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Animations:

Flower Parts


This animation illustrates the botanical parts of flower structures.

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Lessons:

Transpiration - Water Movement through Plants

This lesson and its animation follows the journey of water through a plant from its uptake by roots to its evaporation from the leaf surface. How this journey is altered by plant characteristics such

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List of Lessons: Click on "View" to start using the lesson
 
Auxin and Auxinic Herbicide Mechanism(s) of Action - Part 1 - Introduction (Beginner Level)

The selective control of broadleaf weeds in cereal grain crops by auxinic herbicides has made this group one of the most widespread and important herbicide families in use. These herbicides were the first organic herbicides developed that were selective or able to kill one group of plants, but not another (i.e. kill broadleaf, but not grass plants). This lesson will introduce the major features of these herbicides, discuss their major uses and describe the symptoms of the injury they cause as well as introduce how they kill sensitive plants.

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Auxin and Auxinic Herbicide Mechanism(s) of Action - Part 2 - Advanced (Advanced Level)

The selective control of broadleaf weeds in cereal grain crops by auxinic herbicides has made this group one of the most widespread and important herbicide families in use. These herbicides are thought to act as hormone mimics. This lesson will detail how these herbicides are related structurally and physiologically to the natural plant hormone, auxin (indole-3-acetic acid; IAA) and explain the biochemical mechanisms which may be involved in their action. The mechanism of cell to cell transport and cellular uptake of auxins will be reviewed as well as how they cause cell elongation and induce ethylene biosynthesis. Receptors, signal transduction pathways and changes in gene expression for the natural hormone, IAA, will be described and related their role in auxinic herbicide activity.

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Basic Techniques of Plant Tissue Cultures (Advanced Level)

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Corn Rootworm - Part 1: Description of Corn Rootworm and Other Early Season Corn Pests (Beginner Level)

This lesson will discuss the corn rootworm complex, which consists of the northern, western, and southern corn rootworm, focusing on the northern and western species. The information in this lesson will focus on the biology of corn rootworms in the north central Corn Belt, including Iowa and Nebraska. Crop producers, crop scouts, students, and the general public may find the information in this lesson helpful for identifying corn rootworm, other corn pests, and the feeding damage caused by each insect.

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Electrophoresis: How scientists observe fragments of DNA (Beginner Level)

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Flowering Principles

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Mecanismo(s) de Acción de las Auxinas y los Herbicidas Auxínicos - Parte 1- Introducción (Beginner Level)

Descripción: El control selectivo de malezas de hoja ancha en cultivos de cereales utilizando herbicidas auxínicos ha hecho de éstos una de las familias de herbicidas actualmente en uso más ampliamente distribuidas e importantes. Estos herbicidas fueron los primeros herbicidas orgánicos desarrollados que presentaron selectividad; es decir, capaces de matar un cierto grupo de plantas sin afectar a otros grupos (por ejemplo: matar plantas de hoja ancha pero no las de hoja angosta; en este documento se utilizará el término "gramíneas" para referirse a las plantas de hoja angosta o cereales). En esta lección se presentarán las principales características de los herbicidas auxínicos, se discutirán sus principales usos y se describirán los síntomas de daño que causan. De igual forma, se indicará la forma en que estos herbicidas matan a las plantas sensibles.

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Mecanismo(s) de Acción de los Herbicidas Auxínicos - Parte 2 - Nivel Avanzado (Advanced Level)

Descripción: El control selectivo de malezas de hoja ancha en cultivos de cereales por los herbicidas auxínicos ha hecho de éstos una de las familias de herbicidas actualmente en uso mas ampliamente distribuidas e importantes. Se cree que estos herbicidas actúan como simuladores hormonales. En esta lección se detallará la relación estructural y fisiológica entre los herbicidas auxínicos y la fitohormona natural auxina (ácido indol-3-acético; IAA por sus siglas en inglés) y se explicarán los mecanismos bioquímicos que pueden estar involucrados en su modo de acción. Se revisará el mecanismo de transporte de célula a célula y la absorción de las auxinas por las células, así como también la forma en que estas moléculas causan elongación celular e inducen la síntesis de etileno. De igual forma, se describirán los receptores, las rutas de transferencia de señales y los cambios en expresión genética inducidos por la fitohormona natural IAA y su relación con la actividad de los herbicidas auxínicos.

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Mitosis and Meiosis and the Cell Cycle (Beginner Level)

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Overview of Plant Genetic Engineering (Beginner Level)

Lesson one is a general description of the overall process of genetic engineering. A basic explanation of the five steps for genetically engineering a crop is provided. Details for each step are given in later lessons of this course. The five steps are:

  1. Locating an organism with a specific trait and extracting its DNA
  2. Cloning a gene that controls the trait
  3. Designing a gene to express in a specific way
  4. Transformation, inserting the gene into the cells of a crop plant
  5. Plant breeding to get the transgene into an elite background

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Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis (Beginner Level)

This lesson will examine the two major classes of phototsynthetic pigments, chlorophylls and carotenoids, their biochemical structures and their biosynthesis. The organization of these pigments into photosynthetic pigment, which are protein complexes that harvest light and convert its energy into biochemical energy will be explained.

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Propagation and Procreation - More of a Good Thing (Advanced Level)

-Creating unique individuals or perfect little clones -Genetics of it all--Peas in Darwin's pods

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Protein Detection in Plants (Beginner Level)

This lesson will focus on molecular principles involved in the detection of biotechnology derived proteins in crops, using the lateral flow ELISA.

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Theories Behind Plant Tissue Culture (Advanced Level)

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Transformation 1 - Plant Tissue Culture (Beginner Level)

This lesson explains the technique of tissue culture as used in plant transformation. It discusses important issues, such as the use of selectable markers, genotype specificity, and tissue culture alternatives.

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