the agriscience institute and outreach...

The AgriScience Institute and Outreach Program

Instructional Materials

Developed at the 1991 and 1992_AgriScience Institutes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with the University of California, Davis

As a special project of the National Council for Agricultural Education through the National FFA Foundation

Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, Michigan

University of Wisconsin -Madison

University of California, Davis

Contributing teachers

Mark Balschweid Rick Berken Patricia Bratton Frank Bridges Tom Clayton Peggy Clayton Betsy Craig Carla Desnoyers Doyle Edwards Joe Farrell Dean Folkers Janice Gershlak Joan Hamberger Jim Hannebaum Tom Helm Pat Hiser John Hodgkins Susan Kite BettyKrcma Robert Lake

Paul H. Williams Robin Greenler Lori Graham

Linda Whent

MarkLalum Rowana Ernst Clarissa Marshall Tim Martini Robert Matheson Ill Lena McClenney Chuck Miller Kelly Morrow Theresa Nowicki Doug Olson Aundre Pearce Sharon Reilly Bruce Rhodes Richard Robinson David Twente Mark Wagner Mark Wilde Harry Wolf Lee Wright Brian Ziser

This program is a special project of the National Council for Agricultural Education through the National FFA Foundation funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, Michigan.

Introduction

Lessons

Contents

Page

The AgriScience Institute and Outreach Program ............. i

Bottle Biology Basics Tips and techniques for building with bottles •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ii

Wisconsin Fast Plants Care and maintenance •••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• iii

1. Angle of the Dangle Simulating the effect of gravity on plants •.•••.••••.•••••••.•••.••.••••••••.•••••••••••• 1-1

2. Leaving the Leftovers Investigating how crop residue can affect soils' ability to absorb water ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 2-1

3. Duckweed Unlimited Using common duckweed (Lemna minot) to measure water quality •••••••••••••••••••••••..•...•••••••••••.•••••••••.•••••••••••••••••••• 3-1

4. Diet for a Healthy Plant A study of plant nutrition using hydroponic .••••••••••••.•••••••••.••••••..••.••....... 4-1

5. Microbial Fermentation .......................................................... 5-1

Part 1: Factors in fermentation Examining the environmental factors affecting fermentation •••..••••••••••••.••••••••••.••..••••••••••••••.••••••••.••••• 5-5

Part II: Mixing in microbes Investigating the effect of microbial inoculation on fermentation ...•.•..••.•••.•••••••••••••••••••••.••••••••••••..•••••••••••.••••.• 5-19

6. The Power of Poop Methane production through anaerobic fermentation •••••••••••••..•••••••.••••••• 6-1

7. pH ... Potential Horrors of Acid Rain Assessing the effects of pH on the growth

Page

and development of Fast Plants •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 7-1

Part 1: A buffering blanket of soil ............................. 7-7

Part II: Germination-the first step ......................... 7-15

Part Ill: Growth and development .......................... 7-21

8. The Salty Solution A study of the effects of salinization on plant growth and developrnent •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• S-1

9. Down and Dirty A study of water movement through soil ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9-1

10. The Neighborly Effects of Atrazine A study of the environmental effects and plant tolerances to atrazine ...... 1 0-1

11. Loosin' It A study of the effects of soil type and plant growth on nitrogen leaching •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 11-1

12. Creating a Wooly Booger A genetic study of quantitatively inherited traits •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 12-1

Appendices A. More Bottle Biology ................................................................ A-1

B. Resource List ............................................................................ B-1

C. Additional Reference Materials ............................................ c-1

@ 1992 AgriScience Institute and Outreach Program, Department of Plant Pathology University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

The AgriScience Program

Introduction

AgriScience Institute and Outreach

AgriScience Institute and Outreach Program

The primary goal of the AgriScience Institute and Outreach Program is to aid in integrating the teaching of high school agriculture and biology.

