The University of Jordan
Faculty of Agriculture
Dept. Horticulture & Crop Science
------ Semester, 201-/201-
Plant Biotechnology (0601743)
Prerequisite: Plant Genetics (0631240)
Instructors:
Name
Dr. Muhanad Akash
Office
Number
291
Phone
22340
E-mail
Hours
TBA
makash@ju.edu.jo
Course Objectives:
The course is designed to expose second year graduate students to the following fields in
plant biotechnology:
1. Introduction and review for plant genetics
2. Introduction and review for plant tissue culture
3. Transformation techniques
4. Engineering plants to resist/tolerate various biotic and abiotic stresses
5. Plants as natural bioreactors for high throughput and industry
Learning Outcomes:
A) knowledge and understanding:
a. Review the basic controlling levels of a trait in plants and their feedbacks (DNA
 mRNA  protein  metabolites)
b. Review of plant tissue culture techniques
c. The whole spectrum of plant genetic transformation methodologies
d. Resistance, tolerance, selectable marker, reporter genes for plants
e. Economic applications using transgenic plants
B) Intellectual skills (cognitive and analytical):
a. Understand the direct interaction between environment and genotype that
reflects on variation in the phenotypes in more detailed way
b. Compatibility and interactivity (gene  vector  mean  plant)
c. Unique and synergistic effects of delivering which resistance, tolerance,
selectable marker, reporter genes to plants
d. Reasonable solutions for problematic and/or challenging aspects in Plant Agrobiotechnology
C) Subject specific skills:
a. Plant transformation
b. Gene constructs and cassettes
c. Gene cloning
d. GMO awareness
D) Transferable skills
a. Drawing and illustrations of solid data into elastic easy to follow scheme
b. Internet use and data mining
c. Data analysis and interpretation
d. Presentation and discussion
Teaching Methods:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Duration:
16 weeks, 48 hours in total
Lectures:
46 hours, 3 per week (including two 1-hour exams)
Laboratory: 2 demos, 2 hours
Assignments: 3-5 internet assignments
Testes and Evaluations:
1. Exams:
a. 1st hour exam
b. Final exam
2. Quizzes:
3. Assignments:
4. Presentation:
5. Open discussions:
30%
40%
10%
5%
10%
5%
Course Contents and Schedule
Topics
1. Plant genomes: organization and expression of genes
2. Plant tissue culture
3. Techniques for plant transformation
4. Binary vectors for plant transformation
5. The genetic manipulation of herbicide resistance
6. The genetic manipulation of pest resistance
7. Plant disease resistance
8. Reducing the effect of viral disease
9. Strategies for engineering stress tolerance
10. The improvement of crop yield and quality
11. Molecular farming/ ‘pharming’
12. Future prospects for GM crops
Lectures
2
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
Textbook
- Scott, N.W. and Fowler, M.R. (2003) Plant Biotechnology: The Genetic Manipulation of
Plants. Oxford University Press, UK.
- Some selected related and recent papers (last five years).
References and Supporting Material
- Murray, D.R. (1991) Advanced methods in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology. CAB
International, Wallingford, UK.
- Dale, J.W., and von Schantz, M. (2002) From Genes to Genomes: Concepts and
Applications of DNA Technology. John Wiley and Sons, Ltd., New York, USA.
- Lucotte, G. and Baneyx, F. (1993) Introduction to Molecular Cloning Techniques. VCH
Publishers, Inc., New York, USA.
- Wilson, Z.A. (200). Arabidopsis: A Practical Approach. Oxford University Press, UK.
- Griffiths, A.J.F et al (2002) Modern Genetic Analysis: Integrating Genes and Genomes. 2nd
Edition.
- [Genebank] <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov>.
- [The Arabidopsis Information Resources] <http://www.arabidopsis.org>.
- [AgBiotechNet] <http://www.agbiotechnet.com/about/index.asp>.
- [International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications]
<http://www.isaaa.org/home.htm>.
- [CropBiotech Net] <http://www.isaaa.org/kc/>.