Genetic Improvement of Crop Plants
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| BIOS3035 | Biosciences | 3 | 20 | Spring UK |
- Code
- BIOS3035
- School
- Biosciences
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
The genetic improvement of crop plants is critical to address issues of food and nutritional security for a growing world population. It is also the key to tackling environmental degradation and to meeting the increasingly strict regulations on agricultural pollution which are coming into force in many Western countries, while at the same time addressing the effects (current and predicted) of Climate Change. While these issues are not identical, they are linked and efficient plant breeding can be part of the solution to both. The module will use lectures, case and literature studies, research plan presentations, external expert seminars and practical exposure to marker techniques to provide a firm basis for future crop breeding. The emphasis is the application of Biotechnology to conventional breeding, but the place of Genetic Modification in the genetic improvement of crops is briefly considered. Crops covered include temperate and tropical, annual, and perennial, in-breeding and out-breeding with emphasis on how genetic improvement will be achieved in the near future, while recognising the potential of novel techniques and the existence of varying priorities, in the face of a changing climate.
Target Students
Students registered on the undergraduate courses. Students interested in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology. BSc International Agricultural Science with Industrial Year. BSc Agriculture, BSc Agricultural and Crop Science, BSc/MSci Biotechnology, BSc/MSci Plant Science/Biology.
Classes
- One 4-hour practicum each week for 6 weeks
- One 4-hour lecture each week for 22 weeks
Two computer practical and a 20 minutes group presentation. A formative essay on crop improvement which does not contribute to assessment scores
Assessment
- 50% Practical write-up: Practical write-up
- 50% Group presentation
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
• To provide students with an understanding of crop genetic improvement through lectures, practical's and group study.• To provide students with an appreciation of how modern and technological approaches can enhance crop breeding programmes and to be able to assess the limitations of these approaches.• To give students the intellectual and practical skills to form a basis for a potential career in biotechnology as applied to crop breeding.Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
• Explain the domestication of crops, the genetics of traits and how crops are bred.
• Describe the application of molecular markers as a way to assist crop breeding and their use for the development of genetic maps.
• Identify major traits and issues which will need to be tackled by crop breeding and improvement.
• Compare multiple approaches that are currently being used in genetic improvement programmes.
• Test the use of genetic markers for genetic linkage in wide cross mapping populations.