Agriculture is becoming increasingly scientific in all areas-- from production agriculture to agribusiness-- calling for improvements in the amount and quality of science teaching in high school agriculture curricula. The AgriScience Program supports ongoing national efforts to improve science education and move from "textbook-based" to "activity-based" instruction. Relating science to real agricultural examples can help bring science to life for students. The program hopes to address the needs of both disciplines and to begin bridging the gap between science and agriculture in the classroom.

The AgriScience Institute and Outreach Program is a project of the National Council for Agricultural Education sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as a special project of FFA Foundation.

At each of two summer AgriScience Institute held in 1991 and 1992 at the University of Wisconsin, ten pairs of agriculture and biology high school teachers from ten different states gathered to examine ways to integrate the teaching of agriculture and biology. This instructional manual is, in part, the results of those efforts.

"Graduates" of the AgriScience Institutes conducted workshops across the country during the summers of 1992 and 1993. This Outreach effort was coordinated through the University of California, Davis. With each teacher team presenting six or more workshops in their home region, the AgriScience Program workshops have reached more than 1000 agriculture and biology teachers nationally.

In developing these instructional materials, the AgriScience teachers based their activities on two existing teaching models; Bottle Biology and Wisconsin Fast Plants. Both of these programs stress a hands-on, activity-based approach to learning.

i-1 I AgriScience Program Introduction

The AgriScience Program

Instructional Materials

Increased communication

Outreach Workshop objectives

Bottle Biology offers an inexpensive and imaginative way to teach science using throw-away plastic soda bottles and film canisters. The low cost and availability of materials makes this approach attractive to a wide variety of teachers in a variety of situations.

Wisconsin Fast Plants, a variety of rapidly cycling Brassica rapa, are small plants that grow from seed to seed in 35 days. They are ideally suited for short semesters and the limited space available in most classrooms. Fast Plants lend themselves well to the teaching of plant science and genetics.

Both of these programs are funded by the National Science Foundation and are described in greater detail in the next two chapters and in attached appendices.

In addition to the dissemination of instructional materials, an important goal of the AgriScience Program is to foster increased communication between agriculture and biology teachers. Participant teams in the AgriScience Institute have found that cooperative teaching and planning have greatly enriched their curricula and opened communication between agriculture and biology students.

The AgriScience Outreach Program aims at fostering an appreciation for the following:

• The need for integrating agriculture and science education into current instructional programs.

• The importance of understanding the research process and its role in teaching agriculture and science.

• The potential usefulness of the AgriScience Instructional materials that use the Bottle Biology and Wisconsin Fast Plants teaching program models.

• The value of closer working relationship between science and agriculture teachers at the local level.

i-2 I AgriScience Program Introduction

Bottle Biology

Introduction

Bottle Biology Basics Tips and techniques for building with bottles

Bottle Biology is a classroom-tested approach to hands-on biology using plastic beverage bottles and other throw-away containers. Designed for biology education at all levels, Bottle Biology is a low cost way to create a diverse range of experiments and life science explorations leading to a better understanding of ecosystems, local environments and the scientific process.

Using this manual, students will build Bottle Biology constructions in order to explore interactions between soil, plants, ground and surface water, the process of methane production through anaerobic fermentation and plant genetics. The scientific concepts illustrated include the water cycle, nitrogen cycle, decomposition, soil science, plant nutrition and movement of chemicals through an ecosystem.

While the low cost benefit of Bottle Biology is very attractive to teachers working on a limited budget, the use of throw-away materials has perhaps an even greater impact. By teaching process science without expensive and complex laboratory equipment, students begin to see science as an approachable, non-threatening way of exploring their world, not an "expert's discipline" accessible to the very few.

In order for students to create the constructions presented in this manual, a number of basic tips and techniques must first be explained.

