PLANT ORGANISMS FOR THE GREEN ECONOMY
Academic year and teacher
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- SIMONETTA PANCALDI
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- BIO/01
Training objectives
- Green Economy describes the close integration between the economic development that characterizes a certain type of production and the impact that such production has on environment and man. Based on this definition, the main objective of the course is to provide students with adequate knowledge on the relationships between basic plant biology and applied plant biology, in order to better understand the relevance of plant organisms in the green economy and how such organisms can be exploited in numerous productive processes, also taking into account the opportunity to reduce the consumption of energy and natural resources. The study of the morphology, physiology and reproduction of plant organisms important for specific productive activities will allow the student to better contextualize the role that such organisms play in the agro-industrial, cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, and renewable energy sectors. Economic aspects are not included in the objective of the course.
The experimental activities are aimed at deepening the theory and training the student to the experimentation protocols that reflect the subjects illustrated in the course.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
The student:
- knows the proper plant biological terminology;
- knows the relationships between basic plant biology and applied plant biology;
- knows the relevance of plant organisms in the green economy;
- knows the current need to reduce the consumption of energy and of natural resources.
ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
The student is able to:
- use the proper plant biological terminology;
- contextualize the role of specific organisms in the agro-industrial, cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, and renewable energy sectors;
- apply the theory to the laboratory activities;
- formulate hypotheses to respond to the need for a reduced consumption of energy and of natural resources. Prerequisites
- No formal propedeuticity is present. However, the student should know fundamental notions of General Botany and Plant Physiology.
Course programme
Didactic methods
Learning assessment procedures
- The final exam is aimed at verifying the student's level of knowledge and understanding of the subject, and the student's ability to discuss and explain the key concepts. The evaluation is expressed in thirtieths (minimum rate 18/30).
The exam comprises two parts:
1) execution (by individual students or small groups, depending on the number of students) of a laboratory experimental protocol, followed by a final report, which must be organized in sections, i.e. Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion. Each student will compile his/her own report. For the elaboration of this report, the student is provided by the teacher with scientific articles, which regard the subject of the experimentation. The evaluation of the report will include: comprehension ability of the scientific English; contribution of the student to the experimental process; ability of data assembly; ability of result discussion. The evaluation is expressed in thirtieths (minimum rate 18/30).
2) two or more powerpoint presentations concerning plants of agricultural interest. These presentations are expected to report on the systematic position of the chosen plant species, their relevance for the human nutrition, elements on the corresponding European/global market, other interesting facts. To each ppt presentation an evaluation will be attributed and expressed in thirtieths (minimum rate 18/30).
The final evaluation, that will be recorded, will be the average note of the evaluations obtained from the two previous parts. Reference texts
- The teacher makes every lecture available to the students and integrates them with other learning material, e.g. articles published in scientific journals and/or non-technical dissemination publications. A textbook will be indicated as a reference for more general topics.
