Certificate of Botany

• Taxonomic Classification of Plants
  • Plant Taxonomy – Botanical/Horticultural Nomenclature, The Binomial System, Botanical Classification, Plant Families and Species, Hybrids, Varieties and Cultivars
  • Botanical Keys – How to use a botanical key, Key to Plant Groups, Key to Plant Phyla
• Cells and Tissues
  • Plant Cells – types of plant cells
  • Plant Tissues – Primary and Secondary Growth
• Specific Vegetative Parts of a Plant
  • Stems – Stem Forms
  • Leaves – Leaf Structure and Arrangement
  • Roots – Root Structure (tap root, adventitious roots)
  • Common Botanical Terms
• Flowers and Fruit
  • The flower – inflorescence (panicle, umbel, composite head)
  • Fruits – Simple, Aggregate, Multiple
  • Reproductive Growth and Development – pollination, fertilisation, fruit setting
• Seed and the Developing Embryo
  • Seed Structure – Seed Coats, Food Storage Organs, Embryo
  • Seed Germination – Germination Requirements, Stimulation, Inhibition
  • Propagation of Plants
• Photosynthesis and Growing Plants
  • Photosynthesis – the Photosynthetic Apparatus, Light transformation into energy, the Photosynthetic process, Gas Exchange with the Atmosphere
• Respiration
  • Stages of Respiration – the Krebs Cycle, Electron Transport Chain
  • Rate of Respiration
• The Role of Water
  • Osmosis
  • Water Movement from Soil to Root – Development of Root Pressure
  • The Transpiration Stream – Transpiration and Environmental Conditions
• Movement of Water and Assimilates through a Plant
  • Mechanisms of Nutrient Uptake
  • Absorption and Transport of Mineral Nutrients
  • Translocation of Sugars
  • Adaptations for Water Storage
  • Food and Water Storage Organs
• The Effects of Tropisms and Other Growth Movements
  • Plant Hormones
  • Tropisms – Phototropism, Geotropism, Thigmotropism, Other Growth Movements
  • Chemical Growth Modifications

• Flower physiology
  • Introduction
  • The flowering response
  • Genes control flowering
  • Physiological age
  • Minimum leaf number
  • Photoperiodism
  • Terminology
• Phytochrome
  • Light sensing systems
  • Blue light responses
  • Red light responses
  • Other light responses
  • Phytochrome
  • Photoreceptor forms: Pr, Pfr
  • How molelcules changeRelevance to commercial horticulture
  • Controlling light
  • Terminology
• Phytoperiodism
  • Light
  • Measuring light
  • What wavelengths do plants need
  • Typical photoperiod responses
  • Photoperiodic responses in seasonal flowering plants
  • Photoperiodic classification of plants: short day plants, long day plants, day neutral plants
  • Detection of photoperiod
  • Critical photoperiod and flowering
  • Research facts
  • Other photoperiodic effects
  • Terminology
• Control of flower bud initiation and development
  • Stages in flower bud growth
  • What can affect flower bud initiation
  • Differentiation
  • Dvelopment
  • Anthesis
  • Effect of temperature on growth and flowering
  • VernalisationThermoperiodism
  • Research reports or reviews of specific plants
  • Terminology
• Dormancy
  • Dormancy in plants
  • Abscisic acid and dormancy
  • Breaking dormancy
  • Dormancy in seeds
  • Factors affecting seed dormancy
  • Breaking seed dormancy
  • Terminology
• Effects of plant associations and competition
  • Introduction
  • Competition
  • Parasitism
  • Coevolution
  • Mutualism
  • Plant herbivore and pathogen interactions
  • Crop spacing and crop yeilds
  • Crop canopy and plant density
  • Impact of weeds
  • Protected environments
  • Greenhouses
  • Shadehouses
• Respiration and post harvest physiology
  • Respiration
  • Glycolysis
  • Aerobic respiration
  • Anaerobic respiration
  • Bioluminescene and Fluorescence
  • Post harvest respiration
  • Terminology
• Post harvest storage, transport, retailing and shelf life
  • Effect of growing conditions on post harvest life
  • Controlled storage conditions: temperature, atmosphere, humidity
  • Normal atmospheric conditions
  • Controlled and modified atmospheres
  • Effect of oxygen levels Effect of carbon dioxide levels
  • Ethylene
  • Controlling ethylene levels
  • Modified Atmosphere Packaging
  • Commodity transport
  • Retailing and shelf life
• Endogenous and synthetic growth regulators
  • Nature of plant hormones
  • Auxins: IAA, IBA, NAA
  • Gibberellins: natural and synthetic
  • Cytokinins: over 130 different types
  • Abscisic acid
  • Ethylene
  • Other homones: anti auxins, growth inhibitors, growth retardants, defoliants, growth Stimulators, non standard hormones
  • Controlled ripening and degreening
  • Waxing
• Risks involved with plant growth manipulation
  • Commercial risks
  • Human health and safety risks
  • Plant pathology risks
  • Ecological risks
  • Genetic modification
  • Benefits
  • environmental hazards
  • Human hazards
  • Terminology

When you study with Australian Online Courses, you will be assessed using a competency-based training method.

Competency-based training focuses on the achievement of skills and knowledge against set criteria to meet industry-standard and is not benchmarked against other students’ work.

In this course, the assessment will be comprised of written assignments and exercises, which may include short answer questions, reports, essays, research projects and reflective tasks.

If you do not achieve a competency result on your first attempt, you have two more attempts to pass your assessment. So, you have three attempts in total to obtain a competency result.

In this way, you can complete your course in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.

• Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
• Improve your employment opportunities;
• Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
• High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
• No entry requirements;
• All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
• Unlimited tutor support;
• Easy to understand course content;
• We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
• Certificate of Attainment/Completion issued for your CV (hard copy provided); and
• Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.

The approximate study hours for this course is 200 hours. We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply).

While printed materials are not available for purchase, PDF copies are available for download and self-printing for this program.

You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!

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Yes! You will receive a Certificate of Attainment upon successful completion of your assessment.

No. All courses are delivered online via our e-learning system and there are no work placement requirements in this course.

Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.

Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.