Hort 537 - ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS PHYSIOLOGY
| Instructor | Dr. Coralie Lashbrook 251 Horticulture Hall (office) 225 Horticulture Hall (lab) 294-3789 (phone) (email) Office Hours: T, Th after class or by appointment |
|---|---|
| Location/Time | T, Th 12:40-2 pm 2026 Agronomy Hall |
| Prerequisites | Undergraduate plant biology or physiology; biochemistry (molecular biology helpful) |
Grading System
| 90-100% | A |
| 80-89% | B |
| 70-79% | C |
Grade Weight Distribution
15% EACH: 2 MIDTERM EXAMS
20% FINAL EXAM (not comprehensive—it's like a 3rd midterm)
25% RESEARCH PROPOSAL (MUST BE NON-THESIS RELATED)
25% ORAL PRESENTATION, CLASS PARTICIPATION
Exam Format
Several essay questions will be passed out a week in advance and you are encouraged to discuss them with each other or anyone but the instructor. The exam will be comprised of 2 or 3 of the essays which are to be answered on the day of the exam. Some short answer questions may also appear on the exam.
Textbooks: none, but very good background reference texts are:
Taiz and Zeiger Plant Physiology.
Buchanan, Gruissem and Jones. Molecular and Cellular Biology
A number of the background slides in the class's powerpoint lectures come from the latter source.
Journal Papers
You are strongly encouraged to read the journal papers that are used to construct the lectures. Most will be available online from the campus library.
Learning Objectives
- Students will learn basic biological mechanisms regulating plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. That stress regulators act in concert with other regulators (i.e. cross-talk) is a key concept.
- By studying stress biology from different perspectives (physiological, genetic, cell biological, biochemical), students will gain a more comprehensive view of how plants interact with their environment. Students will better learn how to place fundamental mechanisms operating at the cellular or sub-cellular level in a whole plant context.
- Students will learn how to critically evaluate journal articles and have a better understanding of what makes a "good" paper. Conceptual and mechanistic papers will be highly favored.
- Students will learn what components are necessary for the preparation of a research proposal targeted at either basic or applied funding sources. By participating in the critiquing (not grading) of other student proposals, a better understanding of what makes a "good" proposal is achieved.
- Conceptual essay exams with open-ended answers are designed to promote student integration of class information and application of information from one context to others. The development of improved writing skills will be encouraged with the instructor's assistance as needed.
CLASS SCHEDULE (subject to revision)
| Date | Lecture Topic (Background Info) | Discussion Topic | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| TUESDAY 1-11 | SLIDES: "STRESS TOUR" PREREQUISITES, GRADING STUDENT INTRODUCTIONS |
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| THURSDAY 1-13 | FLOODING (ETHYLENE SYNTHESIS) |
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| TUESDAY 1-18 | FLOODING | ||
| THURSDAY 1-20 | CHILLING &FREEZING COLD ACCLIMATION (MEMBRANE STRUCTURE) |
GUIDELINES FOR CLASS RESEARCH PROPOSALS | 1ST DRAFTS OF PROPOSALS DUE BEFORE SPRING BREAK |
| TUESDAY 1-25 | COLD STRESS | ||
| THURSDAY 1-27 | COLD STRESS | STUDENT PRESENTATION (2) | |
| TUESDAY 2-1 | FINISH COLD STRESS SALT STRESS (ION TRANSPORT) |
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| THURSDAY 2-3 | SALT STRESS | ||
| TUESDAY 2-8 | SALT STRESS | STUDENT PRESENTATION (2) | POTENTIAL EXAM QUESTIONS PASSED OUT: You can talk to anyone about the questions-- except me! |
| THURSDAY 2-10 | SALT STRESS | ||
| TUESDAY 2-15 | EXAM I | ||
| THURSDAY 2-17 | WATER STRESS (ABSCISIC ACID METABOLISM) |
EXAM REVIEW: HOW TO APPROACH OPEN-ENDED CONCEPTUAL QUESTIONS | |
| TUESDAY 2-22 | WATER STRESS | ||
| THURSDAY 2-24 | WATER STRESS | ||
| TUESDAY 3-1 | NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES | STUDENT PRESENTATION (2) | POTENTIAL EXAM QUESTIONS PASSED OUT |
| THURSDAY 3-3 | NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES | ||
| TUESDAY 3-8 | EXAM II | ||
| THURSDAY 3-10 | DISCUSSION: THE GRANT REVIEW PROCESSES AT USDA AND NSF | ELECTRONIC FIRST DRAFTS OF PROPOSAL DUE | OK IF SENT BY END OF SUNDAY THE 13th MARCH |
| TUESDAY 3-15 & THURSDAY 3-17 | SPRING BREAK | ||
| THURSDAY 3-22 | PROPOSAL PEER REVIEW 1ST TEAM MEETINGS -- SELECT 1,2 AND 3 REVIEWERS |
MIDTERM ANSWER REVIEW | PASS OUT ANONYMOUS 1ST DRAFTS TO REVIEW TEAMS (READ BY TUESDAY) |
| TUESDAY 3-24 | PROPOSAL PEER REVIEW | ||
| THURSDAY 3-29 | PROPOSAL PEER REVIEW | ||
| TUESDAY 3-31 | PROPOSAL PEER REVIEW | ||
| THURSDAY 4-5 | (ETHYLENE PERCEPTION AND SIGNALING) | ||
| TUESDAY 4-7 | WOUNDING (Salicylic acid, Jasmonic Acid, Systemin) |
STUDENT PRESENTATION (2) | |
| THURSDAY 4-12 | WOUNDING | ||
| TUESDAY 4-14 | FINISH WOUNDING | STUDENT PRESENTATION (2) | |
| THURSDAY 4-19 | PATHOGENS | ||
| TUESDAY 4-21 | PATHOGENS | ||
| THURSDAY 4-26 | PATHOGENS | STUDENT PRESENTATION (2) | POTENTIAL EXAM QUESTIONS PASSED OUT |
| TUESDAY 4-28 | PATHOGENS/REVIEW? | ||
| FRIDAY 5-6 | FINAL EXAM (it will cover material since last exam only) | TIME TBA |
