The Effect of Using Artificial Lighting with Plant Growth

Categories: Biology

CHAPTER 1

Background of the Study

A plant can only have 12 hours of sunlight or less and for some plants this is too much or too short. Light is the main source of plants for food production, and also for the growth of a plant. It is needed by a plant in order to survive. Natural light is the best light needed by plants, they say, but this light may not last long every day. In using artificial light, there would be no rainy, windy and cloudy location for a plant.

Plants are also for home decors, but the location of the plant indoors might not have enough natural light a plant has to. So the researchers hypothesized that artificial light can be the perfect cure for having lack of sunlight providing plants the sufficient nutrients and energy for a plant to live.

Statement of the Problem

The researchers wish to address the following problems:

  1. Is there a significant difference on the growth of the plant between using artificial and natural light?
  2. Is it better for the plant to be grown in artificial light rather than natural light?
  3. Will there be any other effect on the plant other than changes in growth?

Significance of the Study

By proving that artificial light can give plants the ample amount of nutrients and energy, people can now make use of this kind of light for their plants to grow healthy and unharmed.

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By using this kind of light, plants can now be protected from destruction by natural disasters.

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Also, indoor plants can now have sufficient amount of light for them to live. By controlling the time of light that a plant is exposed into, people can give the right amount of light that the plant will need. Whenever there is lack in sunlight, people can always make use of artificial light in order to give the plants their needs in light. Botanists can now prevent plants from being damaged by natural disasters and continue their research on plants indoors. Farmers can now prevent the destruction of their crops and citizens in other countries can use artificial light to provide energy for the plants, especially citizens in countries that barely experience sunlight.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

Mung Bean (Vigna radiata) will be utilized in this experiment. There would be three trials before the experiment would be achieved, one having a Compact Fluorescent Light with 9W, one will be exposed to incandescent light with 60W (wattage equivalent of 9W in incandescent light is 60W) and the other one will be exposed to sunlight. The three pots will have the same amount of soil with 15 Mung Beans (Vigna radiata) on each pot. Plants with artificial light will be placed in a box with holes for the plants to receive sufficient air. The 3 trials would be served with the same amount of water and at the same time. It would be conducted at daytime as long as there would be sunlight for the controlled group to be the same with the experimental group. This investigation will last for 2 weeks. This experiment will be conducted at the researcher’s house in Noveleta.

CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature and Studies

Sunlight is a very common light source found everywhere on the planet.[1] The existence of nearly all life on Earth is fueled by light from the sun.[2] Plants use the energy of sunlight, combined with carbon dioxide and water, to produce simple sugars.[3] The Sun provides plants with different wavelengths of light, red, blue, yellow, etc. all combined together to make sunlight.[4]

These light energies are needed by the plants to be able to maintain their color, production of leaves and flowers, and also for their growth.[5] Fluorescent lighting is a popular and efficient lighting system used worldwide.[6] Fluorescent lighting is most commonly found in commercial facilities.[7] Fluorescent lighting tended to only be available in "colder" colors of light than the accepted "warm" color produced by incandescent lighting.[8] Fluorescent lights provide lots of blue wavelengths of light and less red wavelengths of light.[9] Incandescent lighting is the most common type of lighting used in homes.[10] It has traditionally delivered about 85% of household illumination.[11] Incandescent lamps operate without ballast.[12]

They provide warm light and excellent color rendition.[13] Incandescent lights provide red wavelengths of light.[14] However, incandescent light gives off more heat than fluorescent light.[15] Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae.[16] They obtain most of their energy from sunlight using chlorophyll contained in chloroplasts, which gives them their green color.[17] Some plants are parasitic and may not produce normal amounts of chlorophyll or photosynthesize.[18] Plants only absorb light in the red and blue wavelengths, so orange, yellow, green, indigo, and violet are theoretically unnecessary.[19]

CHAPTER 3

Methodology

  1. Preparing the sample
  2. Research Design
  3. Watering
  4. Observing
  5. Measuring plant height
  6. Analyzing results

Materials

Three pots, two boxes, a graduated water cup, and an incandescent and fluorescent light with the same wattage equivalent were prepared. Mongo seeds were gathered.