Beyond these basics explained in these first few pages, the constructions are limited only by your imagination and ingenuity.

ii-1 I Bottle Biology Introduction

Bottle Biology

Basic materials needed

Basic bottle anatomy

You may find it useful to gather some simple equipment in order to ready your classroom for building Bottle Biology constructions. None of these materials are absolutely necessary. Your particular situation may lead you to simple substitutions or deletions. We suggest you have available:

• razor blades

• marking pen

• a shallow drawer or box

• clear, waterproof tape • tapered reamer or hot nail • hot tap water (1200 - 1500 F)

• scissors

• fine, sharp needle

It will be handy to be able to refer to bottle parts by name when guiding students through the various constructions. We suggest the following bottle terminology.

r ~ u.,;a

r Mouth

Neck


Bottle Biology

Removing the bottle label and base

Both the bottle label and base may be readily removed, but for some projects or parts of projects it might be best to leave the base glued firmly to the bottle. Aquariums and compost columns, for example, will be more stable if the lowest unit has the base attached.

In almost all projects the label should be removed. The label and base are held in place with a heat-sensitive glue. To remove them, soften the glue with heat. You can heat the bottle using hot water, as described below, or you can use an inexpensive hand-held hair dryer.

A. Fill the bottle about 1/4 full with very hot (1200 -150° F) water. If the water is too hot (170°- 212° F) the plastic will soften, warp, and may permanently crumple. Screw the cap back on firmly. This will retain pressure inside the bottle allowing you to hold the bottle tightly without crushing or denting it.

B. Tip the bottle on its side so the water warms the area where the label is attached to the bottle - this will soften the glue. Catch a comer of the label with your fingernail and gently peel it from the bottle. If there is resistance, you may need hotter water.

C. To remove the base, tip the bottle upright so the hot water warms the glue holding the bottle bottom to the base. Hold the bottle tightly and slowly twist off the base.

D. Remove the cap and pour the water out slowly. You might try swirling the bottle around as it begins to empty causing the water to form a tornado-like vortex. The hot water will then empty out of the bottle without buckling the sides.

E. Usually most of the glue from the label and base is left on the bottle. It can be removed by scraping with a sharp-edged piece of metal or plastic while the glue is still warm. It can also be chemically softened and removed with a solvent such as cleaning fluid. Put a small amount on a paper towel and rub. This works best if most of the glue has been removed by scraping. Be sure there is adequate ventilation.

F. Save all parts, bottle, cap, and base. You now have the raw materials to begin fascinating explorations!


Bottle Biology

Bottle cutting techniques

Plastic bottles can be cut and modified in a great variety of ways- but before you begin cutting, plan carefully. Remember that some bottles are wider than others, some have larger bases, and some have more tapered shoulders. The bottle shape and location of the cuts affect how your pieces fit together.

1. Place bottles on their sides in an empty drawer, tray, or boxshallow cardboard flats and computer paper boxtops work well. Hold the bottle up against the side and corner of the box to stabilize it while rotating. Brace a felt-tip pen against the box with the tip just touching the bottle and roll the bottle slowly around. This will leave an even line encircling the bottle. Sometimes it's easier to do this cooperatively. One person holds the bottle and rotates, while the other keeps the pen tip touching the bottle.

2. Use a single-sided razor blade or utility knife to begin the cut, slicing along the cutting line about two inches. Insert the tip of the scissors and snip your way around the rest of the cutting line. Because the scissor blades tend to catch in the plastic, it may be easier to snip along with just the tips.

3. Trim away rough edges and irregularities with the scissors. Once the bottle is cut open, you can snip more from the shoulder, hip or side if you decide shorter lengths are needed. When in doubt about how project pieces may fit, cut them a little too long- you can always remove the extra length. Because it is more difficult to draw lines once a bottle has been cut, draw all intended lines before cutting.


Basic Bottle Constructions

Introduction

The TerrAqua Column A model for studying land and water ecosystems

Since many of the explorations in this manual are based on variations of the TerrAqua Col-umn hence we will provide some detailed information on this construction. The TerrAqua Column allows you to model and explore relationships between land and water ecosystems.

Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are frequently viewed as two separate and independent entities. However, land and water systems are connected in many ways. One of the major links between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is water.

Water is the life blood for the terrestrial community and usually finds its way to wetlands, rivers, lakes and oceans. Passing through the soils of fields and forests, the water picks up compounds such as nutrients and agricultural chemicals.

When this solution enters an aquatic community it then modifies biological, physical and chemical aspects of that community.

Construction of a TerrAqua Column can allow you to model and explore relationships between land and water ecosystems.


Bottle Biology Constructions

How to construct the TerrAqua Column

In order to create a continuous flow of water between the upper terrestrial and lower aquatic systems, you can place a strip of wicking material (such as Pellon) between them. The wicking strip needs to come in contact with the soil, run through the bottle cap and reach the water in the aquatic system below.

Make sure you wash the wicking material before placing it in your constructions as the material will often be coated with a flame retardant that is toxic to plants.

This column is composed of two units. The upper, terrestrial unit is made by cutting a bottle to make pieces A and B as shown below. Tape these two pieces together with a piece of wide transparent tape such as bookbinding or mailing tape. The lower, aquatic unit is made by cutting a second bottle to produce piece C.

You can find biological materials for the aquatic system from a pond, lake, puddle or fish tank. You may want to include algae, phytoplankton, zooplankton, aquatic plants and insects. A variety of plants can be used in the terrestrial system. Because of their small size and rapid life cycle, Wisconsin Fast Plants work well.

1. Cutting the bottles

First Bottle ~ Second Bottle

Cut, leaving Cut across 1-2" of the ~ top of cylinder

~ -::= cylinder on leaving the shoulder straight

B sides

Cut, leaving c

314" of the hip on the \c."'------.:;:,~ Leave base cylinder ~ attached

~ E7



2. Combining the bottles

Invert Part A onto the straight side of Part B

Slide the AlB unit onto Part C

3. Adding finishing touches

Punch small holes in cap

~ ~

or a larger hole if you use a wick

B

Screw cap onto bottles

Cut or melt holes into the top sides of the lower bottle

Wick (optional)



Introduction

How to build a Bottle Reservoir

Bottle Reservoirs Plant growth systems made from recycled materials

Much of the fun in science comes from the creative process involved in designing and running experiments.

Over the past year the Bottle Biology Project and Wisconsin Fast Plants teams have been collaborating in the playful and serious task of designing growing systems for small plants (especially Fast Plants) made out of materials from the trash can.

Small plants can be grown in small containers as long as they are watered regularly. This task is frequently achieved with a continuous water wicking system.

In the design presented here, empty 35 mm film cans are used as pots and parts from plastic soda bottles serve as water reservoirs. We have found that Fast Plants can be left unattended for two to four days with this system.

Cut the top off a delabelled bottle to serve as the reservoir. Green bottles work well for these reservoirs because undesired algae will not grow well under limited light conditions.

You will also need the base from a second bottle. It is possible to substitute certain plastic containers (such as small cottage or cream cheese cups) for soda bottle bases. Place this base, bottom down, into the top opening of the first bottle. Into the base place a plastic jar lid (the ones from peanut butter containers are great) or petri dish to act as a platform for the plant pots.



Wicks

Film cans as plant pots

Fast Plants in film cans

A word of wisdom

PellonTM, a fabric interfacing material, functions wonderfully as a wick for water. Before being used as a wick, wash the pelion on a delicate cycle with soap and bleach to remove sizing and flame retardants, then line dry. Cut two pieces of pellon wick. The first is a strip 2 em wide which runs from the bottom of the reservoir through a hole in the upper bottle base and well over the lid platform. The second wick is cut as a disk the same diameter as the lid platform, and is placed over the strip wick on top of the lid. Presaturate the wicks before use by repeatedly squeezing them underwater. Water will move along a wick only if it is presaturated!

