Year 12 EEIs - Plant Growth

[Kathy Tatz]

Our Year 12s are doing EEIs on plant growth and wondering if anybody has any good ideas?
Last year they did such things as: the effects of different coloured light, electrical currents (difficult), various pH solutions. Looking for some different ideas this year like maybe plant hormones, or trace elements; - any help will be appreciated.

Kathy.

[Sassi]

Not really growth... but, mine will be doing water loss over the leaves. I am very busy making up a few potometers!

[Judy R]

Hi Kathy,
we do different concentrations of salt,varying ph,different types of growing media eg sand,vermiculite,soil and potting mix.
Also use cellophane to have different light.
hope this helps

[smiley]

We have done the following:
A) Phototropisms
light intensity - a black box with a night light at one end and a 40W bulb at the other
Monocot v Dicot response to light - raise seedlings in the dark (we used wheat and alfalfa), place them in boxes with a hole at one end, have some seedlings kept in the dark for control. The monocots will just turn green and turn the blade of the leaf to the light, the dicots will bend towards the light.
B) Geotropisms
Germinate seeds in the dark, then pin them out at various angles, then measure root growth and changes of angles, as roots seek the ground (gravity) and shoots seek the light (anti-gravity).
Same experiement as above, comparing root length and "robustness". Interestingly, roots that have to turn to grow towards gravity grow longer, but skinnier, and roots that don't need to turn are shorter, but fatter. One kid grew them to the "n-th" degree and eventually the food supply within the seed was all used up and they measured the final length of root/shoot growth, and worked out how deep would be too deep to plant a seed etc.
Same geotropic experiment, comparing different species, e.g. beans v pumpkin v corn

Done tons more along similar lines. Let me know if you want any other info.

[kimm]

One student did an interesting eei last year - separating the common nutrients in fertilizer- nitrogen, phosphate and magnesium - and exposing them to just one to see what effect it would have on growth - she compared this to a mixture of all 3 nutrient, a commercial fertilizer and tap water. We are lucky to have a growth light hanging from our ceiling that was acquired from a raid . Needed sunglasses to walk into the room. Had them all set up hydroponically growing in vermiculite/perlite- looked fantastic- cheap to set up. Took up alot of room though

[J]

We had some hydroponic equipment that the police gave us after confiscating it from an illicit operation locally. Unfortunately the same or other illicit operators found out we had it and promptly stole it back! . So much for that idea. We got to use it once, and it worked a treat. We set up a smaller light on a trolly so it was mobile, as we could not devote a whole room to the exercise. The big light was WAY too big for our purposes, but I guess someone out there is profiting from it.

Julie

[kimm]

We also have a smaller unit consisting of 2 grow light fluros and a small reflective shroud that sits on top of a trolley. But - I want to know more about the break in - How long did you have it before they stole it back?? Did they take anything else?? Someone at the school had to have told them - maybe it was one of your teachers - I don't know if i would laugh or cry.
Could you claim a drug light under the schools insurance - i would like to hear the phonecall..

Kim

[J]

As most of the equipment was well beyond our needs I doubt that anything was ever done, at least not too seriously anyway. I can't be too sure, of course, as these things are taken care of at a higher level and we plebs aren't always informed.

In regards to the culprits, I suspect that some of our more resourceful students were in contact with some of their more resourceful friends and family, and so on down the line.

I guess no further comment would be advisable here.

Julie

[Kathy Tatz]

Hi Kristin,

I loved the info you posted on Phototropisms/Geotropisms, and would be very interested in any more of the same that you might like to share. If you want to send anything to me directly you can email me on: ktatz2@eq.edu.au. Otherwise I will keep checking here.

Thanks in advance,
Kathy.

PS Thanks to everyone else for their input and ideas!

[kimm]

ok Julie - mums the word.!!!