Legim - School Resources

Plant Power: Improving Crop Plants for Agriculture in Africa

This video provides comprehensive background information on the problems that plants face as they grow in sub-optimal environmental conditions. It illustrates the biotechnology approaches and techniques that plant scientists currently use in research to improve plant vigour and survival in stressful environmental conditions like those in Africa. These topics are illustrated through a training programme that is currently being undertaken in laboratories in the UK and South Africa. With the new generation of young African plant scientists who are featured in this video, you too can see the types of technologies that are now being used to address key issues related to Plant Stress Biology. This project is co-funded by the Royal Society (UK) and the National Research Foundation (South Africa).

To get a version of the video that you can use on your white board, or any large format screen, please right click here and select "SAVE TARGET FILE AS" from the menu to place the video file on your desktop. The video file is rather large (140MB) and would take up to 15 minutes to download. Once the file is securely placed on your hard disk double clicking on it will automatically open Windows Media Player to playback the video.

The following set of files is aimed to help you in the classroom. Please note that to be able to view these PDF files you will need Adobe Reader software. This can be downloaded for free from the Adobe website.

Text for Discussion PDF Questions for Discussion PDF Advanced Questions for Debate PDF
Please click on the pictures below for full resolution versions

South African desert region	Photosynthesis measurements

Native South African desert species I	Native South African desert species II

Native South African desert species III	South African environment and wildlife

Native South African habitat for Xerophyta plants	Xerophyta viscosa, a resurrection plant

South African environment and wildlife II	Soyabeans

Marama bean plants growing in the greenhouse	Marama bean plants growing in the greenhouse II

A soyabean plant	Soy growing in a controlled environment

Soybean root nodules	Soybean root nodules (right healthy, left senescent)

Infestation of crop by parasitic plants	Intercropping

Variations in plant vigour in the field	Variations in plant vigour in the field

Community farming	Community harvesting

Presentation of the project at the Royal Show UK	Ecophysiology in action

If you want to know more about the LEGIM project or want to get involved in Plant Biotechnology, please log into The Legim Project website or contact:

Karl Kunert
Professor Botany Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute
University of Pretoria, South Africa
Tel: 27 12 420 3908 - 09 Fax: 27 12 420 3960
Email: karl.kunert@fabi.up.ac.za

Christine H. Foyer
Professor of Molecular Agriculture
School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
Agriculture Building
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, England.
Tel: 0191 2226932 Fax: 0191 2227811
E-mail:christine.foyer@newcastle.ac.uk

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