Empty 35 mm film cans make wonderful pots for Fast Plants and other small plants (mosses, babies breath, etc.). Camera and film development stores throw them away in large quantities, since most costumers leave them at the store when they bring their film in. Ask to have them saved for you! For drainage and wicking, drill or cut a small hole (5 mm) in the center of the bottom of the can.

Thick all-cotton string (butcher's string for example) cut to about 3 em in length works well as a wick for these film can pots. Presaturate the string by squeezing it under water. Frequently a small amount of soap added to the water will facilitate wetting. Pull or push the string half way through the hole in the bottom of the can. When the can is placed in the reservoir this cotton string wick should make solid contact with the pelion disk wick on top of the lid/ dish.

Four plants can be grown in a film can. N-P-K slow release fertilizer pellets can be used at a rate of 12 pellets per can. Fertilization can also be achieved by adding a one tablespoon/ gallon solution of Peter's 20-20-20 N-P-K fertilizer to the top of each film can at three (3 ml per can), seven (6 ml per can), and fourteen (6 ml per can) days. Jiffy Mix, a commercial potting mix, has worked well for us with Fast Plants.

Through the use of recyclable materials it is possible to make many inexpensive educational materials, but variations in local materials may cause problems. We have found that it is always best to do a dry run with any construction new to you before using it in the classroom or other such situation when first-time success can make-or-break an activity!


Wisconsin Fast Plants

Introduction

The need for good lighting

Wisconsin Fast Plants Their care and maintenance

The Wisconsin Fast Plant, or Brassica rapa, is an ideal plant to use in classroom settings for exploration of topics such as plant growth and development, physiology, reproduction, genetics, evolution and ecology.

This small relative of the mustard family is particularly suitable for the classroom because it has a very short life cycle (germination in 12 hours and flowering in two weeks), is petite, responds rapidly to environmental stimuli, has many known genetic variants, and can reproduce at high densities under fluorescent lights.

Many of the experiments in this manual utilize Wisconsin Fast Plants. Studies in genetics, plant nutrition, atrazine sensitivity and resistance, and plant breeding all use this versatile plant. While Fast Plants are not difficult to grow, successful growth does entail some specific procedures. What follows is a brief description of successful planting, pollinating and harvesting techniques.

You can purchase Fast Plant seeds and related materials from the Carolina Biological Supply Company (1-800-334-5551). Fast Plants will grow in small quad pot cells obtainable from Carolina Biological Supply Company or in film cans on bottle reservoir systems. You can use either conventional light banks or the Grow bucket as the light source for the plants. Both the reservoir systems and the Grow Bucket are described in the Bottle Biology section of this introduction.

Adequate lighting is extremely important to successfully grow Brassica rapa (RCBr). These plants have been genetically selected to perform best under continuous, bright, cool-white fluorescent lighting. You can achieve adequate lighting by placing plants 5 to 10 em away from banks of six, 4-foot, cool-white bulbs.

Providing they have adequate light, the plants grow very well in classrooms and hallways. Frequently, RCBr does better in these open areas than in small, plant-growth cabinets where other environmental parameters, such as relative humidity and air velocity, are difficult to control.

iii-1 I Wisconsin Fast Plants


The life cycle of rapid cycling Brassica rapa

Populations of RCBr with an average life cycle of approximately 35 days have been developed from brassicas with a normal6 to 12 month life cycle by continuous genetic selection. These rapidcycling plants facilitate plant breeding research and the teaching of biology and genetics.

During one generation, RCBr can be used to teach basic biological concepts like diversity, interaction with the environment, adaptation, genetic continuity, homeostasis, and evolution.

Under the conditions outlined in "Growing Instructions" (available from Carolina Biological Supply Company) the plants should produce flowers in approximately 16 days after planting and be about 13 em tall. Fertilization occurs within 24 hours of pollination and pods (siliques) visibly swell3 to 5 days after pollination. Plants can be dried 20 days after the last pollination, and by day 40 to 42, seeds can be harvested and a new cycle begun.

