Autotrophy

This course presents the major functions of carbon, mineral and water nutrition in plants, which ensure their autotrophy (the production of their own biomass). It will provide the basis for understanding the fundamental mechanisms of nutrient absorption, distribution and assimilation. The course will be divided into two main parts, one dedicated to mineral nutrition and the other to carbon nutrition.

After a review of the properties of plant membranes and walls and the concepts of transmembrane transport, the part of the course dedicated to mineral nutrition will teach the mechanisms of water absorption and circulation, root uptake, subcellular compartmentalization and mineral distribution, as well as nitrogen assimilative metabolism.

The chapter dedicated to carbon nutrition will present the functioning of the chloroplast in the plant cell, photosynthesis (capture of light energy and synthesis of the first carbon compounds), the production of organic compounds and their allocation in the plant.

Knowledge :

- understand transmembrane transport mechanisms,

- understand the basic principles of carbon and nitrogen assimilation,

- master the different scales of nutrition: sub-cellular, tissue, organ, whole plant.

Know-how :

- master a rigorous scientific approach to the study of plant nutrition mechanisms at the appropriate scale,

- rigorous scientific reasoning (TD),

- conduct experiments, analyze results, interpret them and draw conclusions (practical work).

People skills :

- develop an interest in plant biology,

- develop scientific curiosity and rigor,

- develop critical thinking skills,

- teamwork (practical work in pairs, group work in practical sessions)

- basic knowledge of biochemistry and enzymology,

- basic knowledge of molecular biology, in particular gene expression and its regulation,

- basic knowledge of cell biology,

- basic knowledge of plant anatomy.