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Course Description Course Name : Soil Plant Water Relationships Course Code : TYP383 Course Type : Optional Level of Course : First Cycle Year of Study : 3 Course Semester : Fall (16 Weeks) ECTS : 3 Name of Lecturer(s) : Prof.Dr. SEVİLAY TOPÇU Learning Outcomes of the Course : Students can have an ability to understand the mechanisms and flow paths associated with movement of water in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum and to apply methods to measure water availability and water potential components; to analyse the fate and transport of mass and energy within soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Students will have an ability to read, understand and interpret the detailed information on soil-plant-water relationships and stress phsiology as well as irrigation in scientific papers. Mode of Delivery : Face-to-Face Prerequisites and Co-Prerequisites : None Recommended Optional Programme Components : None Aim(s) of Course : This course aims to enable the students to quantify the main water properties and flow processes within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum and to familiarize them with some of the tools necessary to measure plant water relations parameters in the field; to provide the student with required background in evapotranspiration and photosynthesis mechanisms as well as drought and salinity tolerances of plants. Course Contents : Chemical properties of water, soil texture and structure, soil and plant water contents and relations, evapotranspiration and water use efficiency, effects of abiotic stresses on plant growth and yield and aproaches to improve water productivity and stress tolerance of plants. Emphasis will be on water potential measurements with Scholander pressure chambers, leaf gas exchange measurements with porometers and photosynthesis systems. Language of Instruction : Turkish Work Place : Classroom   Course Outline /Schedule (Weekly) Planned Learning Activities Week Subject Student's Preliminary Work Learning Activities and Teaching Methods 1 The importance of water for all creatures inc. plant growth and the water properties that make water so important, statistics about water resources and use in the world and in Turkey Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture 2 Definitions and explanation of soil physical and chemical properties; soil texture and structure, soil bulk density, soil porosity, soil particle density etc. Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture, field and lab work 3 Soil water content, water movements in the soil, thermodynamics in relation to water and solute movement, pressure-volume curves for determining water potential components Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture, field and lab work 4 Soil-plant-atmosphere continium, climate and its effects on plant growth. Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture 5 Components of water potential and measuring water potential methods Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture, field and lab work 6 Mechanisms and flow paths associated with movement of water in the soil-plant-atmosphere continium, and cohesion. Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture 7 Xylem hydraulics – theory; xylem hydraulic conductivity, introduction to plant water status; tutorial porometer and Scholander pressure chamber, etc. Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture, field and lab work 8 Introduction to plant water status measurements; explanation of environmental parameters effecting the transpiration. Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture, field and lab work 9 Mid-Term Exam Related topics in course notes and references Mid-Term Exam 10 Introduction to gas exchange measurements; theory and configuration of gas exchange systems; explanation of environmental parameters effecting the photosynthesis rate. Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture 11 Transpiration and photosynthesis measurements; to photosynthesis system tutorial; stomatal conductance measurements; Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture, field and lab work 12 Consumptive use and evapotranspiration; water use efficiency, aproaches and methods for improving water use efficiency Water productivity; evapotranspiration and yield relationships Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture 13 Biotic and abiotic stresses effects on plant growth and agricultural productivity. Abiotic stresses; low and high temperatures, drought, salinity, flooding,light, nutrient deficiency etc. Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture 14 Plant responses to water deficit, plant production in semi-arid and arid regions, drought tolerance mechanisms Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture 15 Plant response to soil saturation and salinity; effects on plant growth and yield, salinity tolerance mechanisms of plants Related topics in course notes and references Power presentations and lecture 16/17 Final Exam Related topics in course notes and references Final Exam   Required Course Resources Resource Type Resource Name Recommended Course Material(s)  Kırda, C., Topçu, S., 2010. Soil Plant Water Relationships, Lecture Notes.   Lecture Notes: Soil Water Relationships,(Prof. Dr. N. Munsuz), Soil Plant Water Relationships (Prof. Dr. M.Ş. Yeşilsoy), Plant Physiologyi (B. Kacar) Required Course Material(s)   Assessment Methods and Assessment Criteria Semester/Year Assessments Number Contribution Percentage     Mid-term Exams (Written, Oral, etc.) 1 70     Homeworks/Projects/Others 3 30 Total 100 Rate of Semester/Year Assessments to Success 40   Final Assessments 100 Rate of Final Assessments to Success 60 Total 100   Contribution of the Course to Key Learning Outcomes # Key Learning Outcome Contribution* 1 Gain the sufficient equipment to determine the challenges about the diseases, pests and weeds in plant health and identify those agents. 4 2 Decide to the best and economic strategy by using knowledge to solve the challenges in plant protection and keep safe the protection of natural and sustainable sources. 0 3 Gain the ability to communicate with farmers and organizations dealing with agriculture and be able to teach his professionals to them 3 4 Provides to apply practical control strategies safely and interpret the results; prescribe the pesticides in case of using chemical control. 0 5 Obtain the skill to choose and use modern technical tools in plant protection. 0 6 Skills on using a laboratory, identifying of the diseases, pests or weeds in laboratory conditions, analyzing, determination and interpret of the results and prepare reports. 2 7 Acqure the competence to be respectful to the professional ethics, to understand the plant protection challenges within the legal legislations and improve strategies to cope with them 1 8 Easily reaches to information on plant protection by using qualified Technologies and combine them with its knowledge to prepare written or oral presentations. 3 9 Gain the skills to catch and analyze the basic methods of the scientific researches 3 10 Gain the ability to work lonely or with a team, responsibility in professional ethics and safety in applications. 3 11 Learn the basic plant protection topics such as biology, ecology, systematic, control strategies of agents causing economical losses in cultivation 4 12 Students have the sufficient knowledge about agricultural engineering in general and also, plant protection area in private 0 13 Professional development in accordance with their interests and abilities, as well as the scientific, cultural, artistic and social fields, constantly improves itself by identifying training needs 0 * Contribution levels are between 0 (not) and 5 (maximum).   Student Workload - ECTS Works Number Time (Hour) Total Workload (Hour) Course Related Works     Class Time (Exam weeks are excluded) 14 2 28     Out of Class Study (Preliminary Work, Practice) 14 1 14 Assesment Related Works     Homeworks, Projects, Others 3 4 12     Mid-term Exams (Written, Oral, etc.) 1 8 8     Final Exam 1 10 10 Total Workload: 72 Total Workload / 25 (h): 2.88 ECTS Credit: 3