After proper planting of seeds in a quad (a four-sectioned, styrofoam planting unit) or a film can under the proper growing conditions, the following events in the life cycle should occur.

Days 1 to 3

The radicle (embryonic root) should emerge from the seed on day one. This is easily observed by germinating seed on moist filter paper in a petri dish. By day three, seedlings emerge from the potting mix. Two cotyledons (seed leaves) appear and the hypocetyl (embryonic stem) begins to extend upward. Chlorophyll and purple anthocyanin pigments are readily apparent.

Days 4 to 9

True leaves develop by day 5 and the cotyledons continue to enlarge. By day 8, flower buds appear in the growing tip of the plant.

Days 10 to 12

The stem elongates between the nodes (points of leaf attachment). The leaves and flower buds continue to enlarge. As the stem elongates, the flower buds are raised to a height well above the leaves.



Growing instructions

Days 13 to 17

Flower buds open and reveal flower structure. The pedicel, receptacle, sepals, petals, stamens (anthers and filaments), pistil (stigma, style and ovary), and the nectaries can be identified. Pollination should be initiated when buds are open. Cross-pollinate for 3 to 4 days (e.g. pollinate on days 15, 16 and 17). Pollen is viable for 4 to 5 days, and stigmas remain receptive to pollen for 2 to 3 days after flower opening.

On the last day of pollinating, pinch or snip off the remaining unopened flower buds and side shoots; continue to do this until day 35. Pruning directs the plant's food in developing embryos that result from pollination of the first flowers on the plant.

Days 18 to 22

Petals drop form the flowers, and pods elongate and swell. Endosperm and embryo development in the seeds has begun and will continue until day 34 to 36. The stage in embryo development can be observed by removing pods from the plant at different times, opening the pod to expose the ovules, and opening the ovules to expose the embryo. The embryo is surrounded by endosperm, a fine granular liquid that provides nutrients.

Days 23 to 36 The embryo development is complete, and seeds are formed with seed coats from the integuments. The ovary walls and related structures have developed into the large pod (silique), and the pod begins to dry. On day 36 plants are removed from the water source and the ripening process continues. As the seeds ripen, the pods turn yellow, the embryo dehydrates, and the seed coat turns brown.

Days 36 to 40 Plants are allowed to dry. On day 40, pods are removed from the dried plants. If the plants are brittle, pods can be rolled between the finger and thumb, and the seeds can be harvested. The cycle is complete.

Because the growing conditions for rapid-cycling Brassica rapa differ from those for most traditional classroom plants, we recommend that you test one generation of a small population of plants under classroom conditions before you begin experiments with your students. Continuous, bright fluorescent lighting and a constant water supply are critical for the rapid cycling of these plants. Read these guidelines completely before you begin planting.



Before planting

1. Become familiar with the materials.

a. Brassica rapa seeds--Handle small seeds with care.

b. Fertilizer pellets--Slow-release source of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K). These pellets go by the brand name Osmocote.

c. Potting mix- Specially formulated, soilless mix for growing B. rapa One type of appropriate soil mix goes by the brand name Jiffy Mix. You can also use a 50 I 50 mix of peat and vermiculite.

d. Wicks--Conducts water from reservoir to potting mix in quad cells or cans. The wicks are constructed of Pelion fabric. Wash fabric before using to eliminate toxic flame retardant.

e. Fluorescent light bank--Provides continuous lighting, necessary for successful growth.

f. Bottle Bottom Reservoir--Maintains a constant supply of water.

g. Pipets--For watering plants from above when necessary.

h. Dried honeybees--Used to make bee stick pollinators.

i. Wooden stakes and plastic support rings--To support the plants, if necessary.

2. Build or acquire a light bank and the rack to support it. To complete the growth cycle in 35 days, a bank of six, 4-foot, cool-white fluorescent bulbs (40 watts/bulb) is necessary. Note: Choose light weight shop lights so that the light bank can be moved easily. As a cheaper alternative, Fast Plants can be grown in a GrowBucket (see Appendix A).

