The Effect of Gibberellic Acid on Wild Type and Rosette Brassica rapa Plants

831 Words2 Pages

The Effect of Gibberellic Acid on Wild Type and Rosette Brassica rapa Plants

Intro

This experiment was performed to test two hypotheses concerning the plant hormone gibberellic acid and a mutant rosette shaped phenotype of the plant Brassica rapa. This experiment was done in order to test the effects o gibberellic acid on plants and its effect on rosette shaped complexes. The two hypotheses in this experiment are as follows: Hypothesis number one states that Gibberellic acid allows for stem elongation in plants. Hypothesis number two. The rosette complex in the rosette phenotype plant contains less gibberellic acid naturally and therefore grows shorter.

Plant hormones are certain chemicals present in plants that control plant growth and development by affecting the division, differentiation, and elongation of cells. (Campbell, 2008) Each hormone has multiple effects depending on its site of action, its concentrations, and the developing stage of the plant. (Campbell, 2008) Auxin is a plant hormone that is synthesized within the apical meristems and young leaves of a growing plant. Auxin stimulates stem elongation when it is present is low concentrations. It promotes the formations of lateral and adventitious roots, regulates development of fruit, enhances apical dominance, functions in gravitropism and phototropism, promotes vascular differentiation, and retards leaf abscission. Gibberellic acid is one of several plant hormones that govern a plant’s growth. Gibberellins allow for stem elongation in plants. Plants without enough of this hormone tend to grow short or stunted. This chemical is high in the element potassium, which is one the main components of plant fertilizer and very important for plant growth on its own. The...

... middle of paper ...

...aller or weaker looking of the two was taken out and destroyed. Once there was only one plant left within each cup, the plants were measured, watered, and replaced on the shelf to receive more light.

Two members of the group were instructed to visit the laboratory each day of the experiment to water and measure the plants (Handout 1). The measurements that were preformed were to be precise and accurate by the group by organizing a standardized way to measure the plants. The plants were measured from the level of the soil, which was flat throughout all the cups, to the tip of the apical meristems. The leaves were not considered. The watering of the plants took place nearly everyday, except for the times the lab was closed. Respective of cup label, the appropriate drop of solution was added to the plant, at the very tip of the apical meristems.

Day 8

Open Document