Affect of different pHs when Germinating Green Beans seeds

By: Calvin Chan

Problem: Will Ph levels of growing material, if changed, from low to high (acidic-basic), have a positive or negative affect on the germination of green bean seeds? (Ph values:  2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 14) 

These were the beans used in the experiment

Rationale

I chose this project because the aspect of changing pH levels in a plant’s growing material really intrigued me

A second reason why I chose this topic was that I like to help my parents garden and by finding the optimum pH range for planting seeds I would be able to help them a lot

By conducting this experiment I hoped to be able to achieve information about what pH levels green bean seeds would germinate well in and which ones they do not

Background Research To make the best hypothesis, relationships

between pH and plants had to be done Research about optimum ranges of pH for

planting trees and plants (6-7) Research about how the pH of soil

(planting material) affects the germination of seeds

Info found about how to change pH of soil (growing material) (using lime or baking soda)

Hypothesis After looking through many articles about pH and

germination, the following hypothesis was created

If green bean seeds are grown in a near neutral pH level (6-7), then they will germinate the best (length, measured in centimeters).

Seeds germinating over a period of time

Hypothesis Continued

Control group: a pot of bean seeds grown in a pot filled with cotton balls with ph value of 7

Independent: ph values variable & units: ph values: 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 14

Dependent: length of Bean sprouts variable & units: length of growth in centimeters

Control variables & units: amount of water, sunlight, air, minerals, humidity, cotton balls

Materials

Materials used to conduct this experiment were› Bean Sprout Seeds› Water› Ammonia› Vinegar› Small Pots› Cotton balls› pH strips› Ruler› Sunlight› Baking Soda› Lime Juice› Tray

Procedure

Ask Mrs. Zega to see if she has enough ph strips I could borrow, or I could buy them from online (Amazon)

Fill every small pot with 1 mashed cotton ball Buy extra cotton balls (in case I run out) Pour the ammonia/baking soda or lemon juice into the pots that

need to start out more acidic, or more base Make sure the calculation for the ph value in each pot is correct Pour water into the pots with cotton balls which need a ph value of

7 Double check each pot with 1 ph strip to see if the ph levels are

correct If they are incorrect, retry in a separate dish until you find the

correct ph value Keep the ammonia or vinegar/lemon juice near (in case you need to

add more in the pot) Place 5 bean sprout seeds in every pot

Procedure continued

Rotate the pots every 2 days to make sure the sunlight distribution will be equal

Check the height of all 5 sprouts in every pot every 4 days Measure all of the lengths of germination for every seed (cm) Make sure you keep the same piece of paper in a safe place(to mark

down all heights organizationally) Continue step 14 many times until all pots have been averaged and

marked on paper At length checking 2, repeat step numbers 13 and 14 again and

mark it down on paper Length checking 3, repeat step numbers 13 and 14 again and mark

it down on paper (Use the same paper, or type it on the computer on a Microsoft Document)

Take all data and form a chart (if not yet formed from collecting data)

Double check the last length measurements and finish the chart containing the data

Photos from experiment

Picture before experiment was conducted (pots with mashed cotton balls, no beans yet)

Picture of pH 7 green beans at 3 days

Photos ContinuedPicture of all pots and all pH at day 4

Picture during the experiment (7 days after planting green bean seeds)

Data of germination kept on Loose Leaf :D

Photos ContinuedPicture of pH 6, 7, 8, (at day 4)

Picture of pH 14 at day 12

Data

pH values Day 4 Day 8 Day 12

2 0 0 0

3 0 0 0

6 2.2 3.5 6.1

7 1.6 3.5 6.1

8 0 0 0

14 0 0 0

Average of Germination length (cm) for all trials which green beans grew under different pH values

Data (Graph)

Data (chart)

Day/Trials Length(cm)4 (1) 04 (2) 04 (3) 08 (1) 08 (2) 08 (3) 0

12 (1) 012 (2) 012 (3) 0

pH 2 Average Germination length of beans that Grew in all Trials

Data (Graph)

Data (Chart)

Day/Trials Length(cm)4 (1) 04 (2) 04 (3) 08 (1) 08 (2) 08 (3) 0

12 (1) 012 (2) 012 (3) 0

pH 3 Average Germination length of beans that Grew in all Trials

Data (Graph)

Data (Chart)

Day/Trials Length(cm)4 (1) 1.54 (2) 3.04 (3) 2.28 (1) 3.88 (2) 4.08 (3) 2.7

12 (1) 5.812 (2) 6.912 (3) 5.6

pH 6 Average Germination length of beans that Grew in all Trials

Data (Graph)

4

Data (Chart)

Day/Trials Length(cm)4 (1) 2.04 (2) 1.84 (3) 1.08 (1) 4.08 (2) 3.68 (3) 3.0

12 (1) 6.012 (2) 7.112 (3) 5.3

pH 7 Germination length of beans that Grew in all trials

Data (Graph)

Data (Chart)

Day/Trials Length(cm)4 (1) 04 (2) 04 (3) 08 (1) 08 (2) 08 (3) 0

12 (1) 012 (2) 012 (3) 0

pH 8 Average Germination length of beans that Grew in all Trials

Data (Graph)

Data (Chart)

Day/Trials Length(cm)4 (1) 04 (2) 04 (3) 08 (1) 08 (2) 08 (3) 0

12 (1) 012 (2) 012 (3) 0

pH 14 Average Germination length of beans that Grew in all Trials

Data (Graph)

Conclusion

The hypothesis was proved correct After conducting the experiment, the results showed that

pH levels near 6-7 were the best/only levels where green beans seeds could germinate.

Overall, the most significant trend after analyzing the data was the averages for all trials for pH six and seven because the results were nearly the same and the pattern was obvious

It was found that the pH of six grew almost identically to the pH seven

To improve this experiment, more controls, such as the same minerals in all the pots, could have been added.(minerals in tap water are different than minerals in Lime Juice)

Conclusion Continued

Many farmers need to do similar experiments or research to find out what the optimum range of pH is for their crops

This experiments conclumnsion will most likely benefit farmers and people engaged in agricultural experimentations.

After conducting this experiment, many new questions about this topic will arise. › what amount of sunlight is best for plants› what temperatures will most suit seed germination.› What pH of fertilizer should be use to get the best

results

Thanks and hope you Enjoyed my Presentation