For years farmers have been adding natural fertilizers to their crops. It is a big risk though. Over fertilizing is very dangerous. It puts high concentrations of salt into the soil. It can also affect the water resources nearby. Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potassium are the basics of fertilizer. If a certain nutrient is short in supply the fertilizer might not work as well. Calcium, iron, manganese are also nutrients that might be needed. So don’t just trust the fertilizer bag that says it has all the nutrients, test it out. (Miller and Levine 717) Wisconsin fast plants come from the Cruciferae plant family. They tend to have shorter life cycles. It took years of Dr. Williams breeding these plants to get it right, but now the 6 month life cycle is down to a 5 week life cycle. Wisconsin fast plants, also known as Brasica rapa plants, were bred as research tools. (H. Lauffer, D. Lauffer, Williams) The fertilizer pellets used are made out of N.P.K. (Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potassium). When used properly there is no risk of over fertilizing or “burning” the plants (H. Lauffer, D. Lauffer, and Williams). The pellets are balanced proportionally and are very safe to use. My group, fertilizer group 3, is testing the variables of plant color and number of leaves. Fertilizer can affect that drastically! Those two variables are basically what determine a healthy plant. Fertilizer can help to boost the minerals in the soil and give the plant what it needs to survive and be healthy. The Brassica rapa plants were bred to live in the colder states of America, such as Michigan and Wisconsin. Up there they have very few times it is actually warm enough for plant growth. So to take advantage of those few short moments, Dr. Williams bred a ... ... middle of paper ... ...his experiment is to let the groups take home the plants on the weekends so they can record the details of what happens in those few days. Works Cited Hershey, D. (2003, March 3). MadSciNet: The 24-hour exploding laboratory. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from http://www.madsci.org Colorado State Gardening Program (2011). Colorado State University Extension. Retrieved April3, 2014, from http://www.ext.colostate.edu Lauffer, H. B., Williams, P., & Lauffer, D. (2012). Wisconsin Fast Plants® Program. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://www.fastplants.org Miller, K. R., & Levine, J. S. (2010). Miller & Levine biology. Boston, Mass: Pearson Cummins, Dorsey, Myers, & Wagner (2001, October 12). Final 3 Organic vs. Chemical Fertilizers. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/nsfall01/FinalArticles/Final3Organicvs.ChemicalF.html
It is hypothesized that as plants in small spaces compete for space, the plants compensate by reducing individual stem weight and frequency of bud formation as density increases. This would be intraspecific competition. A factor is density-dependent when it kills more of a population at higher densities and less at lower densities (Stilling 2002). The factor of competition between individual plants of the same species would be considered density dependent.
Brassica rapa is a mustard plant that can be found throughout North America, and is common in areas undergoing extreme change, such as changes in climate. There is an important relationship between the ecological and genetic factors that influence the growth of Brassica rapa (Mitchell-Olds 1996). So, the environmental elements, as well as the genetic information, are essential to the growth rate and survival of Brassica rapa. This plant is capable of reproducing quickly, and the root systems are usually quite small, although some Brassica rapa have developed larger root systems (Mitchell-Olds 1996). This plant is commonly used in experiments because of its ability to germinate rapidly. Brassica rapa is capable of sprouting within a stage of about two weeks, and this trait allows scientists to perform experiments in a short period of time.
Organic fertilisers and natural pest control methods minimise the impact of viticulture on the environment. In recent years there has been a considerable movement by some growers towards an organic approach. This is as a result of consumer driven trends and pressure to minimise the environmental impact of viticulture.
As a result of these factors, the flora has adapted to these conditions in a variety of ways including their shape, leaf type, root system, and color. One of the most prominent adapt...
Hewes, Henry. “ A Plant Grows in Chicago,” in Saturday Review, Vol. XLII, No. 14, April 4, 1959, p. 28.
Three substances mainly make fertilisers: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Their percentage in the solution will change the effectiveness on a decisive plant; for example it is recommended to use high proportion of nitrogen fertilizers during the spring growth of spurts. Fertilisers can be spitted in two categories: organic that contains a low level of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium and aren’t toxic to the environment and synthetic that are made with a high concentration of the three substances and can be corrosive to the environment if overused. Looking closely at the three chemicals: nitrogen is considered the most important substance of a fertilizer, it contributes to the greening of the leaves and their growth. Phosphorous’ job is to enhance the growth of roots, seeds and flowers.
Nitrogen can be considered as both a fertilizer and nutrient under the right constraints. I will use citrus plants as one of my examples. For citrus growers applying nitrogen to plants is a common and needed practice. “Spring is the best time to apply nitrogen to citrus. Research has shown that the demand for nitrogen in citrus is highest from bloom through June and most of the supplemental nitrogen fertilizer should be applied during this time period.” It is a major key to plant growth and development. Nitrogen is crucial to citrus plants for optimal growth and yield. Without nitrogen you can see suffering results for many years down the road.
Janick. J. (2011). Center for New Crops & Plant Products - Department of Horticulture and
The “Fast Plant” experiment is an observation of a plants growth over the span of twenty-eight days. The objective is to observe how plants grow and use their resources throughout the span of their life. In our lab we observed the Brassica rapa, a herbaceous plant in the mustard family which has a short cycle which makes it a perfect plant to observe in this experiment. Like other plants the Brassica rapa must use the resources in the environment to create energy to complete itʻs life cycle and reproduce. By observing the plant it is easy to see in what organ or function the plant is using itʻs energy and resources and if overtime the resources switch to other part of the plants. By conducting this experiment we are able to observe where and how plants allocate their resources throughout their life by harvesting plants at different points in their life.
Leutwyler, Kristin. “Scientists Grow Plants without Sunlight or Water.” Scientific American. N.p., 15 June 2001. Web. 15 Dec. 2009. .
University of Minnesota. Discover Horticulture at the University of Minnesota. 2 Jan. 2014. Online. 29 Jan. 2014. .
"Home | American Society of Agronomy." Home | American Society of Agronomy. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. .
Synthetic fertilizers are harmful to the environment. The fertilizer is acidic and contains mineral salts that can damage the roots of plants and the soil. It is true that synthetic fertilizers contain the three main elements needed to fertilize plants: nitrogen...
Fertilizers are essential to modern industrial agriculture. Two of the most important plant nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitric acid, phosphoric acid, ...
... urea, or sulfate a few days before crop harvesting. Other ways of lessening the amount of nitrate accumulation in plants substantially include rational application of organic manure instead of inorganic nutrients, use of physiologically active substances, proper spray of nitrification inhibitors and molybdenum fertilizers, and growing plants under controlled environmental conditions. Strategies for reducing nitrate accumulation in plants are not being put in place is due to the fact that the information has not been translated into practice by farmers. Training and education of these farmers is important in developing new practices on reducing nitrate accumulation on their crops. It is essential for these farmers to understand the effects of high nitrate consumption on human health and at the same time the importance of minimizing nitrate content in plant tissues.