Syllabus PLSC 102 Introductory Plant Science Lab Fall 2014 Tuesdays 6th Street Greenhouse Instructor: Chelsea Walsh Email: wals9279@vandals.uidaho.edu Office: Ag. Sci. 149 Office hours: By appointment (email to schedule) Website: bblearn.uidaho.edu Assistant: Mike Walls Email: wall2122@vandals.uidaho.edu Course objectives

1. Provide hands on experience in greenhouse plant care 2. Introduce the basic principles of plant science research 3. Explore concepts discussed in lecture

Prerequisites None. However, a basic understanding of algebra, graphing and high school level biology is assumed. Attendance Attendance and participation in each lab is mandatory. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of lab. Participation and preparation will be recorded after the lecture. Data collection and clean up will be checked before you leave. More than two unexcused absences will result failing the course. Substitute labs may be possible and are only available for pre-arranged absences. If you know that you will be absent for a lab, you must see me in advance and make arrangements. Expectations Read the lab background, methods and worksheet before class. A quiz at the beginning of each class will include questions about previous and current labs. Lab activities will require familiarity with the concepts and quiz questions will come directly from the readings. Arrive to class on time. If you have a conflict, inform the instructor immediately. Be prepared for class. Bring a printed lab worksheet/handouts with you to class, you are responsible for printing your own lab materials (these can be found on BBLearn). Have your lab notebook set up and ready for lab when you arrive. Field Trips Tentative field trip dates are on the course schedule and final dates will be announced at least one week before hand. On these dates it is particularly important to be on time. You will also need to wear close-toed shoes and bring anything you need to be comfortable in the field (warm layers, hat, sunscreen, rain jacket, water bottle, etc.)

Grading Scheme Grades will be determined on a percentage basis: 90–100% is an A, 80–89% is a B, 70–79% is a C, 60–69% is a D, and less than 60% is an F.

# Points each Total Percent of grade

Quizzes 11 6 60 17%

Attendance 15 3 45 13%

Lab Assignments 6 20 120 34%

Report 1 60 60 17%

Crop/Seed ID 1 25 25 7%

Lab Notebook 2 20 40 11%

Total -- -- 350 100%

Lab Notebooks You will use a lab notebook to collect your observations from each class experiment or activity. Lab handouts include the specific requirements (different each week). Each week you should come prepared for that weeks lab with the Title, Objectives, and an outline of the methods already in your notebook. This will be checked at the beginning of lab and contribute to participation points. Groups will collect data together, but calculations and final answers should reflect your own work. Lab notebooks will be collected and graded two times throughout the semester. Lab reports and assignment will require data from these notebooks. Lab report One of your goals this semester will be to write a scientific style lab report. These reports will be peer reviewed and a proscribed format which will be detailed by your instruct must be followed. Academic Honesty Plagiarism will be dealt with severely and promptly according to University regulations as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Group work is acceptable only when explicitly stated by the lab instructor. If assignment is to be turned in individually it should represent your original work. You may consult with other students but answers should reflect your own writing. When in doubt ask your instructor. Any outside resources used should be cited using an accepted, uniform format (eg MLA, APA). Take care to use only reputable, reliable sources for information. http://www.webs.uidaho.edu/fsh/2300.html Schedule: the attached schedule is tentative and may be modified as circumstances require. You

will be notified as soon as possible of any required changes

PlSc 102 Lab Schedule

Week Date Lab/Activity Quiz Data collection New Assignments Assignments due

1 26-Aug Introduction Pre test

Reading on Sci method

2 2-Sep Local Crops Discuss Pre test

Local crop WS

3 9-Sep Tour1: Soil Stewards Scientific Method

Reading: organic ag

4 16-Sep Competition Soil Stewards

Reading: intercropping Local crop WS

5 23-Sep Intercropping Competition

6 30-Sep Morphology Intercropping

Morphology assignment

7 7-Oct Tissue Culture Morphology

8 14-Oct Data Analysis and

visualization Tissue Culture

Graphing/Stats HW Monocot/Dicot Sketch

9 21-Oct Tour 2: Biodiesel Graphing/Stats Tissue Culture

Lab notebooks due

10 28-Oct Bioherbicides

(spray Herbicide Lab)

Biodiesel Competition/ Intercropping

Graphing/Stats HW

11 4-Nov Dormancy Bioherbicides

Tissue Culture

12 11-Nov Morphology

quiz/Flex day Dormancy

Graph/Data drafts

Herbicides

13 18-Nov Writing a lab report

Bioherbicide Dormancy

Bioherbicide and Dormancy Assignments

Graph/Data drafts

14 25-Nov F A L L B R E A K

15 2-Dec Peer review lab

reports

Bioherbicide and Dormancy Assignments

Lab Report Drafts

16 9-Dec Clean up Crop ID

Lab reports

17 16-Dec F I N A L S

Keeping a Lab Notebook

The laboratory notebook is an indispensable instrument for conducting research of any kind. At

the most basic level, to conduct research means asking a question, performing an experiment,

recording the results of that experiment, and making a conclusion. All of those steps involve

many details and it is exactly those details that a researcher must capture in a lab notebook. This

information must be organized, legible, and understandable. When this is done, you have a

permanent record of your research, which is a resource both for you as a researcher and for

other researchers. The aim is to enable any competent researcher to pick up your lab notebook,

understand exactly what is was that you did, and reproduce your results. In some fields, such as

consulting, the lab notebook serves as evidence, such as chain of custody, in legal proceedings.

