The course deals with
general concepts of living organisms with reference to plants; Description of
some concepts in Crop Botany; types of cells; Anatomy of the cell; cell wall, cytoplasm;
function of cell organelles; nucleus of the cell; Cell division - mitosis;
meiosis; types of plant tissues and characteristics; Morphology of the root;
Anatomy of the dicot and monocot roots; Secondary thickening of the root; The
soil and the root system; Morphology and functions of the stem; Anatomy of the
dicot and monocot stems; Secondary thickening and modifications of the stem;
functions of the leaf; Anatomy and morphology of the monocot and dicot leaf;
Transpiration, conduction and absorption; parts of a typical flower; Variations
in floral structure; symmetry and reduction and modifications of parts; The
development of the flower; Pollination – agents, modifications, and types of
pollination; Fertilization; Fruit development and structure of the fruit;
Classification and types of fruits; Dissemination of seeds and fruits;
Development of the seed; seed germination; Sugarcane, Rice, Citrus Fruits and
Pineapples; taxonomy; binomial system of classification. The course provides
understanding of plant metabolic reactions, physiological processes, their
role, and plant adaptations to different environments. Specific topics covered
include; Plant metabolic processes, definition and rationale of photosynthesis,
Types of Photosynthesis in green plants, leaf, adaptations for photosynthesis,
factors that influence photosynthesis, comparison between photosynthesis and
respiration; cellular respiration, mineral nutrition, Nitrogen metabolism and
growth analysis, Environmental plant physiology: effects of temperature, salt
and water stress and the implications of globally rising carbon dioxide;
movement mechanisms in and out of plant cells, and within plants.