Order# 212227568
Ecology
Abstract
The predictability of radish (Raphanussativus) seed germination was investigated using student T number-1 and tuckey test with the data collected from the measuring root length after being treated with different factors. Radish seeds are an edible root vegetable that was domesticated in Europe and pre-Roman times. Its significance as a vegetable is considered to be due to its short period of emergence. In order to manage radishes, we gathered more detailed information required on its seed bank dynamics. Conducting this experiment helped us gather more knowledge of the factors regulating germination radish seeds. These information helped us have a better understanding on what optimizes or inhibits germination. Radish seeds were examined under four different factors, caffeine, pH, microwaved, and fertilizers. The results show that radish seeds have a high pH between 5-7, 0M caffeine 30s microwave, and 10g fertilizer. Which indicates that the preferred environment for radish seeds to harvest is neutral environment, fair amount of fertilizer and no other substances like caffeine involved. The importance of these findings helps a lot with the gardening market because one of the usages of radish seeds besides being edible, it is used to be sown in the same row with carrots, parsley, parsnips and other slow germinating crops. The radishes help to break soil crust for the weaker and later-germinating crops.
Introduction
In the seed germination process, seed is essentially an embryo covered in seed coat. In this stage it is referred to as an immature plant which later on under different factors grows and develops ultimately into a mature seed. There are different factors influencing the seed growth and germination. Some of these are physical factors that rely on an environment that seed grows in; including the climate (temperature, light),soil quality(fertilizers, pH) and other factors can play a significant role in seed growth and germination. The main reason of this study is to optimize the growth of seeds by using different factors and learning what can have a positive effect on the seed growth and germination and what the inverse effect will have on them. As we all know, different factors can have different effect on different seeds. The importance of all these studies on seed germination using different factors such as pH, fertilizer, caffeine and microwave are to find a better way to get the most out of different seeds especially for radish seeds. This could help a lot in agriculture and diversity of different plants.
Other factors as mentioned above such as fertilizers and pH can help with germination but in some cases it can have a reverse effect and stop the growth (Hepler, 2005). The use of fertilizers helps create nutrient of different pH. When the soil pH is neutral, it means there is the same amount of acidity and alkalinity in the soil or it can be more acid or base. The balance of acidity or alkalinity in the soil can either help the growth process or stop the process. According to the study done by Dr. Fernandez (Hepler, 2005) to examine the effect of pH and effect of nitrogenous soil on the seed growth and germination of Mediterranean type ecosystem plants, the result of the experiment was surprising. Different pH had no effect on growth and exogenous application of nitrogen had a negative effect (Baskina and Baskin, 1998). In another study that was done for Grass species of Ujjain in India; at pH of 2.5, Isedemaalone is capable of germination. Seed of this grass shows better germination towards the acidic range than on the alkaline side, with maximum percentage germination at pH 5.0 (McIlvaine, 1920). As for the effect of fertilizers, one study was done on effect of Biozyme fertilizer on three different plants Brassica compestris, Trigonella Foenum graecum, and Anthumgraveolens, which are all different vegetable plants that has high nutritional and medical value. The Biozyme (Diammonium phosphate and Urea), which is a common fertilizer, used for plants’ growth. In Anthumgraveolens, the fertilizer Biozyme had an inverse effect on germination but on the other two plants which are (please name the two plants here to complete the sentence) (Ramchandra, 1985).
Methods and Procedures (please put the correct title here)
Caffeine
20 seeds were watered with caffeine powder, from Fisher Chemicals (product number O1728-500) for each concentration (0M, 0.15625M, 0.3125M, 0.625M, and 0.125M)was added to 250mL of deionized water and heated in the microwave until the solution was clear.(Powder, Anhydrous,USP/FCC.1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine, GuaranineC8H10N4O2
F.W.: 194.19) According to your professor this information is wrong, please check and fix it.
PH
Please be specific, for instance, what was the deionized water diluted in? Beaker? Bowl? Dish? What were the seeds in when they were watered? Add these specifics and it will be good. You did this experiment and I wasn’t there. Just be specific and you will be great.
Fertilizer
20 seeds watered with different concentration of Espoma Garden Food uses 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphate and 10% potassium fertilizer were mixed with 250mL of deionized water. Stated directions are to use ½ teaspoon added to DIRT near the plants, but NOT directly on plants or seeds.
