NCHU Course Outline

Course Name	(中) 園藝作物休眠生理學(6171)
	(Eng.) Dormancy Physiology of Horticultural Crops
Offering Dept	Department of Horticulture
Course Type	Elective	Credits	2	Teacher	Syuan-You Lin
Department	Department of Horticulture/Graduate	Language	English	Semester	2025-FALL
Course Description	Dormancy plays a crucial role in plant adaptation to dynamic environmental conditions. In this EMI course, we will delve into the fundamental mechanisms governing seed and bud dormancy in horticultural crops. Additionally, we will explore the techniques employed by horticulturists to artificially induce dormancy release in crop production. Through a comprehensive examination of these topics, students will gain a deep understanding of the significance of dormancy and its practical implications in Horticulture.
Prerequisites				self-directed learning in the course	Y

Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%)			Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives	Competency Indicators	Ratio(%)	Teaching Methods	Assessment Methods
Upon completing this course successfully, students will be able to: 1.Articulate the internal and external factors that influence plant dormancy regulation. 2.Comprehend the significance of dormancy and the underlying physiological mechanisms in both seeds and buds of horticultural crops. 3.Assess the level of dormancy in plant structures and familiarize themselves with the range of physical and chemical approaches utilized to induce dormancy release in the industries.	1.The capability of applying natural technology and biological knowledge 3.The capability of developing an experimental design and performing data analysis 4.To develop the skills of research and team work 5.To develop the capability of literature search and problem identification	50 20 20 10	topic Discussion/Production Lecturing Discussion	Oral Presentation Assignment Written Presentation Quiz
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content Week 1 Course introduction (Sept. 8) Week 2 Pre-course survey/ Importance of plant dormancy (Sept. 15) Week 3 Seed structure and development / Chemical composition and germination of seeds (Sept. 22) Week 4 Teacher’s Day (no class meeting) (Sept. 29) Week 5 Mid-Autumn Festival (no class meeting) (Oct. 6) Week 6 Seed dormancy (physical and environmental factors) (Oct. 13) Week 7 Seed dormancy (plant hormones, sugar and lipid metabolism) (Oct. 20) Week 8 Schedule discussion about your oral presentation by appointment (no class meeting) (Oct. 27) Week 9 Personal Oral Presentation (Nov. 4) Week 10 How do plants sense environments? / Bud formation and structure (Nov. 10) Week 11 Mechanisms of eco- and paradormancy (Nov. 17) Week 12 Mechanisms of endodormancy (Nov. 24) Week 13 Common bud-breaking strategies (Dec. 1) Week 14 Chill/Dormancy depth quantification (Dec. 8) Week 15 Group oral presentation (Dec. 15) Week 16 Discussion on group written report (Dec. 22) self-directed learning    02.Viewing multimedia materials related to industry and academia.
Evaluation
Grading Criteria 1.Personal Oral Presentation (30%) The oral presentation component aims to provide students with an opportunity to develop their public speaking skills in English while instilling confidence and self-belief. As this is a graduate-level course, the expectation is for students to deliver a professional presentation akin to those seen at scientific conferences. Each student will deliver a 10-minute oral presentation, comprising a brief self-promotion segment (1 min), main content (7 mins), and a Q&A session (2 mins). The instructor will assess the presentation based on factors such as content, structure, the ability to address questions, and English pronunciation. While speech speed and accent will not be the primary focus of evaluation, emphasis will be placed on the overall presentation quality. 2.Group project - Oral presentation (20%) + Written report (20%) + “Peer evaluation within the group (10%) The group project is designed to foster collaboration and in-depth discussion on a designated topic related to plant dormancy. Each group will regularly meet outside of class to plan and develop their project. The project culminates in an oral presentation, which will be graded collectively. The group will also submit a mini-review as their written report. Additionally, each member will be required to evaluate the contributions of their peers by providing a grade and constructive feedback on individual performance. This peer evaluation will contribute to the final grade. 3.Assignments (20%) Throughout the semester, students will be required to complete two assignments, each worth 10 points. The assignments may involve tasks such as summarizing or reviewing journal papers and extension articles related to the course material. While students are allowed to refer to their personal notes, slides, and other reference materials, it is important to complete all assignments independently unless the instructor explicitly permits collaboration. Students have the option to answer the assignments in either English or Chinese.
Textbook & other References
Anderson, J.V. (Ed.). 2015. Advances in plant dormancy. Springer. Bradford, K., and H.Nonogaki, (Eds.). 2008. Annual plant reviews, seed development, dormancy and germination (Vol. 27). John Wiley & Sons. Finch-Savage, W.E. and S. Footitt. 2017. Seed dormancy cycling and the regulation of dormancy mechanisms to time germination in variable field environments. Journal of experimental botany. 68(4), 843-856. Lang G.A. 1996. Plant Dormancy: Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. CABI Taiz, L., E. Zeiger, I.M, Møller, and A. Murphy. 2015. Plant physiology and development (Ed. 6). Sinauer Associates Incorporated.
Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website
This course does not have any mandatory textbooks or external readings. All necessary materials and resources will be provided by the instructor. Additionally, there is no requirement for specialized software for this course.
Office Hours
Thursday 1-3pm
Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs(Link URL)
09.Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure   13.Climate Action include experience courses：N

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