Plant With The Normal Soil Temperature example essay topic

ABSTRACT The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether seedlings of the same kind will sprout faster under different controlled temperatures. The three controlled temperatures were 32^0, 20^0, and 5^0 degrees Celsius. The hypothesis will prove that the plant in the normal temperature range will sprout faster than the plants in the higher or lower temperatures. The procedure that was followed to support my hypothesis was to observe six germinating seeds in six separate pots. Two pots each were placed in three controlled temperature conditions. The seeds were of the same type.

The same size pot was used, along with the same soil. A big hole was punched in each pot to allow for proper drainage. A measured amount of soil was put in the pots, and then one seed was placed in each pot and covered with soil. Each pot was saturated with water.

An equal amount of sun, and water was provided daily over a twenty-day period. Two pots were put under a heating source to create a temperature higher than room temperature. These pots were labeled A and B. Two other pots were placed at the current room temperature of my house during winter months. These pots were labeled C and D. The last set of pots were labeled E and F and were placed in a cooler environment. The pots were observed and the data was recorded daily. The end result of this experiment was that the two plants that were placed under a heating source produced sprouts faster than the plants with no heating source.

This proved my hypothesis to be false. The heating source provided a better growing environment than the normal and lower temperatures. BACKGROUND Most gardeners know not to plant seedlings until after the last winter frost. Some gardeners start planting early by starting their crop inside where the temperature doesn't reach freezing.

Is the best growing environment at room temperature? Would the seedling be affected if the temperature is a little colder or warmer. I always thought that normal temperatures produce normal healthy plants. A normal environment seems more stable and therefore the plant is more likely to grow quicker. If the environment is normal then the plant does not have the added stress of adapting to it's environment. I think it would be helpful for gardeners to know which temperature a plant grows best in.

A superior seedling will produce a superior crop. Also, there will be less chance of the seedling dying and having to start all over again from scratch. The first factor in creating a good growing environment is to understand that germination does not take place unless the seed is in an environment that has adequate water and oxygen and also sunlight. Different kinds of plant germinate at different temperatures.

Some plants require more sunlight to germinate then others. During germination, water diffuses though the seed coats into the embryo, which has been almost completely dry during the period of dormancy. With the absorption of oxygen by the seed, energy is made available for growth. From the time of germination until the plant is completely independent of food stored in the seed, the plant is known as a seedling. The second factor is to consider the dormancy of the seed. Seed Dormancy is when a seed has fallen from the parent plant before they are able to germinate.

Many seeds require a so-called resting period after the have fallen from there parent plant. In some plants, chemical changes take place during the resting period that make the seed ready for germination. Still other seeds have extremely tough seed coats that must soften or decay before water and oxygen can enter the seed to take part in the growth of the embryo, or before the growing embryo is capable of bursting through the seed coat. The last factor is to understand the plant's root system. The first root of the plant, known as the radicle, elongates during germination of the seed and forms the primary root.

Roots that branch from the primary root are called secondary roots. In many plants the primary root is known as a taproot because it is much larger than secondary roots and penetrates deeper into the soil. Some plants having taproots cannot be transplanted easily, for breaking the taproot may result in the loss of most of the root system and cause the death of the plant. Oregano herb seeds were used for this experiment.

Oregano can grow in all temperatures, including below zero. It has a soft embryo, and germinates easily. It has a very high tolerance as long as it is not over watered. The germination period for the seeds is 7 to 21 days. PURPOSE The purpose of this experiment is to find out which soil temperature (32^0, 20^0, or 7^0 degrees C.) will allow seeds to sprout fastest.

HYOTHESISMy Hypothesis is that the plant with the normal soil temperature will sprout faster than the plant with the higher or lower soil temperatures. MATERIALS 6 potting cups Potting soilSeedsLow watt appliance bulb Thermometer 2 tablespoons water PROCEDURES 1. Poke hole in bottom of potting cups for drainage 2. Fill cup 3/4 full with potting soil 3. Place seeds in pots. 4.

Cover seeds with 1/4 inch soil 5. Label pots A-F. 6. Place thermometer in Pot A. 7. Position pot A over heating source until temperature reaches 32^0.8.

Repeat steps 6 and 7 for pot B. 9. Leave pots C and D at our house room temperature which is 20^0.10. Put pots E and F in Mud room where temperature is 7^0.11. Water all pots until saturated. 12. Water plants every day so that soil would not dry out under different temperatures.

13. Check plant growth every morning. 14. Record plant growth daily.

DATA RESULTS Pot A and B started sprouts first. Pots C and D followed sprouting two days later. Pots E and F sprouted last. The sprouts in Pots A and B grew taller quicker.

Days Observe 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 POTS A NG NG NG NG SS SNG NG NG NG SS SNG NG NG NG NG NG SS SS S S S S M M M D NG NG NG NG NG NG SS SS S S S S S M M E NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG SS SS S S S S F NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG SS SS S S S SNG = No Growth SS = Seed Started S = Small M = Medium T = TallestCONCLUSIONThe hypothesis was that the plant with the soil temperature normal would sprout faster then the plant with the soil temperature higher and lower. Pots A and B which were under the heating source produced seedlings quicker than the other four pots. Pots C and D germinated two days after pots A and B. Pots E and F germinated three days after pots C and D. The results indicate that this hypothesis should be rejected. Sunlight is one of the factors that help a plant to grow. It makes sense that the extra heat provided would stimulate the seeds to germinate faster.

I think the heat acted as a conductor by giving the plant a false sense of early springtime. In other words, the seedlings' time clock that is regulated by temperature was thrown off, producing a warmer soil environment. The seedling reacted to the soil temperature not it's surrounding environment, as I had originally thought. If the experiment was preformed for a little longer, it would be interesting to see if the plant would adapt to it's surrounding environment, leaving the soil temperature less important once the seedling had developed into a plant.

Bibliography

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