69174 - Introduction To Agricultural Genetics And Plant Genetic Improvement

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the students will have acquired the basis of Mendelian genetics, of quantitative and population genetics, and the main principles of biotechnological applications to plant breeding. Students will also learn the most important methods for qualitative and quantitative(ie. productivity) improvement of crop varieties and will be able to appreciate the economical and social importance and potential of plant breeding, in a perspective of sustainable agricultural systems.

Course contents

Main frontal teaching unit (36 hours)

Developmental cycles of animals and plants. Floral structure and reproduction physiology of plants. Mitosis and meiosis. The genetic materials in a plant cell (1 hour).

Mendel’s principles: dominance and recessivity, alleles and genes, segregations, assortments of traits, chromosomes and genes. Chi2 test. Generalization of Mendel’s principles: multiple alleles, incomplete dominance, co-dominance, gene interaction (epistasis), pleiotropy (2 hours).

Chromosome theory of heredity. Sex chromosomes. Karyotypes. Sexual systems in plants (hermaphroditism, monoecism and dioecism), sex determination in plants. Systems of cross incompatibility. (4 hours).

Genetic linkage, recombination frequency, centiMorgan, crossing-over. The building and use of generit maps (4 hours)

Biochemistry of nucleic acids: the model of Watson and Crick; DNA replication, transcription and RNA splicing; translation and protein systhesis; genetic code; structure of an eucariotic gene; regulation of gene expression; operon of lactose. The central dogma of molecular biology (2 hours).

Genetics of quantitative traits; Johannsen experiment and definition of pure (inbred) line; effect of environment and genes on quantitative traits; heritability; experiments of Nilsson-Ehle and East. Multifactorial hypothesis. The Mather’s model of gene effect. (2 hours).

Mutations: genic, chromosomal and genomic. Polyploidy and aneuploidy. Transposable element. Natural and experimental mutagenesis. The origin of cultivated wheats. (1 hour).

Introduction of population genetics. Hardy-Weinberg ‘s law. Evolution by natural selection. Evolutionary forces. Inbreeding and heterosis. 4 hours.

Introduction to genetic engineering. Agrobacterium and biolistic methods. Main GMO events. World diffusion of main GM crops (4 hours).

Genomics and molecular markers. Class of markers. Main marker applications. Introduction to marker-assisted selection (MAS). (4 hours).

Introduction to plant breeding. Genetic nature and structure of cultivated plant species. Origin of cultivated plants and domestication. (4 hours).

Illustration of important crop improvement examples obtained by the application of genetic principles (4 hours).

Practical teaching unit 1: Mendelian and quantitative genetics. 16 hours.

Several problems of Mendelian genetics will be addressed and solved in classroom. These exercises will include the application of statistical tests (eg. chi2). Introduction to hypothesis formulation and testing. In addition, experience of quantitative genetics will be provided, including the collection of quantitative traits (plant height, leaf or root traits, flowering time, etc) in greenhouse or field plot experiments, followed by data analysis by the application of basic statistical analysis and tests.

Practical teaching unit 2. Introduction to molecular biology techniques. 8 hours.

In this unit, students will be exposed to lectures from specialist professional technicians and scientists working in the field of crop genetics improvement using molecular biology techniques. Additionally, students will make direct hands-on experience of basic molecular biology techniques such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and gel electrophoresis.

Readings/Bibliography

Lorenzetti F, Ceccarelli S, Rosellini D, Veronesi F. Genetica Agraria (Fourth Edition, 2011). Patron Editore, Bologna.
or, in alternative:

Russell PJ et al. Genetica Agraria. Edises, 2016.

Additional materials will be distributed during the lectures.

Students who wish to study on English book(s) should contact the professor.

IMPORTANT note: no book is perfect, so it is highly adviced that the students will attend all lectures.

Teaching methods

The course is subdivided in the teachin units. In the first one (with frontal lectures), the main basis of the disciplines will be presented as illustrated above, by the main professor only. In the second and the third ones, more practical aspects will be presented by the main professor also with the participation of professional operators and scientists.

Assessment methods

Students who wish to have the exam in English are allowed.

This course is integrated in the larger course named ‘27300 BIOLOGIA VEGETALE E GENETICA AGRARIA (C.I.), along with the sub-course 69173 ELEMENTI DI BIOLOGIA VEGETALE.

At the end of the course, the student will have to carry out an oral examination test. The professor will ask three questions to the student. Two of the questions will be related with the main first part of the course, while the last question will be related with the last two more practical parts. The duration of the oral test is of approximately 30 minutes.

The score obtained by the student from the oral test of the ' Genetic' part will be averaged with the score of the 'Botanic' part, in order to reach the final grade. 

Teaching tools

The course will be presented to the students using electronic tools such as powerpoint presentations. For the practical units, visits to greenhouse and molecular biology labs will also be organized.

Office hours

See the website of Silvio Salvi