Procedure

Preparing the samples

The seeds were divided into three groups, each having the same number of seeds. Three pots were filled with soils and each pot has been planted with a group of seeds. The three pots were placed in their position, wherein one pot was placed outdoors while the other two pots were placed indoors with their respective light bulbs.

Watering

The plants were watered during the morning and evening. Each pot receives an adequate amount of water and has been given the same amount of water as with the other pots.

Observing

Each morning, the plants were observed by the researchers to record the plant’s condition. The researchers recorded the color of the plant, the number of seeds that has sprouted, and the direction of the plant’s growth.

Measuring plant height

As the researchers observe, the plants were also measured with a 12-inch ruler. The heights of the plants were then recorded by the researchers.

Analyzing results

The results among the three pots were compared. From this, a conclusion was made by the researchers.

CHAPTER 4

Results & Discussion

Since the investigatory project aims at seeing the effect of using artificial lighting with plant growth, the results presented are a comparison of the physical observations seen on the plant as it grew in the different sources of light. The observations listed below are the results after the experiment.

Table 1: Physical Observations on the Mung Bean among the Three Sources of Light

Observation Incandescent Light Compact Fluorescent Light Sunlight
Direction of growth of the plant Upward Upward Upward
Length of the plant (14th day) 23.2 cm 23.5 cm 17.2 cm
Color of the plant (greenness of the plant) Pale Green Fern Green Light Green
Length of the leaves (14th day)(dominant size) 3.8 cm 3.7 cm 4.1 cm
Number of the seeds sprouted 13 (out of 20) 11 (out of 20) 14 (out of 20)
Soil Texture Loam Loam Loam

Aside from these observations, the progress of the growth of the plant was also taken into consideration. From the 14 days of conducting the experiment, these are among the remarkable observations from the three sets of plants.

Table 2: Progress of Plant Growth among the Three Sources of Light

Observation Incandescent Light Compact Fluorescent Light Sunlight
Day when a seed sprouted Day 1 Day 1 Day 1
Day when the plant grew up to 5 cm tall Day 5 Day 4 Day 5
Day when some leaves started to wither Day 6 Day 13 -

CHAPTER 5

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendation

Research was purely done on Mongo seed. Materials for the product were obtained. The research lasted for 2 weeks. The three pots were watered both in the morning and in the evening with equal amounts of water and was compared and investigated in daytime. Through this project, the researchers learned that artificial light can be a help with plant growth (esp. indoors and in cold seasons when day length and light intensity decrease). But not all artificial light can contribute much to plant growth. Incandescent Lights create large amounts of heat making the leaves of a plant withers and burn some parts of it. In using Incandescent Light, the bulb mustn’t be close to the plant for it not to burn and wither the leaves of the plant. Fluorescent Lights is more suitable for supplementing natural light, it does not give off too much heat to burn some parts of a plant.

The researchers have concluded that Artificial Lighting can be used as an alternative for Natural Light, but Natural Light still gives the best on plant growth. For anyone who wishes to take this project further, it is recommended that he or she will use a different type of seed, for this might have a different effect, to completely make the results of the research more reliable or the researchers can use a different light source to completely research what artificial light is best for plant growth.

Works Cited

  • The Fluorescent Lighting System. Retrieved from: http://nemesis.lonestar.org/reference/electricity/fluorescent/index.html. Retrieved: January 3, 2012
  • Energy Savers: Incandescent Lighting. Retrieved from: http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/lighting_daylighting/index.cfm/mytopic=12120 . Retrieved: January 3, 2012
  • House Plants: Artificial Light. Retrieved from: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/webdoc1380. Retrieved: July 29, 2011
  • House Plants: Lighting. Retrieved from: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/webdoc1379. Retrieved: July 30, 2011
  • Sunlight. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunlight. Retrieved: January 3, 2012
  • How Does Color Of Light Effect Plant Growth? Retrieved from: http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5185470_color-light-effect-plant-growth_.html. Retrieved: January 3, 2012
Updated: Jan 10, 2024
Cite this page

The Effect of Using Artificial Lighting with Plant Growth. (2024, Jan 10). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/document/the-effect-of-using-artificial-lighting-with-plant-growth

The Effect of Using Artificial Lighting with Plant Growth essay
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