Physiology of Plants and Herbs

Data

Official data in SubjectManager for the following academic year: 2024-2025

Topic

The main aim of the subject is to introduce the essential processes of plant physiology, including water balance, photosynthesis, enzyme activities, developmental physiology, and special metabolites. On the theoretical and practical classes, these processes are studied at cellular and organism level, and are discussed from biochemical aspects as well to provide a more complete understanding. The semi-nars and practices of the subject are aimed to help the better understanding of the complex functio-ning of plants, to familiarize students with the techniques of plant biotechnology (e.g. generation of hairy root cultures) and basic methods of data analysis. Students are provided with guidance and op-portunity to design and execute simple experiments in plant biotechnology, and to present their results. Special emphasis is given to those plant physiological processes, which have high relevance in the pharmaceutical industry, and thus provide wide-range carrier and training opportunities for the students in the future.

Lectures

• 1. The plant cell - Kocsis Marianna
• 2. The plant tissue structure - Kocsis Marianna
• 3. Water, minerals and transport - Kocsis Marianna
• 4. Photosynthesis - Kocsis Marianna
• 5. Plant hormones - Kocsis Marianna
• 6. Plant growth and development - Kocsis Marianna
• 7. Test I. - Kocsis Marianna
• 8. Sample preparation, analytical methods and chemical standardization of medicinal plants - Horváth Györgyi
• 9. Plant secondary metabolites – alkaloids - Horváth Györgyi
• 10. Plant secondary metabolites - phenoloids - Horváth Györgyi
• 11. Plant secondary metabolites - flavonoids - Horváth Györgyi
• 12. Plant secondary metabolites – terpenoids I: mono-, sesqui and diterpenoids - Horváth Györgyi
• 13. Plant secondary metabolites – terpenoids II: tri- and tetraterpenoids - Horváth Györgyi
• 14. Test II. - Horváth Györgyi

Practices

• 1. Microscopic studies: characterization of plant cells - Kocsis Marianna
• 2. Microscopic studies: characterization of plant cells - Kocsis Marianna
• 3. Microscopic studies: characterization of plant tissues - Kocsis Marianna
• 4. Microscopic studies: characterization of plant tissues - Kocsis Marianna
• 5. Water relation in plants: Leaf relative water content, Water retention ability – air dried plant tissues - Kocsis Marianna
• ...

  6. Water relation in plants: Leaf relative water content, Water retention ability – air dried plant tissues - Kocsis Marianna

  7. Water relation in plants: Leaf relative water content, Water retention ability – air dried plant tissues - Kocsis Marianna
• 8. Water relation in plants: Leaf relative water content, Water retention ability – air dried plant tissues - Kocsis Marianna
• 9. Photosynthesis: Characterization of chloroplast pigments, determination of total chlorophyll content, Hill-reaction - Kocsis Marianna
• ...

  10. Photosynthesis: Characterization of chloroplast pigments, determination of total chlorophyll content, Hill-reaction - Kocsis Marianna

  11. Photosynthesis: Characterization of chloroplast pigments, determination of total chlorophyll content, Hill-reaction - Kocsis Marianna
• 12. Photosynthesis: Characterization of chloroplast pigments, determination of total chlorophyll content, Hill-reaction - Kocsis Marianna
• 13. Field measurements: Measurement of leaf water potential (LWP) by pressure chamber, Measurement of chlorophyll-a fluorescence as a stress indicator by fluorometer - Kocsis Marianna
• ...

  14. Field measurements: Measurement of leaf water potential (LWP) by pressure chamber, Measurement of chlorophyll-a fluorescence as a stress indicator by fluorometer - Kocsis Marianna

  15. Field measurements: Measurement of leaf water potential (LWP) by pressure chamber, Measurement of chlorophyll-a fluorescence as a stress indicator by fluorometer - Kocsis Marianna
• 16. Field measurements: Measurement of leaf water potential (LWP) by pressure chamber, Measurement of chlorophyll-a fluorescence as a stress indicator by fluorometer - Kocsis Marianna
• 17. Enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants: Enzyme activity of peroxidase, Measuring ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content in fruit - Kocsis Marianna
• ...

  18. Enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants: Enzyme activity of peroxidase, Measuring ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content in fruit - Kocsis Marianna

  19. Enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants: Enzyme activity of peroxidase, Measuring ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content in fruit - Kocsis Marianna
• 20. Enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants: Enzyme activity of peroxidase, Measuring ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content in fruit - Kocsis Marianna
• 21. Secondary metabolites: Alkaloids, Flavonoids - Horváth Györgyi
• ...

  22. Secondary metabolites: Alkaloids, Flavonoids - Horváth Györgyi

  23. Secondary metabolites: Alkaloids, Flavonoids - Horváth Györgyi
• 24. Secondary metabolites: Alkaloids, Flavonoids - Horváth Györgyi
• 25. Evaluation of the semester, Test, LabNotes - Horváth Györgyi
• ...

  26. Evaluation of the semester, Test, LabNotes - Horváth Györgyi

  27. Evaluation of the semester, Test, LabNotes - Horváth Györgyi
• 28. Evaluation of the semester, Test, LabNotes - Horváth Györgyi

Seminars

• 1. The plant cell - Kocsis Marianna
• 2. The plant tissue structure - Kocsis Marianna
• 3. Water, minerals and transport - Kocsis Marianna
• 4. Photosynthesis - Kocsis Marianna
• 5. Plant hormones - Kocsis Marianna
• 6. Plant growth and development - Kocsis Marianna
• 7. Test I. - Kocsis Marianna
• 8. Sample preparation, analytical methods and chemical standardization of medicinal plants - Horváth Györgyi
• 9. Plant secondary metabolites – alkaloids - Horváth Györgyi
• 10. Plant secondary metabolites - phenoloids - Horváth Györgyi
• 11. Plant secondary metabolites - flavonoids - Horváth Györgyi
• 12. Plant secondary metabolites – terpenoids I: mono-, sesqui and diterpenoids - Horváth Györgyi
• 13. Plant secondary metabolites – terpenoids II: tri- and tetraterpenoids - Horváth Györgyi
• 14. Test II. - Horváth Györgyi

Reading material

Obligatory literature

1. Plant Physiology lectures and practices (electronic lectures and practice notes)

2. Taiz, L., E. Zeiger, I.M. Moller, and A. Murphy (2015): Plant Physiology and Development, 6th Edition. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA

Literature developed by the Department

Notes

Recommended literature

3. Hopkins W.G., Hüner N.P.A.: Introduction to Plant Physiology, Wiley-Sons Inc., USA, 2008

4. Bishun Deo Prasad, Sangita Sahni, Prasant Kumar, Mohammed Wasim Siddiqui (eds): Plant Biotechnology Principles, Techniques, and Applications, CRC Press, 2018 ISBN 9781771885805

Conditions for acceptance of the semester

2 lecture midterm exam, 1 practice exam. Min. 60% for acceptance, there is possibility for B and C chances.

Mid-term exams

2 lecture midterm exam, 1 practice exam. Min. 60% for acceptance, there is possibility for B and C chances.

Making up for missed classes

Student's homework, consultation possibility.

Exam topics/questions

The topics of oral exam are similar to lectures' topics.

Examiners

• Horváth Györgyi
• Kocsis Marianna

Instructor / tutor of practices and seminars

• Horváth Györgyi
• Kocsis Marianna