With these goals in mind, certain formatting requirements have evolved and been codified.

Kind of Notebook

First and foremost, the lab notebook must be a permanent record. This means the notebook must

be durable and the pages must not be removable. In commercial and government labs, these

books are also archival quality. For the purposes of this class, a simple college composition book

will suffice. Make sure the composition book has permanent pages that are sewn in: no

perforations that make the pages easy to remove. No binders. No spiral-bound notebooks.

Identification

Lab notebooks need to be clearly labeled with your name, organizational affiliation, and contact

information. Your name identifies you as the researcher and the contents of the notebook as your

research. While your notebook might be perfectly understandable and legible, other researchers

or your collaborators may have questions. There must be a way for others to contact you. Your

name, organization (University of Idaho), and your email address go on the inside cover in black

ink. Never use pencil. Do not confuse a field notebook with a lab notebook.

Formatting

Rather than requiring someone to thumb through your lab notebook looking for one specific bit

of information, a table of contents provides a easy way to narrow down the search to just a few

pages. On the first page, title the table, “Table of Contents,” again in black ink. For this course you

should only need a single page for a table of contents.

Page Numbers

On the second sheet of paper, begin numbering the pages in the upper right hand corner.

Opposite that sheet of paper, number the page in the upper left hand corner, just like any normal

book. Number the pages out to 20 to start.

Observations

For each lab, you need to start a fresh page with the title of the lab at the top, a short list of

objectives for the lab, and a methods section. All of these items should be done before you come

to lab. This will count towards your preparation for the lab. If there are any changes to the

methods, they will be announced in lab and you must make note of them.

Datasheets

Very often you will have a spreadsheet of data or a table of values from an analytical instrument.

To include these, simply print the data out, trim the excess white space, and tape securely into

your lab notebook using clear tape. Do not use staples. Secure all four corners and all four sides

with a little bit of tape. You can use an adhesive if the job is done neatly. No datasheet should

extend beyond the lab notebook. No foldouts.

Dates

Knowing when you, as a researcher, conducted your experiment or made your observations is

also critical information. In the upper left corner, above your title, record the date that you

worked on the lab. This date needs to be unambiguous, e.g., January 17, 2013. Do not use

abbreviated forms like 1/17/13. Research is an international endeavor. People of other countries

do not use the same abbreviations. Abbreviating the month, e.g., Jan, is perfectly fine. The key is

to differentiate between day, month, and year.

Data and Calculations

The data you will collect in the lab will often be on a datasheet, which you will trim and tape to

your notebook as described above. If you record directly into your lab notebook, organize the

data in a table with labeled column headers and units of measure. Any calculations need to be

entered with at least one example using your data.

Summary

As stated above, conducting research means asking a question, performing an experiment,

recording the results of that experiment, and making a conclusion. That conclusion takes the

form of a summary in your notebook. It should be a short paragraph, not more than half a page in

length, that briefly describes what you intended to do, what results you obtained, and a short

conclusion. You want someone to be able to quickly read your summary and know what it was

that you did and what it was that you found. If that person then needs more details, they can refer

to the relevant sections of your notebook.

Below is an example of a well-organized lab notebook, but there are two items missing. What are

they?

.

July 22, 2014

Objectives:

1. Learn to recognize local crop plants and their seeds.

2. Learn to maintain plants in a greenhouse.

3. Learn basic attributes of local crops.

Methods:

Fill 1 gallon pots with premoistened potting mix

Plant 2 -3 seeds of each crop listed below at a depth of twice the

diameter of the seed.

o wheat (Triticum spp), barley (Hordium vulgare), pea

(Pisum sativum), garbanzo/chickpea (Cicer arietinum),

lentil (Lens culinaris), canola (Brassica napus), oriental

mustard (Brassica juncea), yellow mustard (Sinapis alba),

beans (Phaseolus spp.), sugar beets (Beta vulgaris), corn

(Zea mays)

Place in greenhouse

Data:

Planted: July 22nd

, 2014 with one pot per species for each lab

section.

