COURSE OBJECTIVES
A course designed to incorporate basic elements of science with a variety of technology applications that are used to modify living organisms. Areas of emphasis include basic science laboratory procedures, implementation of the scientific method of discovery, plant science, animal science, environmental science and food science.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES (CLO)
CLO: 1. To comprehend the basic principles of agriculture biotechnology [C2-Comprehension].
CLO: 2. Apply the gene manipulation techniques Knowledge to plants and animals [C2-Analysis]
CLO: 3. Analyze the different applications of genetically modified organisms related issues (Current Tool Usage)
COURSE CONTENT
- Agriculture biotechnology and its applications in crop improvements
- Cell and plant tissue culture methodology
- Improvement of plants via plant cell culture
- Plant molecular biomarkers
- Direct and indirect methods of plant and animal transformation
- Gene gun method of transformation
- Agrobacterium mediated transformation
- Chloroplast transformation
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG) mediated transformation
- Transgenic crops with herbicide, biotic and abiotic stress resistance
- Problems related to transgenic plants
- Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
- Field evaluation and commercialization of GMOs
- Possible effects of releasing GMOs into the environment;
- Bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides and their types; non-symbiotic nitrogen fixers
- Present and future prospects of biofertilizers