development and light interception based on thermal time and plant architecture principles.

• Analyze radiation and heat exchange processes affecting plant physiology.

• Estimate crop evapotranspiration and water use efficiency using quantitative approaches.

• Calculate biomass production and biomass partitioning using mathematical formulas.

• Evaluate the effects of abiotic factors (e.g., light, temperature, CO₂, and water availability) on crop growth and yield using quantitative data.

• Evaluate scientific literature in crop physiology.

• Present scientific findings from crop physiology literature to an academic audience.

• ? (5%) Participation is based on practical/tutorial hand-ins, after validity period the student needs to take the course again.
• ? (65%) Final accumulative exam, resit in resit period.
• ? (15%) Mid-term exam week 4, after validity period student has to take the course again.
• ? (15%) Group size 3 to 4 students, after validity period student has to retake the course.

ZSS06100 Laboratory Safety PPH10806 Structure and Function of Plants

• Course syllabus + specific chapters from 2 textbooks: Plants in Action (plantsinaction.science.uq.edu.au/edition1/) and Plant Physiological Ecology (www.springer.com/us/book/9780387783406)