Plant Biology for Breeding and Protection
Course description
How we are going to produce enough food to feed the world’s population, which is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050? And can we at the same time mitigate climate change? What we grow in our fields and how we do it are key addressing these two global challenges.
Modern agriculture is the basis for the vast majority of the earth’s food and feed production, and can provide new bio-friendly materials and chemicals. Advancements in plant protection and plant breeding will be pivotal to secure crops and increase yield without increasing inputs and lessening the environmental and climate impacts. Today agriculture stands for around 25% of global greenhouse emissions.
This course focuses on plant biology for breeding and protection in a global perspective. Labs will include bioinformatics exercises to better understand plant systems for improved food security and tackling climate change.
Please note that this course is run conducted simultaneously on two campuses (Ultuna and Alnarp). Most lectures will be delivered from the Alnarp campus, with Ultuna students attending online in dedicated classrooms, while some lectures will be held on site. In addition, students will take part in seminars and an infection lab on-site.
Entry Requirements
- 90 credits biology or
- 60 credits biology and 30 credits agricultural science, horticultural science or forest sciences
- English 6
Course facts
BI1483, Plant Biology for Breeding and Protection, 15.0 Hp
Print syllabus
Syllabus
Finalized by: Ordförande PN-LT Programnämnden för utbildning inom landskap och trädgård , 2025-11-14
Valid from : Spring semester 2027 (2027-01-18)
Level
Second cycle (A1N)
Main field of study
Biology
Subject
Science
Biology Area
Molecular Biology
Grading Scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Course language
English
Entry Requirements
- 90 credits biology or
- 60 credits biology and 30 credits agricultural science, horticultural science or forest sciences
- English 6
Objectives
The course focuses on plant biology for breeding and protection in a global and sustainable perspective. Students will gain knowledge of classical and modern approaches in plant breeding, including genetics, omics technologies, and genome editing, and learn how to apply these tools to improve crops and protect them against diseases and pests. A strong emphasis will be placed on bioinformatics and the analysis of omics data to better understand and advance plant breeding and protection. Students will also critically evaluate the applications, opportunities, and limitations of modern techniques such as genetic modification and genome editing.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to
- Explain the principles of plant genetics and ploidy
- Evaluate and compare plant breeding methods for improving target trait(s)
- Classify plants according to breeding and propagation systems, and identify sources of variation for trait improvement
- Define and evaluate plant disease diagnosis and control
- Describe the biology of plant pathogens and pests and their interaction with plants
- Evaluate and compare classical and modern plant breeding methods, including GM, genome editing, and marker-assisted breeding.
- Analyze and interpret omics data for plant breeding and protection using bioinformatics approaches for breeding and protection.
- Communicate plant breeding and protection to a broad audience
- Discuss ethical questions related to plant breeding and protection
Content
Subject-related content
The course provides an introduction to the field of plant biology for breeding and protection and its importance for sustainable plant production.
The course content consists of the following themes:
- Process of plant breeding (overview, genetics and genetic resource enhancement etc.)
- Genotype-by-environment interactions and crop adaptation to environmental stresses.
- Pre/Breeding programs in Sweden and worldwide
- Biology of plant pathogens and pests
- Plant disease diagnosis, management and control
- Plant pathogen interactions
- Plant immunity
- Modern breeding tools, including GM and genome editing, and their application in plant breeding and protection
- Bioinformatics and –omics data for plant breeding and protection
- Ethical questions related to plant breeding and protection and breeders’ rights
Teaching formats
To further student learning and promote discussion, a variety of methods are used:
Lectures, seminars, labs, bioinformatics exercises and project work
The course focuses on the following generic competencies:
- Critical thinking
- Problem solving
- Scientific methods
- Digital competence
- Teamwork
The following course elements are compulsory:
Laboratory work, student project and seminars
Collaboration with the surrounding community takes place through:
Scenario-based-learning exercise, where students work in groups to come up with solutions to current and relevant problems related to plant-breeding and protection.
Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course
To pass the course, approved written and/or oral assignments, approved participation in the mandatory parts and passed written examination are needed.
Responsible Department/Equivalent
Department of Plant Protection Biology
Supplementary information
Included in program
- Plant Biology for Sustainable Production - Master's Programme
The Course Replaces
BI1296
Other Information
The course is run at two campuses in parallel with students from both Alnarp and Uppsala.
SLU is environmentally certified according to ISO 14001. A large part of our courses cover knowledge and skills that contribute positively to the environment. To further strengthen this, we have specific environmental goals for the education. Students are welcome to suggest actions regarding the course’s content and implementation that lead to improvements for the environment. For more information, see webpage www.slu.se.