Lab 1: Local Crops

Background In this lab you will familiarize yourself with some of the most common crops grown in this

region. Very few crops have shown adaptability to the environmental conditions that exist in the

dry-land regions of the Inland Pacific Northwest. Small grain cereals, winter and spring wheat

(Triticum spp.) and spring barley (Hordium vulgare) account for more than 75% of the acreage

annually. Traditional rotation crops are pea (Pisum sativum), garbanzo/chickpea (Cicer

arietinum) and lentil (Lens culinaris). More recently farmers have identified Brassicaceae crops

such as canola (Brassica napus), oriental mustard (Brassica juncea) and yellow mustard (Sinapis

alba) as potential rotational crops in the Pacific Northwest. A greater variety of crops are grown

in the irrigated portions of the region including potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), beans (Phaseolus

spp.), sugar beets (Beta vulgaris), mint (Menta x piperita), corn (Zea mays), hay (Medicago sativa

and others), hops (Homulus lupulus), grapes (Vitis spp.) and orchard crops (Malus domestica,

Pyrus spp. and others).

Learning Objectives Correctly differentiate and identify the seed and plants of all crops grown in this

laboratory.

Provide proper care to maintain crops in good health in greenhouse conditions.

Become familiar with some of the basic characteristics of locally grown crops

Materials 1 gallon pots potting media (Sunshine® Mix which contains 75% peat moss, 15% perlite and 10%

vermiculite) seed

Methods Potting media must be moistened prior to filling pots. Plant 2-3 seed in each pot. Plant seeds 0.5-

1 inch deep or twice the seed size (for a seed 1/8” in size plant ¼” deep). Later you will thin

seedlings to leave only one plant per pot. Each pot should be clearly labeled with crop name.

Students will share responsibility for care of crop plants as a group including watering and

scouting for pests/disease. Any disease or pests observed should be noted and immediately

reported to your lab instructor and/or the greenhouse manager so that preventative measures

can be taken.

Plants will be fertilized (by the greenhouse staff) once a week with Peter’s Professional Fertilizer,

at a rate equivalent to 200 ppm nitrogen.

Lab notebook: list of crops planted with scientific name, summary of method (Pot size, seeds per

pot, pots per species, planting date)

Assignments: Crop and Seed ID Quiz, local crops worksheet

Name:

Local crops worksheet:

For this assignment you will be asked to classify the following 16 crops based on a number of

categories: wheat, barley, oat, pea, bean, lentil, garbanzo bean, canola, oriental mustard, yellow

mustard, mint, potato, corn, sugar beets, grapes, and apples.

You may have to use online or print resources to answer some questions. Be sure you are using

reputable sources for your information.

Separate the 16 crops into monocots and dicots: (2pts)

Monocots Dicots

Which crops are harvested for seed, root, leaf or fruit: (4pts)

Seed Leaf Root Fruit

Due Date

1. Which crops are able to symbiotically fix their own nitrogen (legume crops)? (2pts)

2. What is vegetative reproduction? (2pts)

3. Most crops are planted using seed, however, some are cultivated using other plant parts.

Which crops are planted using vegetative reproduction? (2pts)

4. Many of these crops are found in both dryland and irrigated areas of the Pacific

Northwest. Which crops are found primarily in irrigated areas? (2pts)

5. What is the difference between “spring” and “winter” annual crops? (2pts)

6. What is the difference between perennial and annual plants? (2pts)

7. Most crops grown in this region are annuals, which of these crops are perennial? (2pts)

You will be tested on your ability to identify local crops and their seeds. Be sure to take a look at

the seeds and plants growing in the greenhouse regularly.

Name:

Lab 2: Competition Lab

Background When plants are growing in the field they are competing for solar energy, water and nutrients

with the plants in their immediate vicinity. These competitors could be plants of the same species

or plants of a different species. In most cases whether the plant of a different species is a different

crop plant or a wild plant species they are both considered weeds because they are growing

where they are not wanted. A crop plant that originates from a previous year can also be called a

volunteer plant. Whether a weed or volunteer, these plants can compete with the crop plant

resulting in a reduction in yield.

Objectives Determine relative competitiveness of monocot and dicot crops.

Materials 4” pots

Seed for 1 crop and 1 weed species

Methods Students will work in groups. The experimental design used is called an addition series with

replacement. Each group will fill and plant 12 4” pots. There are a total of six treatments,

including: (1) 5 crop plants; (2) 4 crop + 1 weed; (3) 3 crop and 2 weed; (4) 2 crop and 3 weed,

(5) 1 crop and 4 weed; and (6) 5 weed. Each treatment will be duplicated to result in two

replications and 12 total pots. Approximately 5 weeks after planting the above ground biomass

will be determined from each pot/treatment. The plants will be cut at the soil surface. Each

species and pot should be weighed separately. Record your results in your lab notebook and

enter them into the excel spreadsheet provided by the instructor. The assignment will ask you to

consider your results along with the rest of the class.

Data Analysis Calculate the average weight per plant for each species at each ratio Determine the mean weight per plant for the two species at each ratio Graph this data in the same way as the examples below (“line graph” in excel) Use the graphs to determine what type of interaction you see.

Questions to consider: 1. Which species was more competitive? 2. What factors limit our ability to apply these results to field conditions? 3. What data do you base your conclusions on? 4. What do your results suggest for management of this weed in wheat?

