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Plant Growth Processes (AGRI20026)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
The production of plant food and fibre involves the manipulation of plant growth and development to achieve desired levels of yield and quality. This subject considers how crop and pasture canopies grow by acquiring resources from the environment, how plants allocate resources to different growth processes, and how management and environment (including climate change) affect plant production in Australia and worldwide. Plant processes will be presented at the plant, canopy and community level, touching on the wider implications for water and nutrient management as they influence landscape processes such as salinity and soil acidification.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students will:
- Be able to describe root growth and function, nutrient uptake, nitrogen fixation and explain the importance of plant nutrition in managing crops, as well as implications for nutrient run-off and water quality
- Be able to describe water uptake, transpiration, xylem flow, stomatal control and explain the implications of these processes for managing crop transpiration and soil evaporation in dryland cropping and under irrigation
- Be able to analyse biomass assimilation, translocation and storage from first principles of photosynthesis and light interception at the plant and canopy level, as well as the role of the phloem and carbon sinks in the partitioning of photoassimilates
- Know the critical steps and processes in plant development, and explain the pivotal role of flowering time (and the factors affecting it) in adaptation to stressful environments
- Better understand the abiotic factors affecting plant productivity and plant adaptations to these factors
Generic skills
On completion of this subject, students should have developed their:
- Ability to apply physiological knowledge to the analysis of crop production problems
- Capacity to conduct an experiment, analyse and interpret a large dataset, including simple statistical analysis
- Capacity to write scientific reports, including the use of scientific literature to discuss results
Last updated: 22 March 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
BOTA20001 | Green Planet: Plants and the Environment | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 22 March 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Practical report
| Week 4 | 25% |
Practical report
| Week 11 | 35% |
Examination
| End of semester | 40% |
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of scheduled workshops/practical classes | N/A |
Last updated: 22 March 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Sigfredo Augusto Fuentes Jara Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 60 Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 27 February 2023 to 28 May 2023 Last self-enrol date 10 March 2023 Census date 31 March 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 May 2023 Assessment period ends 23 June 2023 Semester 1 contact information
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 22 March 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Taiz L., Zeiger E., Moller I.M. and Murphy A. (2015) Plant Physiology and Development. 6th edition. Sinauer Associates.
- Subject notes
This subject is available for science credit to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Major Plant and Soil Science Informal specialisation Science Discipline subjects - new generation B-SCI Major Agricultural Economics Informal specialisation Plant Science Major Botany - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 22 March 2024