VEGE0032-1 : Plant biotechnology

Study Programmes 2015-2016

VEGE0032-1

Plant biotechnology

Molecular plant biotechnology
Exercise of plant biotechnology
Biotechnology applied to pest prevention
Biotechnology applied to phytopathology

Duration :

Molecular plant biotechnology : 12h Th, 6h Pr
Exercise of plant biotechnology : 18h Pr
Biotechnology applied to pest prevention : 9h Th, 9h Pr
Biotechnology applied to phytopathology : 10h Th, 8h Pr

Number of credits :

Master in agricultural bioengineering (120 ECTS)		6
Master in agricultural bioengineering (120 ECTS)		6

Lecturer :

Molecular plant biotechnology : Pierre Delaplace, Patrick du Jardin
Exercise of plant biotechnology : Pierre Delaplace
Biotechnology applied to pest prevention : Frédéric Francis
Biotechnology applied to phytopathology : Sébastien Massart

Coordinator :

Patrick du Jardin

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Course contents :

Molecular plant biotechnology

Genetic modification of plants : methods, techniques and applications
New approaches for the targeted modification of genomes and their potential applications
Genomics : methods and techniques for studying the structure and the functions of the genomes of higher plants
Forward genetics - from phenotype to genotype - and reverse genetics - from genotype to phenotype- : advances due to molecular approaches
The use of model plants for the understanding of the physiology of crop plants

Exercise of plant biotechnology

Illustration of plant biotechnology use in a realistic experimental context:
- Selection of ad-hoc biotechnological tools - Experimental set-up development - Experimental lab work - Data collection and analysis - Oral presentaton of the results

Biotechnology applied to pest prevention

Application of « omics » approches in the plant-pest relations Biotechnological applications to control pests by using microbiological agents (entomopathogen bacteria, virus and fungi): theorical basis of action modes complemented by the production methods of these bio-insecticides
Application of transgenesis and diversity of GMO in order to control pests

Biotechnology applied to phytopathology

To be completed

Learning outcomes of the course :

Molecular plant biotechnology

To understand the achievable objectives of the genetic modification technology
To situate the GM tool in its current, developing and potential applications
To understand the stakes and perspectives related to new tools for the targeted genetic modification of plants
To see the point of using genomic tools to answer biological questions
To see the point of using high throughput sequencing and plant genome annotation
To distinguish forward and reverse genetics approaches
To comprehend the usefulness of model organisms
To understand the achievements and limits of studying genome expression at the transcriptomic and proteomic levels (while integrating technical and financial constraints and illustrating the use of statistical techniques suited for large datasets)

Exercise of plant biotechnology

- To learn how to use plant biotechnology tools to address a scientific question;
- To integrate a scientific approach into an experimental set-up;
- To design a laboratory experiment and carry it out;

- Coordonated team work;
- To analyze the obtained biological dataset;
- To transmit this information to the whole student class to ensure a thorough understanding of the results.

Biotechnology applied to pest prevention

In order to control pests and to develop alternative ways to be more sustainable, it is proposed here to describe the diversity of organisms and approaches to be potentially applied using biotechnological strategies to a diversity of targetted pests.

Biotechnology applied to phytopathology

to be completed

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

Molecular plant biotechnology

Basic courses of Genetics and Molecular Biology

Exercise of plant biotechnology

VEGE0032-A-a

Biotechnology applied to phytopathology

Basic knowledge in molecular biology, genetics and plant pathology

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Molecular plant biotechnology

Lectures ex cathedra
Reading of scientific papers and presentation to the class

Exercise of plant biotechnology

- Ex cathedra course : 2.5 h - Lab work : 11.5 h - Oral presentation (including preparation) : 4 h

Biotechnology applied to pest prevention

Beside theorical teaching presenting the bases and action modes of the proposed biotechnological approaches, some pratical works are organised in order to apply "omics" techniques in the laboratory based on a scientific question raised on pests.

Biotechnology applied to phytopathology

To be completed

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Molecular plant biotechnology

face-to-face

Exercise of plant biotechnology

Face-to-face

Biotechnology applied to pest prevention

Theorical teaching in auditorium Pratical works by group in the laboratory

Biotechnology applied to phytopathology

Face-to-face

Recommended or required readings :

Molecular plant biotechnology

Folder of suggested readings communicated via the online platform of the course
Power point presentations of all lectures made available via the online platform

Exercise of plant biotechnology

slides, texts and papers available on line on Blackboard.

Assessment methods and criteria :

Molecular plant biotechnology

2/3 oral examination by the board of lectures
1/3 : evaluation of the presentation of the articles to the class

Exercise of plant biotechnology

- Oral presentation (...% final notation) - Review exam in front of the teaching jury (...% final notation)

Biotechnology applied to pest prevention

Oral examination (65%) Report on practical works (35%)

Biotechnology applied to phytopathology

To be completed

Work placement(s) :

Molecular plant biotechnology

All learning activities on the campus of Gembloux

Organizational remarks :

Molecular plant biotechnology

Expected cross-links with the other courses of the module.

Biotechnology applied to pest prevention

Organisation of this course in a collegial module - including also the evaluation

Contacts :

Molecular plant biotechnology

Patrick du Jardin (patrick.dujardin@ulg.ac.be)
Pierre Delaplace (pierre.delaplace@ulg.ac.be)

Exercise of plant biotechnology

Dr Pierre Delaplace (pierre.delaplace@ulg.ac.be)

Biotechnology applied to pest prevention

Frederic FRANCIS Professor Functional & evolutionary Entomology

Biotechnology applied to phytopathology

Prof. Sebastien MASSART ULg, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech Bât. 47, avenue Maréchal Juin 5030 Gembloux
+32 81 622431 sebastien.massart@ulg.ac.be

Items online :

Molecular plant biotechnology

Course contents
All the pedagogical resources used in this course are downloadable from the corresponding folder on the online teaching platform eCampus.

Exercise of plant biotechnology

Course contents
All the pedagogical ressources used in this course are downloadable from the corresponding folder on the online teaching platform eCampus.