Microwave
10 seeds in each Petri dish, 20 seeds in total for each dish were put into GE Dual Wave Microwave System (model 86A494P2). Seeds were put in a glass vessel and a beaker containing 100mL of water were poured into a chamber at the same time. The Petri dishes used in this experiment came from VWR (Atlanta, GA). The dishes were 100x15 mm, fully stacked (#89038-968). After setting up all the40 Petri dishes, we sealed them with Parafilm and left them in laboratory temperature for 2 weeks.
Result
Effect of pH on germination
The seed germination has occurred in a range of pH between 2 and 14, but the maximum germination was observed at pH=7. The differences between means of root length of pH 2,5,9, and 14 are not significant. On the other hand, at pH 7 there is a significant difference in mean of root length after treatment compared to all other pHs.(p<0.05,df=4, F value=339.1).
Effect of Fertilizer on Germination
The seed germination was tested using 5 fertilizer. After measuring the root lengths we observed that means of root length in fertilizer1.25g -0 g and 2.5g-5g are not significantly different from each other. On the other hand, the mean root length using fertilizer 10g is significantly different from the means of fertilizers 1.25, 0, 2.5, and 5g . (p<0.05,df=4,F=86.7)
Effects of Caffeine on seed germination
As a result of adding caffeine to radish seeds, we measured the root length and the numbers showed that the means of root length in 0.03125 M , 0.00156M, 0.625M, 0.125M are not significantly different from one another, but the mean of 0M is significantly different than all the others.(p<0.05,df=4,F=108.9)
Effects of Microwave on Seed Germination
In the microwave experimental analysis of the data revealed that there is no significant difference between the root length in 0s,30s,60s and 180s.(p<0.05,df=4,F=1.369).
Discussion
The data that was collected from the experiment shows a clear difference in rates of germination and growth of Radish seeds under different factors. Seeds that were exposed to microwave radiations actually grew longer, but I predicted it to shrink or not grow at all. The non-microwaved seeds grew, but they grew at a slower rate. This experiment shows that being exposed to the microwave radiation did not damage seeds. In other plants such as Acacia, microwaving also increases the rate of germination and growth, but even in that case, microwaving for too long showed a negative effect on the root length (Olshan,1998).
Analyzing the germination of the Radish seeds after watering the seeds with pH 2,5,7,9, and 14, showed a significant difference in this group. The longest root lengths were observed at pH 7, which tells us that radish is very pH sensitive. It cannot tolerate the acidic or alkaline soil/ environment. The environment that have acid rain or acid deposition inhibits the growth of radish seeds.
In most plants, using a fertilizer optimizes the growth and germination of the seed, but in Radish seeds unlike most plants, they require less fertilizer to grow and germinate, which shows us that using small amounts of fertilizer increases the growth and germination of the seeds. The reverse growth response occurs with an increased supply of fertilizer. In other words, plants that received a greater supply of fertilizer showed an obvious reduction in root length growth.
Last but not the least factor in our experiment was introducing caffeine to the soil of the radish seeds. Before measuring the root length and collecting data, we were under the assumption that introducing the mixture of caffeine to the soil of the Radish seeds can have a similar effect as it does on human bodies, it would help with taking up the sugar and help the grow faster, this is an assumption. The result showed a different side of caffeine in plant growth. Caffeine is easily oxidized into uric acid when it comes to contact with water; therefore, when we mix the caffeine with water and spray it on the seeds they become acidic and we already know that radish seeds cannot germinate in an acidic environment.
While analyzing the data collected from each part of the experiment, we see some errors within each group that suggests there should be some changes made in the way we conduct the experiment to avoid these errors. One of the factors in this error was the exposure of the seeds to the light. The way that the Radish seeds were set up in the laboratory room, there was exposure to sunlight. This is important because sunlight is one of the main elements in plant’s growth.
Bibliography
Ragha, S. Mishra, V. Ramachandran and M. Bhatia, "Effects of Low-Power Microwave Fields on Seed Germination and Growth Rate," Journal of Electromagnetic Analysis and Applications, Vol. 3 No. 5, 2011, pp. 165-171.
ALVARADO, V.; BRADFORD, K. J.A hydrothermal time model explains the cardinal temperatures for seed germination. Plant Cell. Environ., v. 25, n. 8, p. 1061-1069, 2002.
BASKIN, C. C.; BASKIN, J. M. Seeds: Ecology, “biogeography and evolution of dormancy and germination”. New York: Academic Press, 1998. p. 666.
ALADJADJIYAN, A., “Influence of microwave irradiation on some vitality indices and
electroconductivity of perennial crops”, Journal of Central European Agriculture, 2002,3, 271– 276
Hepler, Peter. “Calcium: A Central Regulator of Plant Growth and Development,” The Plant Cell. 2005 May; 17:2142-2155.