Assignments: This lab will be combined with your intercropping lab. You will right up a full

scientific lab report.

Example Graphs

In a later lab we will learn how to create these and other labs in Excel. In this exercise we will

learn to interpret our competition results.

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These graphs show the average weight per plant for a competition series with replacement using

two species, A and B. Looking at the slope for each line will allow us to identify inter- and

intraspecific competition, mutualism, commensalism and non-interaction. The table below

summarizes the negative and positive impacts of each type of interaction. Intraspecific

competition and commensalism are interchangeable and commensalism could be considered the

release from intraspecific competition.

Interaction Effect

Interspecific Competition Lowest at equal ratios

Intraspecific Competition Lowest monoculture (May see in only one species)

Mutualism Peak at equal ratios

Commensalism + for one, 0 for the other

No interaction 0 for both

For each of the graphs determine the effect of inter-planting for each species and what ratio

would yield the most biomass

Graph Effect on A Effect on B Type of interaction Optimal ratio

1

2

3

4

5

6

Name:

Lab 3: Intercropping Lab

Background Monocropping leads to a number of agronomic problems, especially related to weed, insect and

disease control. Large areas of a single species attract pests and allow rapid spread of disease.

Also repeat cropping of a single species in one local allows the build up of both pests and

diseases. Other current concerns in agriculture are the dependence on chemical fertilizers

(petroleum based) and soil erosion. One solution which has been proposed to address all of these

issues is the use of cover and intercrops. Intercropping is the seeding of two or more crops within

a field, either intermixed or in rows. Legume intercrops are commonly used because of their

ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.

Objectives Determine the effect of legume intercrops on early wheat growth.

Materials Seedling flats

Seed for wheat and legume intercrop

Methods Students will work in groups.

We will look at 3 scenarios in this lab:

1. Wheat only at 50 seeds per flat (Monoculture)

2. 25 wheat with 25 legume (Replacement)

3. 50 wheat with 25 legume (Addition)

Approximately 5 weeks after planting the above ground biomass will be determined from each

flat. The plants will be cut at the soil surface. Each species and pot should be weighed separately.

Record your results in your lab notebook and enter them into the excel spreadsheet provided by

the instructor. The assignment will ask you to consider your results along with the rest of the

class.

Data Analysis Calculate the mean weight per plant for wheat Calculate the total wheat biomass Calculate the total legume biomass Calculate the total N available from the legume intercrop

o 10 lb per acre * percent of stand o convert to kg/ha

Calculate the total biomass in the flat Create a table summarizing your calculations

o Format for easy readability o Include units

Create a column or bar graph comparing total wheat biomass for each treatment

Questions to consider: 1. What was the effect of intercrops on wheat growth? 2. How did planting design/density effect these results? 3. What factors limit our ability to apply these results to field conditions?

Assignments:

This lab will be combined with your competition lab. You will right up a full scientific lab report.

Example table:

Table 1: Results for intercropping wheat with legume (species) using either addition or

replacement design

Treatment Mean wheat plant weight

Total wheat biomass

Total Legume Biomass

N from legumes

Total Biomass in flat

g g g kg/ha g Monoculture x.xx x.xx x.xx x.xx x.xx

Replacement x.xx x.xx x.xx x.xx x.xx

Addition x.xx x.xx x.xx x.xx x.xx

Lab report guidelines

Introduction –

This section provides the background for the article. Why are you doing this experiment? What

are the possible impacts of the results? Basic information regarding the crop being investigated?

Overview of biological process being investigated (i.e. competition, drought hardiness etc.)

Should include at least 2 reliable sources, properly cited. Citations in the text should be in

(Author, year) format eg: (Walsh et al, 2014)

Materials and Methods –

Everything a researcher would need to know to repeat your experiment. For this experiment

import information includes but is not limited to, growing conditions (where, light type, day

length, temperature), pot size, planting depth, plant density, thinning?, watering schedule,

fertilization, potting media, cultural techniques used, etc.

Results –

This section is a presentation of your results and should include both text and tables/graphs. You

should report all relevant data. Tables and graphs should stand alone and be understandable

without referring to the text. Tables and graphs should have a title, and axes should be clearly

labeled, including units. Text should highlight most important findings. This section should not

include and interpretation of the data or conclusions.

Discussion –

This section provides your interpretation of the results and their potential applications. In this

section you make an recommendations based on your findings including cultural practices for

farmers as well as areas for further research.

References

Provide formatted citations for any information in your introduction (or elsewhere) that is not

common knowledge. Example:

Walsh, C.L, J.K Rowling, T. Edison, A. Einstein. 2014. An introduction to writing and the scientific

method. University of Idaho Extension. www.awebsite.com Accessed: July 2 2014

Grammar and Spelling –

Your paper should be free of spelling and major grammatical errors. An important part of science

is the ability to clearly, concisely and understandably communicate what you have learned.

