Plant Science

By Dr Michael Emmerling

What's Plant Science about?

Plant Science focusses on the green, silent, and motionless life forms we take for granted. Plants are amazing organisms. Literally rooted in one spot, they are able to cope with a wide range of environmental conditions, while at the same time using only light, carbon dioxide and water to generate energy-rich sugars that drive and support the vast majority of life on the surface of our planet.

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Plant Science episodes:

10.30.2012
Plant Biotechnology II
Over thousands of years, humans have "domesticated" wild type plants and animals through selective breeding. Examples from the plant world include the breeding of modern hybrid maize from teosinte, or the development of modern wheat from emmer. As our knowledge of...
10.30.2012
Plant Biotechnology I
Over thousands of years, humans have "domesticated" wild type plants and animals through selective breeding. Examples from the plant world include the breeding of modern hybrid maize from teosinte, or the development of modern wheat from emmer. As our knowledge of...
10.30.2012
Plant Biotechnology (handout)
Over thousands of years, humans have "domesticated" wild type plants and animals through selective breeding. Examples from the plant world include the breeding of modern hybrid maize from teosinte, or the development of modern wheat from emmer. As our knowledge of...
09.24.2012
Stems II
The transition from water to land required plants to develop efficient transport pipelines for water and nutrients to the leaves, and for energy-rich carbohydrates (from photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation) to tissues that require energy (e.g. roots, storage organs etc.). Xylem and...
09.24.2012
Stems II (handout)
The transition from water to land required plants to develop efficient transport pipelines for water and nutrients to the leaves, and for energy-rich carbohydrates (from photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation) to tissues that require energy (e.g. roots, storage organs etc.). Xylem and...
09.24.2012
Stems I
A very important part of plant cells is located outside the cells themselves: plant cell walls. Composed of numerous different building blocks (mostly polysaccharides, but also proteins and, particularly in cells that contribute to structural strength, lignin's), cell walls determine the...
09.24.2012
Stems I (handout)
A very important part of plant cells is located outside the cells themselves: plant cell walls. Composed of numerous different building blocks (mostly polysaccharides, but also proteins and, particularly in cells that contribute to structural strength, lignin's), cell walls determine the...
09.24.2012
Photosynthesis II
So how does photosynthesis actually work? In this lecture we explore the structures that capture light energy, photosystems 1 and 2, and how that light energy is harnessed to generate NADPH, and to build up a proton gradient across the...
09.24.2012
Photosynthesis II (handout)
So how does photosynthesis actually work? In this lecture we explore the structures that capture light energy, photosystems 1 and 2, and how that light energy is harnessed to generate NADPH, and to build up a proton gradient across the...
09.17.2012
Leaves and Photosynthesis I (handout)
After finishing our quite extensive foray into leaf structure, function, and modifications, we finally start to look at what is arguably the main purpose of leaves: absorbing light energy, and using that energy to fix carbon dioxide. In this lecture we...
09.17.2012
Leaves and photosynthesis I
After finishing our quite extensive foray into leaf structure, function, and modifications, we finally start to look at what is arguably the main purpose of leaves: absorbing light energy, and using that energy to fix carbon dioxide. In this lecture we...
09.16.2012
Leaves and photosynthesis I
After finishing our quite extensive foray into leaf structure, function, and modifications, we finally start to look at what is arguably the main purpose of leaves: absorbing light energy, and using that energy to fix carbon dioxide. In this lecture we...
09.16.2012
Leaves and Photosynthesis I (handout)
After finishing our quite extensive foray into leaf structure, function, and modifications, we finally start to look at what is arguably the main purpose of leaves: absorbing light energy, and using that energy to fix carbon dioxide. In this lecture we...
09.14.2012
Leaves II
Leaves have features that prevent uncontrolled water loss such as cuticles and wax layers. Because these impermeable layers also prevent diffusion of carbondioxide into the leaf air space plants have developed structures that act like valves and control the flow...
09.14.2012
Leaves II (handout)
Leaves have features that prevent uncontrolled water loss such as cuticles and wax layers. Because these impermeable layers also prevent diffusion of carbondioxide into the leaf air space plants have developed structures that act like valves and control the flow...
09.12.2012
Leaves (handout)
Leaves are the main "organs" of plants responsible for capturing light energy, and converting it through fixation of carbon dioxide into chemical energy in the form of sugars. In this lecture we look at modified leaves that serve as adaptations to...
09.12.2012
