Wisconsin Fast Plant Experiment Essay

Although, this experiment is not concluded outdoors, it is provided with efficient light that promotes growth. It’s provided with soil, seed, fertilizer, water and NaCl solutions, to test how salinity effects plant growth.

This experiment is used to determine the effect salt has on plant germination. In my scientific opinion, there will be a more dramatic increase of growth in the NaCl 0% out of the four solutions because it’s considered as distilled water which doesn’t increase or decrease the soils osmotic pressure, this way it’s a natural growth instead of being enhanced by NaCl different concentration levels.

Salt content is one of the most important characteristics of soil and should be a primary concern when growing any plants (McCloskey). Wisconsin Fast Plants are rapid-cycling Brassica Rapa, member of the cabbage and mustard family. It’s an annual flowering plant that completes its lifecycle in approximately one month. Wisconsin Fast Plants are typically used in a field experiment however, because of their short life cycle, they are excellent of biology experiments.

Soil provides water and nutrients that are

NaCl solution varies between freshwater that has a concentration of 0.005% salt and ocean water that has a concentration of 3.5% salt. I am using the NaCl solution in four different concentration levels, NaCl 0% (distilled water), NaCl .375%, NaCl .75% and NaCl 1.5%.

NaCl can dramatically affect the plants growth, it can either increase or decrease its growth cycle. Sodium decreases soil permeability, which reduces the flow of water affecting its germination. Sodium is not absorbed by plants, however, chloride is. Chloride damages the plants tissue resulting in the reduction of growth, it also dehydrates plants through osmotic stress. Osmotic stress decreases the amount of nutrients absorbed by plants slowing down the growth and development (Taiz, & Zeiger,