Name:

Lab 4: Plant Morphology

I. Seeds

Examine the bean seeds, which have been soaking overnight. The outer layer is the testa or

seed coat. The scar, or hilum, indicating the place of attachment of the seed to the wall of the

fruit, is readily visible. Close to one end of it is a small pore, the micropyle. Remove the seed coat

and carefully note the relation of the hilum and micropyle to the parts of the embryo within. The

bulk of a bean embryo consists of two large fleshy cotyledons attached to the short axis. Above

the point of attachment of the cotyledons is the plumule or epicotyl, below the attachment is the

hypocotyl. The latter terminates with the embryonic root, called the radicle. Cut a thin slice of

one of the cotyledons, and add a drop of I2KI (5 g I2 + 10 g KI / 100 ml dH2O). If starch (an

insoluble carbohydrate commonly stored in plants) is present, it will stain blue-black.

1. Sketch the bean seed and label micropyle, hilum, cotyledons, plumule, epicotyl, hypocotyl, radicle and testa. 4 pts

2. What was the result of your starch test? What does this indicated about the function of the cotyledons? 2 pts

Due Date

II. Seedlings

Observe also the bean and wheat seedlings planted in a previous lab.

Sketch the seedlings side by side and label true leaves, cotyledons, hypocotyl, epicotyl,

sheath leaf and coleoptile where appropriate. 6 pts

Also sketch a bean leaf and a wheat leaf. Label veins, petiole, where present. What

similarities and differences do you see? 8 pts

Field Trip: Soil Stewards Student Farm TOURS LEAVE PROMPTLY AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS. IF YOU ARE LATE YOU WILL BE LEFT AND LOSE CREDIT

FOR ATTENDANCE. IF YOU THINK YOU NEED TO DRIVE YOUR OWN VEHICLE PLEASE TALK TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR

PRIOR TO YOUR LAB TIME.

BACKGROUND

Soil Stewards is a recognized student organization whose members created and continue

to run an organic farm within the UI Plant Science Research Farm. Soil Stewards goals are to

promote the preservation of natural resources and sustainability through community outreach,

research, and experiential learning.

Members come from all over the university. We have undergraduate and graduate

members, art majors, soil science majors, agriculture majors and environmental science majors.

It’s a diverse group joined by a desire to effect change and grow healthy food right here on

campus.

ASSIGNMENT

1. Read the attached article, relate this opinion piece to what you learned at the UI student farm.

What do you think of the opinions expressed in the article? What role do you think student farms

can play in promoting sustainable agriculture?

Proper spelling and grammar should be used, proof read your work! Please type your answer

~300 words – 10 points

2. What methods of organic weed control were being used at the farm? 3 pts

3. Research and list commercially available local/organic products (at least 3) grown on the

Palouse. 6 pts

As a consumer who generally tries to do the right thing, I’ve always thought the decision to buy

organic was a no-brainer. But in recent years organic has grown to include paradoxes such as the

organic factory farm and the organic TV dinner. And now, there is even organic high-fructose

corn syrup. We are not far from organic Coca-Cola.

Now these aren’t absolutely good or absolutely bad developments. As offensive a concept as

organic high-fructose corn syrup may be, a product like organic Coke will sponsor a lot more

organic acreage in this country. But this is certainly not what the founders of the organic

movement had in mind.

It’s worth remembering what they did have in mind. There were three legs to the original organic

dream. One was growing food in harmony with nature—a nonindustrial way of farming that

treated animals humanely and did not use chemical pesticides. The second leg was that our

system of food distribution should be different; food co-ops, farmer’s markets, and community

supported agriculture could replace the national agricultural system. And the third leg was the

food itself. We shouldn’t be eating red delicious apples; we should be eating ten different kinds of

apples because biodiversity in the apple tart means biodiversity in the orchard.

For all sorts of reasons—some good, some mistaken—the organic community decided more than

a decade ago that it needed federal recognition and regulations. Big companies wanted to sell

organic products nationally, but they needed standard rules. And farmers thought that a standard

label would give credibility to organic, which it did. But once we had an official federal organic

standard, small farmers lost control of the niche.

Today the organic dream is in peril. In fact, many of the best farmers in this country no longer

even use the word organic. The USDA developed a set of rules—and they got pesticides,

hormones, and many drugs out of the system. All wonderful. But if you look at the new rules,

that’s all they address. There is nothing written about the kind of food that may be called organic,

or its distribution. There is no rule against high-fructose corn syrup. A myriad of synthetics are

allowed in processed organic food. And we find ourselves with an organic transcontinental

strawberry: 5 calories of food energy that use 435 calories of fossil-fuel energy to get to a

supermarket near you. This is organic food forced through the industrial system, shorn of its

holism. What has been lost is that one key insight about organic: that everything is connected.

The organic dream has been reduced to a farming method.

