Saturday, September 22, 2007

Significance of the Study

Agriculture is the backbone of the country, without this our country won't progress. It is important that we should focus on this aspect because it plays a vital role in our economic development. With this study farmers will be able to add some knowledge or new idea for the improvement of thier plant growth.

Hypotheses

If a plant is watered with sugar, then it will grow the most.

Problem

What is the effect of water impurities on plant growth?

Background of the Study

This experiment is "The effect of water impurities on the growth of plants." It will determine the effect of sugar, salt, and chlorine on the growth of a plant. Which water impurity will effect a plants growth? Will each substance used effect the rate of the plants growth differently?

There are two types of plants, a flowering plant (which produces flowers), and a nonflowering plant (such as mosses, ferns, and horsetails). During daylight hours, the plant collects the suns energy. During the night, is when the plant works. The plant uses the suns energy to make food, which is in the form of sugars. The food then has to be transported to where it is needed, while water and minerals from the soil have to be carried away to the stems, branches, and leaves of the plant (Burnie, 1989).

Green plants are the only plants that produce oxygen and make food. Photosynthesis is the process of the suns energy being turned into food. Photosynthesis takes place in chloroplasts. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, which absorb sunlight. The green plants use the sunlight to combine carbon dioxide and water to make sugar and oxygen. These plants use the sugar made to make starch, fats, and proteins (http://tqjunior.advanced.org/3715/photo3.html).

A seed has one embryo inside of it. The root begins to grow first. The pressure from the growing root tip breaks open the seed coat at that end of the seed. Then the growing root can emerge. The root produces fine hairs that help it absorb water. The hypocotyl is the part of the seedling that emerges going upward. A peg grows as a brace against the seed coat. The hypocotyl itself grows upward. The cotyledon, which is a part of the hypocotyl, opens and reveals the first leaves. The stem will continue to grow revealing more leaves (Rahn, 1978).

Plants produce hormones, which are the main factors controlling growth and development. They are produced in one part of the plant and transported to another part. Each hormone has a different effect depending on where the tissue it goes to is (Schraer and Stoltze, 1999). An example of the most important plant hormone is auxin. Growing stem tips produce it, and in other areas it is transported to, it could promote growth or stop growth. It also slows down the abscission (dropping off) of flowers, fruits, and leaves (Microsoft Encarta '97 Encyclopedia, 1993-1996).