PLSC 484/684 – Plant Tissue Culture and Micropropagation (2 Credits)

Course Syllabus

Fall Semester, 2006

Department of Plant Sciences

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Instructor:

Dr. Wenhao (David) Dai

Room 266C Loftsgard Hall

Phone: 231-8473

Email: wenhao.dai@ndsu.edu

2. Class Hours:

Lecture: 12:00 – 12:50 pm Mon and Wed

Lab: 3:00 – 4:50 pm Wed.
3. Place:

Lecture: Loftsgard Hall 102

Lab: Loftsgard Hall 202

4. Office Hours:

Monday 2:00 - 3:00 pm; Wednesday 10 – 11:00 am

Appointments or Drop-Ins welcome 8:00 – 5:00 Mon. - Fri.

II. TEXTBOOK

1. Robert N. Trigiano and Dennis J. Gray. 2000. Plant Tissue Culture Concepts and Laboratory Exercises. 2nd edit., CRC Press LLC, 454 pp.

2. Wenhao Dai. 2006. PLSC 484/684-Plant Tissue Culture and Micropropagation Laboratory Manual.

III. COURSE DESCRIPTION

Overview of principles, techniques, and applications of plant tissue, organ, cell, and protoplast culture.

IV. OBJECTIVES

1. To acquaint students with the principles, technical requirement, scientific and commercial applications of plant tissue and cell culture.

2. To expose students to supporting methodologies of plant tissue and cell culture, micropropagation techniques, and applications of tissue and cell culture to plant improvement.

3. To motivate students to set goals towards pursuing graduate school and higher level positions, such as lab manager and key scientist in plant biotechnological research institutes and industries.

V. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

Various opportunities are provided in this course to expand student learning potential. Students are expected to attend all lectures and lab exercises . The textbook and laboratory manual are available for student purchase. Additional lecture handout, research papers, and other relevant materials will be provided in the class and lab.

VI. COURSE CONTENT

Chapter 1. Introduction

  1. Definition
  2. Applications
  3. History

Chapter 2. Facilities and supplies

  1. Organization of a tissue culture laboratory
  2. Equipment and supplies
  3. Basic techniques

Chapter 3. Tissue culture medium
  1. Medium components
  2. Medium preparation

Chapter 4. Callus and cell culture

  1. Introduction
  2. Callus induction
  3. Callus culture
  4. Cell suspension culture

Chapter 5. Micropropagation

  1. Applications
  2. Micropropagation types
  3. Micropropagation stages
  4. Estimation of yield of propagated plants

Chapter 6. Organogenesis

  1. Definition
  2. Organogenesis process
  3. Developmental sequences
  4. Examples

Chapter 7. Somatic embryogenesis

  1. Zygotic embryogenesis
  2. Somatic embryogenesis
  3. Developmental stages of embryogenesis
  4. Synthetic seed technology
  5. Example
Chapter 8. Haploid culture
  1. Related terms
  2. Importance of haploid
  3. Production of haploid in plants
  4. Production of haploid in vitro
  5. Anther culture
Chapter 9. Embryo culture
  1. Introduction
  2. Type of embryo culture
  3. Applications of embryo culture
  4. Embryo culture techniques
  5. Factors affecting embryo culture

Chapter 10. Protoplast culture
  1. Introduction
  2. Protoplast isolation
  3. Protoplast culture
  4. Protoplast fusion
Chapter 11. Production of virus-free plants
  1. Introduction
  2. Production of virus-free plants
Chapter 12. Somaclonal variation
  1. Introduction
  2. Epigenetic variation
  3. Genetic variation
  4. Applications of somaclonal variation
  5. Identification of somaclonal variation
  6. Example
Chapter 13. Plant transformation
  1. General introduction
  2. Plant transformation
  3. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
  4. DNA-mediated transformation
Chapter 14. Germplasm preservation
  1. Definition
  2. Importance
  3. Methods
 

VII. STUDENT EVALUATION

1.  Lab Report: Eight lab reports are submitted throughout the semester. Each is worth 20 points. The deadline of each lab report will be announced. Each day a lab report is late, two points will be deducted.

2.  Examination: There will be one mid-term and one final exam. Each is worth 100 points. Exam coverage begins where previous exam coverage ended. Any exceptions will be announced in class. Exams are scheduled on:

Mid-term exam: Monday, October 2, 12:00 – 12:50 p.m., Loftsgard 102

Final exam: Wednesday, November 8, 12:00 – 12:50 p.m., Loftsgard 102

3.  Take-home exam (For graduate students only): Graduate students will take a 50-point take-home exam. The questions will be given right after the final exam and should be finished before 5:00 pm, Friday, November 17, 2006.

VIII. GRADING

     Points       Grading Scale       Grade   
Eight lab reports   160   90-100%   A
Mid-term exam   100     80-89%   B
Final exam   100     70-79%   C
Take-home exam (684)     50     60-69%   D
Total   360 (410)       < 60%   F
IX. CANCELLATION

A university cancellation of a class meeting time automatically delays all scheduled activities (lecture, lab, or exam) to the next regularly scheduled meeting time.

X. SPECIAL NEEDS

Any students with disabilities or special needs in this class are invited to share with the instructor the first week of class so that such needs can be accommodated.

XI. DISHONESTY

The College of Agriculture operates under “The Honor System” which believes that a student has the privilege and the obligation to perform honestly and responsibly. An indication of dishonesty will be referred to The Honor Commission governed by students. Students must sign the College of Agriculture Honor Pledge at the end of each exam.