The way we spend our food dollars is one of the most important votes we cast, and the choice we

consumers are increasingly going to be faced with is not organic or conventional, but local or

organic. I come down on the side of local. When you buy local, you’re voting for a short, highly

legible food chain—one that supports all three legs of the original vision. This shorter food chain

brings the consumer and producer together, and the producer gets to tell her story. Organic label

or not, it had better be a good story: clean food, grown without pesticides, the animals being

treated humanely. Another reason to buy local is that farms produce more than food—they

produce a kind of landscape too, which your food dollars help to conserve.

The lesson to be learned is that consumers of all kinds, but especially eaters, are producers in the

most important sense. With every food purchasing decision, we are helping to create the world

we want to live in, one bite at a time.

Michael Pollan is the author of The Botany of Desire. This article is adapted from a talk hosted by the Great Barrington (Massachusetts) Land Conservancy.

Lab 5: Seed Dormancy

Background

Seed dormancy results in decreased germination even under ideal environmental conditions for

germination. These ideal environmental conditions include moisture, temperature, atmosphere,

and light and/or the lack of light. In most cultivated crop species dormancy has been selected

against resulting in crops that germinate soon after planting. Wild plant species or plant species

that have undergone a minimum of human selection still retain various levels of seed dormancy.

These include native grasses, shrubs and many tree species. As interest in these native or non-

domesticated species increases for re-vegetation, reforestation and landscaping, overcoming

seed dormancy becomes an issue.

Types of Dormancy

Physical dormancy – Physical seed dormancy refers to a barrier that prevents the

penetration of water to the embryo. These ‘hard’ seeds will not germinate until the seed

covering is weakened either by the environment over time or by artificial methods.

Chemical/physiological dormancy – Chemical/physiological seed dormancy refers to

dormancy induced by some chemical inhibitor that prevents germination even if the

embryo is imbibed until the inhibitor breaks down or is removed. The inhibitor can be

broken down or removed by leaching or exposure to low temperature and/or high

temperature. The chemical inhibitor can be found in the seed covering or in the embryo

itself. A common form of chemical inhibitor is the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA).

Overcoming seed dormancy:

Physical dormancy – To overcome seed dormancy it is necessary to weaken the seed

covering to allow the penetration of water. The process of weakening the seed covering is

called scarification. Scarification can be accomplished by physically abrading the seed or

using an acid such as sulfuric acid to weaken the seed covering. Allowing water to

penetrate the seed covering can also remove any chemical inhibitors found in the seed

covering that may be causing seed dormancy.

Chemical/physiological seed dormancy – Overcoming chemical/physiological seed

dormancy may require a prolonged exposure to low temperature or a brief exposure to

high temperature to break down the chemical inhibitor and allow germination. One form

of prolonged cold exposure to induce seed germination is called stratification.

Austrian winter pea is a large vine pea species that has traditionally been grown in Europe and

north Africa as a green manure (cover) crop. This species has not been developed in the same

way as other cultivated pea species and hence many of the cultivars available have retained some

of the inherent dormancy characteristics of their wild ancestors. Perennial sweet pea is a legume

that has a seed coat that limits the initial penetration of water to the embryo. This experiment

will involve attempting to increase seed germination by physical scarification.

Materials

Austrian winter pea seed

Perennial Sweet Pea seed

4 pack cell

Sand paper

Methods

Each person will conduct their own experiment. The experiment will include both species each

with four treatments: (1) Commercial Austrian Winter Pea; (2) untreated perennial sweet pea;

(3) sweet pea seeds scarified using sand paper; and (4) Austrian Winter pea seeds scarified

using sandpaper. Make sure to label correctly each species and seed treatment.

Seedling emergence data will be collected weekly for 5 weeks. At the completion of the study the

data from each lab section will be pooled and analyzed to determine the affect of scarification on

seed germination.

Experiment 2: Physiological Dormancy

This experiment will determine the dormancy of domesticated oat seed and wild oat seeds that

are of different ages. Wild oat seed was harvested in 1999 while a different seed lot of wild oat

seeds were harvested in 2009.

Materials

Seedling flat

Wild oat seed

Domesticated oat seed

Methods

Each Lab Section will be divided into groups of 2-3 people; each group will plan one seedling flat

of oat seeds. There will be 100 seeds planted in each flat (in 10 columns each with 10 seeds in a

row). Domesticated oat seeds will be planted in two rows of 10 seeds on the outer edge of each

flat. The left center of each flat will be planted with 4 rows of 10 seeds of 1999 wild oat seeds, the

right center of each flat will be planted with 4 rows of 10 seeds from wild oat seeds from 2009

year harvest. Make sure to label each flat with the student’s initials and arrange as instructed.

Oat seedling emergence data will be collected weekly for 5 weeks. At the completion of the study

the data from each Lab Section will be pooled and analyzed to determine the affect of wild oat

seed age on seed germination compared to domesticated oat seed germination.

