Sexual reproduction is one of the major characteristics of eukaryotes and involves a regular alternation between meiosis and fertilization. This course focuses on the basic principles of plant reproduction and the evolution of reproductive strategies in mosses, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms. This knowledge is used as basis to understand the concepts that underlie sexual reproduction in dicot and monocot angiosperm species. Topics including flower induction, flower development, fertilization, embryogenesis, seed development and dispersal, and fruit-development are covered.
This course aims to develop insight into evolutionary, regulatory and structural aspects of the reproductive strategies of plants. During the practicals experimental techniques used to obtain insight in structural aspects and developmental processes associated with plant reproduction are taught and practiced. These activities aim to prepare students to independently interpret reproductive strategies of any plant species.