Leaves
Leaves are the main "organs" of plants responsible for capturing light energy, and converting it through fixation of carbon dioxide into chemical energy in the form of sugars. In this lecture we look at modified leaves that serve as adaptations to...
09.11.2012
Leaves
Leaves are the main "organs" of plants responsible for capturing light energy, and converting it through fixation of carbon dioxide into chemical energy in the form of sugars. In this lecture we look at modified leaves that serve as adaptations to...
09.11.2012
Leaves (handout)
Leaves are the main "organs" of plants responsible for capturing light energy, and converting it through fixation of carbon dioxide into chemical energy in the form of sugars. In this lecture we look at modified leaves that serve as adaptations to...
09.10.2012
Plant Hormones III
The third and final lecture on plant hormones is about brewing beer and Prince. No, of course not, but both are used as examples for the effects of gibberellins and abscisic acid. Gibberellins were first discovered in "foolish rice" (or banana)...
09.10.2012
Plant Hormones III (handout)
The third and final lecture on plant hormones is about brewing beer and Prince. No, of course not, but both are used as examples for the effects of gibberellins and abscisic acid. Gibberellins were first discovered in "foolish rice" (or banana)...
09.10.2012
Plant Hormones II
This lecture is about specific effects of two groups of plant hormones: cytokinins, and ethylene. The main effects of cytokinins are stimulation of cell proliferation, and stimulation of growth of shoots from undifferentiated tissue (callus) in plant tissue culture. Together...
09.10.2012
Plant Hormones II (handout)
This lecture is about specific effects of two groups of plant hormones: cytokinins, and ethylene. The main effects of cytokinins are stimulation of cell proliferation, and stimulation of growth of shoots from undifferentiated tissue (callus) in plant tissue culture. Together...
09.04.2012
Plant Hormones
As we saw in previous lectures, plants are "rooted" to one spot. As a consequence they can not avoid adverse conditions such as drought, heat, cold etc. yet are able to survive seemingly extreme conditions. Almost all aspects of plant...
09.04.2012
Plant Hormones (handout)
As we saw in previous lectures, plants are "rooted" to one spot. As a consequence they can not avoid adverse conditions such as drought, heat, cold etc. yet are able to survive seemingly extreme conditions. Almost all aspects of plant...
09.03.2012
Symbiosis
Plants can't do it all by themselves. In order to get the most out of the soil and, indeed, the air, most plants form symbiotic relationships with bacteria and fungi. We take a look at Anabaena, root nodules, and mycorrhizae....
09.03.2012
Symbiosis (handout)
Plants can't do it all by themselves. In order to get the most out of the soil and, indeed, the air, most plants form symbiotic relationships with bacteria and fungi. We take a look at Anabaena, root nodules, and mycorrhizae....
09.03.2012
How Roots Grow (handout)
Roots anchor plants in soil, are responsible for the uptake of water and nutrients, and control which molecules are ultimately taken up by the plant. In this lecture we take a look at the root morphology of monocots and dicots,...
09.03.2012
How Roots Grow
Roots anchor plants in soil, are responsible for the uptake of water and nutrients, and control which molecules are ultimately taken up by the plant. In this lecture we take a look at the root morphology of monocots and dicots,...
09.02.2012
How Roots Grow
Roots anchor plants in soil, are responsible for the uptake of water and nutrients, and control which molecules are ultimately taken up by the plant. In this lecture we take a look at the root morphology of monocots and dicots,...
09.02.2012
How Roots Grow (handout)
Roots anchor plants in soil, are responsible for the uptake of water and nutrients, and control which molecules are ultimately taken up by the plant. In this lecture we take a look at the root morphology of monocots and dicots,...
08.28.2012
Roots and Soils
In this lecture we take an introductory look at the role of soil in plant growth. We will briefly go over how soil is formed, what makes a good soil or a bad soil, what nutrients can typically be found,...
08.27.2012
Roots and Soils (handout)
In this lecture we take an introductory look at the role of soil in plant growth. We will briefly go over how soil is formed, what makes a good soil or a bad soil, what nutrients can typically be found,...

What's Plant Science about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Plant Science episodes:

Plant Biotechnology II

Plant Biotechnology I

Plant Biotechnology (handout)

Stems II

Stems II (handout)

Stems I

Stems I (handout)

Photosynthesis II

Photosynthesis II (handout)

Leaves and Photosynthesis I (handout)

Leaves and photosynthesis I

Leaves and photosynthesis I

Leaves and Photosynthesis I (handout)

Leaves II

Leaves II (handout)

Leaves (handout)

Leaves

Leaves

Leaves (handout)

Plant Hormones III

Plant Hormones III (handout)

Plant Hormones II

Plant Hormones II (handout)

Plant Hormones

Plant Hormones (handout)

Symbiosis

Symbiosis (handout)

How Roots Grow (handout)

How Roots Grow

How Roots Grow

How Roots Grow (handout)

Roots and Soils

Roots and Soils (handout)