Name:

Assignment

1. Include a table with results for both experiments for your whole section, include average germination rates and seedling heights. 8 pts

2. What is the advantage for a plant to have some form of seed dormancy? 2 pts

3. Why would seed dormancy be selected against during the domestication of a crop species? 2 pts

4. Did the perennial sweet pea or Austrian winter pea exhibit physical dormancy? How do

your results support this conclusion? 4pts

5. Did the wild oats exhibit dormancy? How did your results support this conclusion? 4 pts

Due Date

Lab 6: Tissue Culture

Background

The purpose of this lab is to determine the differential effects of two plant hormones on potato

plantlet growth…..plus you’ll learn some basic tissue culture techniques. Hormones are organic

substances produced in a plant which will, at low concentrations, modify growth, usually at a site

other than its place of origin. Auxins are plant hormones (natural or synthetic) which induce cell

elongation or in some cases cell division and often induce adventitious roots and inhibit

adventitious buds (shoots). Cytokinins are plant hormones (natural or synthetic) which induce

cell division and often adventitious buds (shoots) and in most cases inhibit adventitious root

formation; cytokinins decrease apical dominance.

Objectives

Practice basic tissue culture. Demonstrate rudimentary aseptic techniques. Determine effect of hormone addition to culture media.

Materials

Each pair will need:

an alcohol burner, scissors, forceps, clean dish, beaker with cotton balls for alcohol, plate of media A with high auxin concentration plate of media B with high cytokinin concentration strips of Parafilm.

Methods

Work in pairs, unless you are blessed with an extra arm. Sterilize your work space with alcohol spray bottle or bleach wipes. Tie back your hair if it’s long and remove your cap if you’re wearing one. Wash your hands and forearms. Sterilize your forceps and scissors in alcohol and flame, let cool for a minute. With your partner’s help, cut one node of the plantlet and transfer it to the test media

A…repeat several times, using the same plantlet and sterilizing your forceps and scissors between each transfer, until you have at least 3 or 4 nodes.

Seal the plate with Parafilm and label it with your name and date. Switch roles with your partner and use the other test media (B). Keep it clean!! Don’t breathe, cough, sneeze, etc. on the plates!

After you and your partner have one A plate and one B plate with their happy nodes, set them

under the growth lights and check every few days to watch and record their progress. Don’t open

the plates or you’ll let nasties in.

Name:

Assignment

1. Provide a table with average number of roots/shoots per plate (data for entire section) for

each treatment. 8 pts

2. Compare and contrast plates with each hormone to growth without hormone: Number of

roots? Shoots? Amount of growth? General observations? 8 pts

3. Based on your observations is it beneficial to have growth hormones added to the media?

4pts

Due Date

Lab 7: Data Analysis and Visualization

This lab will meet in a campus computer lab:____________________________

You may also use your own laptop if you have one.

In this lab we will learn how to make and format tables and graphs in Word/Excel. Below are

examples of both properly formatted with all the require elements.

Title – describes the graph, think of this as a descriptive sentence rather than a few words Legend (graphs) Units – on the axis for graphs, at the head of columns for tables Axis labels (graphs) Row and column headers (tables) Appropriate number of decimal places Colors appropriate for type of printer (black and white vs color) If color is used it should be legible by the color blind Less is more. Minimize the ink on your charts Additional reading: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/20/ http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/help/user_guide/graph/whentouse.asp

You will also practice making basic calculations using excel.

Assignment:

Answer questions using the data sets provided by your instructor. Paste your tables and graphs

into word from excel, format, and turn in a printed copy. You may consult with other students or

your instructor if you have difficulty determining how to create the graphs. However, this is an

individual assignment and answers should be in your own words and all work should be done

individually. Do not copy and paste graphs another student made and formatted. Answers should

be in your own words.

1. Create a column with the total number of earthworms (adult + juvenile) 2. Create a column with the total weight of earthworms (adult + juvenile) 3. Create a column with the earthworm density (# per m2) 4. Create a column with earthworm biomass (g per m2) 5. Make a graph showing earthworm biomass as a function of time. You should have two

lines (“series”) one for Site A and one for Site B. This should be a line graph 6. Make a column graph showing the number of juveniles and adults at each date for Site A 7. Paste both into Word, format and add a titles 6pts 8. Calculate the average earthworm density between the two sites for each date. 9. Create a table showing the average earthworm density for each date. Paste into Word add

title and format. 6 pts 10. Turn in your final excel worksheet electronically. 11. Answer the questions below

Due Date

Questions:

For the following questions choose from scatter, line, bar, and pie chart for type of graph: 2 pts

Use Type

Relationship between plant biomass and seed

yield

Number of flower petals for different species

Change in wheat height over time

Relationship between pod length and seed yield

Examples for formatting

Figure 1: Mean earthworm biomass for high and low rainfall zones, sampled every 2 weeks

beginning April 8th (week 0).

