Analysis and Observation Of the Plant Experiment

Introduction

The purpose of this plant essay-experiment is to get a greater understanding of all the factors that go into growing and keeping a plant alive. To conduct this experiment, we were given seeds to water and grow. Throughout the span of about eight and a half weeks, we observed and recorded the changes seen. Before this experiment can be conducted there are some factors that need to be understood when going into plant growth are germination, soil texture, and photosynthesis. Germination is simply the process of a seed growing into a plant. Another is understanding the soil texture of the soil that will be used. This is important to know because the type of soil being used because can provide different nutrients to the plant. Soils also have different permeability which can change the rate of air and water flow. One of the major concepts to grasp is photosynthesis, which is when carbon dioxide, water use light to create glucose and oxygen. the production of glucose is used by the plant for growth and respiration. Learning and understanding all these factors can make a difference when using them outside of the classroom. 

Hypothesis

With this experiment when the plants are water and fertilized can affect the growth of the plant. If the plant receives too much water, it can potentially drown the plant and if they are not watered enough wilting will occur. Along with fertilizer, if a plant does not receive enough nutrients it can affect the growth along with the coloring and if there is too much it can cause the plant to die. Another factor that will also affect the plant is the weather that it is exposed to. If the plant is not watered enough and is in hotter weather, it can cause the plant soils to dry out much faster rather than when it is cold or rainy. Lastly, the season that these plants are being grown in are not the usual time of the year that they are grown. With this in mind the plants may not reach their full maturity. 

Background

Corn or Zea mays as it is scientifically known can be grown in states such as Iowa, south Dakota, Ohio and Missouri. These states provide and large number of the corn production in the united states. Corn when produced can be used for food, feed for animals and can be used in the production of ethanol gas production. With ethanol production if corn was to be used, according to David Pimental “Ethanol production using corn grain required 29% more fossil energy than the ethanol fuel produced.” Most cotton production in the united states is from the western states such as Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas. Cotton is also known by its scientific name of Gossypium. When cotton is produced one of the main uses is for fiber for thing such as clothing. The cotton plant stalk can also be used to create pulp and paper as, structurally, cotton plant stalk is similar to most of hard woods. Sorghum can be grown in the states of South Dakota and Texas. This plant can also go by its scientific name which is Sorghum bicolor. According to Aruna, sorghum has many uses such as being used food, feed, and fuel. Zinnias or Zinnia elegans are plants that do well in areas that have warmer climate. Zinnia are known to have long blooming periods. Can be drought tolerance, fast growth, an require labor little effort to grow.

Methods

After gathering materials, we first placed one paper towel on the bottom of them each pot to help hold the soil in and retain water moisture. Following the paper towel, we filled each pot with Berger soil blend and left about one inch at the top of the pot. Taking the pots, we added a bit of water and then took the three. 5-inch pots and planted three of each: corn, cotton and sorghum. While in the 4-inch pot we placed the zinnia were placed. all the seeds were placed in the pots about an inch deep and one inch apart. Following the planting, we watered them a bit more and noted the date when they were first planted. In the following four weeks, we had watered the plant about three times a week. Each week we also recorded the height of the plants in inches and noted any changes in the physical appearance. Such as changes in color or any broken leaves. Along with the watering the plants at this time they were fertilized with peters professionals 20-10-20. About the four-week mark, all the corn, sorghum has had enough time to grow. We cut two of each plant and kept the best plant. To ensure that the plant roots had enough room to thrive in the pot. Also, by this week if any plants were dead, they were replaced. In our case, the zinnias had been replaced. In the rest of the weeks following, the watering of the plants is reduced to two times a week to reduce overwatering and causing to wilting. Plants were watered on Monday then again on Friday With the change in watering the fertilizer had been changed to miracle grow. This continued for about four weeks until we took our final measurements and recorded our last observations. 

Data and Observations

In this experiment, all the plants have been planted in the fall season when most of the plants usually are grown in the spring and early summer months. With being very late in the season for some of these plants most of them were still in the vegetative stage and never made it to the reproductive stage. Out of the four different types of plants the corn and sorghum tended to growth at a bit faster rate than the cotton and zinnia. Corn plants do best when planted in the spring in this experiment they have been planted in fall. Corn on and before October 8th had a slow growth rate. something that may have affected this is that during this time span the corn had not received and type of nutrients. Once the plant started to receive the fertilizer weekly the plant can be seen to have a faster increase in growth. With the start of adding fertilizer, there had also been changes in the physical appearance of the plant. In the beginning, the plant leaves green-light green color and had around six leaves. Shortly after starting to fertilize the plant weekly and as the plant continued to grow some of the tips of the leaves began to brown. This may have been due to starting with a fertilizer with nitrogen content. instead of starting of slow we started with a higher fertilizer. With changing the fertilizer, the final product of the corn resulted in seven green leaves and little browning and had a ending height of 29 inches. Cotton plants are mainly planted around the month of March, once again this plant was planted in fall. Then Cotton had a pretty steady rate of growth until the last few weeks. the main issue with this plant is its physical appearance over time. more of the noticeable changes with this plant was the physical appearance. The plant overall color remained the same dark green throughout this experiment. The two main issues that this plant had was wilting and insects eating at the plant. The wilting may have been due to not enough water or nutrients. The cotton had an ended with seven leave, about two to three leaves were to have been eaten by insects, in the final measurements the plant had a height of 12 inches. In the starting summer months is the usual time when sorghum plants are planted. 

The plant had one reached about 1.5 inches, at about this time the leaves and the steams of the plant had begun to brown. Not long after the browning occurred the plant had died, this may have been from the fertilizer or overwatering. The moisture of the soil always seemed to remain the same even if it wasn't watered. Due to this, the zinnia plant had been replanted. The plant ended up with eight green leaves, no browning and had an ending height of 5 inches. 

Results

The hypothesis started above had been supported with the evidence seen in the plants such as changes in the coloring and with the season that these plants had been planted they did not reach their full maturity. Over all with these results of this experiment can help in the out real-world because it gives an insight into some of the factors that can affect the plant. These factors would need to be taken into consideration when you think about any plants that you would want to plant your own home. This is especially helpful for farmers when planting crops in order to produce the best quality out of the plants.