Plant Growth Experiment Report

Abstract

In this plant growth experiment, we investigated the effects of different growth regulators, including Gibberellic Acid, Indoleacetic Acid (IAA), and B-Nine, on the growth of corn, peas, and beans.

The experiment aimed to determine how these growth regulators influenced plant growth. Each plant received one of the growth regulators or a control substance, and their growth was measured over a period of five weeks. While some trends were observed, the results were not entirely as expected, and potential sources of error are discussed.

Introduction

Plant hormones and growth regulators play a crucial role in various physiological processes in plants, including flowering, aging, root growth, leaf abscission, and stem elongation. These chemicals can have significant effects on plant growth even at very low concentrations. Plants naturally produce hormones, but they can also be influenced by external growth regulators applied by humans. These growth regulators may be synthetic compounds that mimic naturally occurring plant hormones or natural hormones extracted from plant tissue.

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In our experiment, we explored the impact of growth stimulants and growth inhibitors on the growth of three plant species: corn, peas, and beans. The growth regulators used included Gibberellic Acid, Indoleacetic Acid (IAA), and B-Nine, along with a control substance. Gibberellic acid is known for stimulating cell division and elongation, breaking seed dormancy, and promoting germination. IAA primarily affects internodal elongation, rooting, and leaf abscission. B-Nine is intended to reduce internodal elongation. The control substance serves as the independent variable for comparison.

Materials and Methods

For this experiment, we selected three plant species: corn, peas, and beans. Four planting pots were divided into three sections, one for each plant type. Two seeds of each plant were planted in one compartment of each of the four pots. Each pot was labeled with the corresponding growth regulator, and each section within the pot was labeled for the specific plant type. The plants were initially watered and allowed to grow for one week without the application of growth regulators.

After the first week, the lengths of the plants were measured, and the assigned growth regulators were applied to the plants according to their labels. This process was repeated for four consecutive weeks, with measurements taken each week. The lengths of the plants were recorded in millimeters. The entire experiment spanned five weeks, including the initial week without growth regulators.

Results

The results of the plant growth experiment are presented in the following tables, which show the recorded lengths of the corn and peas plants for each week of the experiment. As mentioned earlier, no data is available for the beans, as they did not exhibit any measurable growth during the experiment.

Corn Plant Growth

Peas Plant Growth

Discussion and Conclusion

The experiment revealed some interesting findings, although several sources of error may have influenced the results. It's important to note that the beans did not grow at all during the experiment, leading to the absence of recorded data for this plant type. This lack of growth may have been influenced by various factors, including the quality of the seeds or soil conditions.

For the corn and peas, which did exhibit growth, the following observations were made:

• The corn and peas treated with Gibberellic Acid showed more significant growth compared to those treated with the control substance. This aligns with the known effects of Gibberellic Acid, which stimulates cell division and elongation.
• Surprisingly, the application of B-Nine, which is supposed to reduce internodal elongation, appeared to stimulate rather than inhibit internodal growth in some cases. This unexpected result suggests that B-Nine's impact on plant growth may vary based on specific conditions or concentrations.
• Regarding Indoleacetic Acid (IAA), the results for corn were consistent with expectations, as IAA typically stimulates internodal elongation. However, the pea plants treated with IAA exhibited shorter lengths compared to the control group, which was unexpected.

Several factors could have contributed to the observed discrepancies in plant growth:

• Variability in watering: Inconsistent watering practices may have affected plant growth. Some plants may have received too much water, while others may have been under-watered, leading to uneven growth.
• Light exposure: Differences in light exposure could also have influenced plant growth. Plants with less access to light may have exhibited slower growth rates.
• Seed quality: Variability in seed quality, especially for the beans, could have contributed to their lack of growth.

In conclusion, errors and inconsistencies in the experiment may have impacted the expected outcomes of each plant type's growth in response to the applied growth regulators. Further investigations could focus on refining experimental conditions, such as controlling watering practices and ensuring consistent light exposure. Additionally, exploring the effects of different concentrations of growth regulators may provide deeper insights into their influence on plant growth.