Table 1: Annual rainfall amounts and growing degree-days (5 Tb) by month at the University of Idaho

Plant Science Farm in Moscow, ID.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

-----------------------------------------growing degree-days----------------------------------------

2010 5 6.10 47.2 106.4 156.9 272.5 406.1 416.9 307.5 168.9 47.8 1.7

2011 7.8 3.1 15.8 28.9 154.4 271.1 371.1 437.5 -- -- -- --

----------------------------------------------------mm--------------------------------------------------

2010 74.4 40.6 53.6 95.3 70.1 98 8.1 0.3 50 80 72.1 89.9

2011 97.5 64.8 121.4 85.34 113.5 26.4 4.32 6.35 -- -- -- --

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0 2 4 6 8 10

Bio

ma

ss g

m-2

Week

High Rainfall Low Rainfall

References

From: Advanced Presentations by Design: Creating Communication that Drives Action, by Dr. Andrew Abela.

Summary of Statistical Graphs

Type of Graph Description Advantages Disadvantages

Vertical bar

graph

A bar graph displays

discrete data in separate

columns. A double bar

graph can be used to

compare two data sets.

Visually strong

Can easily compare

two or three data sets

Graph categories can be

reordered to emphasize

certain effects

Use only with discrete data

Scatterplot A scatterplot displays the

relationship between two

factors of the experiment.

A trend line is used to

determine positive,

negative, or no

correlation.

Shows a trend in the

data relationship

Retains exact data

values and sample size

Shows

minimum/maximum

and outliers

Hard to visualize results in

large data sets

Flat trend line gives

inconclusive results

Data on both axes should be

continuous

Line graph A line graph plots

continuous data as points

and then joins them with

a line. Multiple data sets

can be graphed together,

but a key must be used

Can compare multiple

continuous data sets

easily

Interim data can be

inferred from graph

line

Use only with continuous

data

Pie chart A pie chart displays data

as a percentage of the

whole. Each pie section

should have a label and

percentage. A total data

number should be

included

Visually appealing

Shows percent of total

for each category

No exact numerical data

Hard to compare 2 data sets

"Other" category can be a

problem

Total unknown unless

specified

Best for 3 to 7 categories

Use only with discrete data

http://xkcd.com/833/

Lab 8: Bioherbicides and Allelopathy

Background Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon by which an organism produces one or more

biochemicals that influence the growth, survival, and reproduction of other organisms. These

biochemicals are known as allelochemicals and can have beneficial (positive allelopathy) or

detrimental (negative allelopathy) effects on the target organisms. Allelochemicals with negative

allelopathic effects are an important part of plant defense against herbivory.

Some of the most researched allelochemicals are the glucosinolates produced by many

Brassicaceae species. Glucosinolates, per se, are not toxic, but in the presence of water and

myrosinase, they degrade into a number of toxic compounds including isothiocyanates and ionic

thiocyanate that have known pesticidal properties.

Brassicaceae crops contain glucosinolates in all parts of the plant, in varying

concentrations. Many different types of glucosinolate occur among species in Brassicaceae, and

different species produce different glucosinolate types. Most phytotoxicity studies using

Brassicaceae biofumigation have involved plow-down crops where green plant tissues are

incorporated into soils. However, the concentration of glucosinolates in the seed meal (the

residue after the seed oil has been removed) can be 5 to 10 times higher than in other plant parts,

yet few studies have examined the effects of seed meal amended soils on weeds or crops.

Oriental mustard, canola and yellow mustard contain different glucosinolates that

hydrolyze into different allelochemicals. Condiment Oriental mustard seed meal is high in allyl

glucosinolate. Yellow mustard primarily produces 4-hydroxybenzyl glucosinolate while low

glucosinolate canola contains primarily 3-butenyl and 4-pentenyl glucosinolate.

Objectives Determine efficacy of brassica seed meals as bioherbicides on wild oat and prickly lettuce.

Materials Meal from: Yellow mustard: 'IdaGold'; Oriental Mustard: 'Pacific Gold'; Canola: 'Athena'

Seedling flats

Pigweed seed, wheat seed

Methods Each group will be assigned two flat treatments. 500 cm^3 of Sunshine® Mix should be

thoroughly mixed with the appropriate seed meal type equivalent to an application rate of 1 ton

per ha and filled in a seedling flat. The study will also include a ‘control’ flat in which no seed

meal is mixed with the potting soil.

Fifty seeds each of the each species will be planted evenly spaced rows in each seedling flat. The

seedling flats will be watered to field capacity immediately after planting and every the other day

after. After three weeks of growth, the number of seedlings and the weight of seedlings will be

recorded and the data analyzed to determine the herbicidal potential of these seed meal

treatments.

Name:

Assignment 1. What are possible advantages of seed meal over green manure? 2 pts

2. Include a table with class results for each treatment 10 pts

3. Which treatment was most effective on pigweed? On wheat? 2 pts

4. What were the primary differences between treatments? Possible causes? 4 pts

5. In your opinion do brassica seed meals provide a viable herbicide option for organic

farms? 2 pts

Due Date