3. This arrangement allows you to adjust the height of the light bank as the plants increase in height. Keep growing tips of plant about 5 to 8 em from the bulbs throughout the life cycle.

As an alternative to raising the light bank, set the light bank 40 em above the table surface and raise the reservoirs initially so the plant are 5 to 8 em from the bulbs. Gradually lower the reservoirs as



Planting

plant height increases. At maturity plants and quads need 35.5 to 40.5 em of space below the bulbs. If you use a GrowBucket, raise and lower the reservoirs as necessary.

4. The plants will complete their life cycle in 40 days with 24 hours of light per day and with the recommended light intensity. If you light source has less than six 40-watt bulbs or you allow more than 5 to 8 em from growing tip to bulb, plants will grow tall and spindly, and the time to complete the life cycle will be extended several days.

5. Monitor the temperature in your room daily. Maintain an optimal growing temperature of 21 o to 27°C (70° to 80"F). Plant development may be delayed a day or two if the temperature is lower. Please note: room temperature below 15 ° C (60 ° F) may prevent seed from germinating.

1. Always begin a planting cycle on a Monday or Tuesday. This allows three consecutive school days for watering from above.

2. Moisten the potting mix until it is slightly damp.

3. Fill each cell or film can half full with potting mix.

4. Add three (eight for film cans) fertilizer pellets to each cell.

5. Add more potting mix to fill each cell (can)to the top. Do not pack soil. Use your finger to make a 4 mm depression in the potting mix in each cell.

6. Drop three (twelve for film cans) seeds into each depression.

7. Cover seeds with just enough potting mix so they are no longer visible.

8. Water gently with a pipet until water drips from each wick tip. Place the quad (can) on the water mat. The top of the quad (can) should be 5 to 8 em from the bulbs of the light bank.

After planting 1. Be sure to water gently from above with pipets from above for the first 3 days to insure adequate moisture during germination.

2. Check the water reservoir daily and keep it filled. Completely fill the reservoir at the end of the day before a weekend or a holiday.



3. Check the water mat and potting mix in each cell daily. Both should be moist at all time. If the mat has dry spots, remove all quads and soak the mat again before returning quads to the mat. If potting mix in a cell appears dry, check the wick. Occasionally a wick dries out because of air pockets in the cell. Add water from above with a pipet until water drips from the wick. Return quad to the water mat.

4. Thin to 1 plant/ quad or 4 plants/ can using forceps.

5. As the plant grows, remember to maintain the 5 to 8 em spacing between the growing tip and the bulbs.

6. Check for insect damage. Insects are usually not a problem. The most common sources of insects are other infested plants, or aphids that are inadvertently brought into the room on clothing. Three methods are recommended for insect control:

a. Simply remove the insects from your plants by hand.

b. Spray plants with a solution of an insecticidal soap. Be sure to follow instructions on the label.

c. The third method will vividly demonstrate the effects of nicotine on insects. Place a large metal wastebasket inside a large plastic trash-can liner. Place the quads with the infested plants at the bottom of the metal wastebasket. Light a cigarette and place it about 7.5 em from the quads and close the plastic liner. After 1 to 2 hours, remove the quads and check for insects. Return quads to the water mat.

7. As the plants grow, you may use small wooden stakes and plastic rings to support them. Make plastic rings by slicing a small tygon tube up the side and then cutting it into small rings. Gently hold the plant next to the stake. Open the plastic ring, and slip it around both the plant and the stake.

8. Prepare bee sticks one to two days in advance of pollination. Volatile chemicals in some types of glue are toxic to the pollen grains and will prevent pollen germination if the bee sticks are used immediately after being constructed. Do not make and store bee sticks in the same place as where the plants are growing.



Cross pollination

After pollination

Seed harvest

9. Bee sticks are constructed by holding the honeybee by the wings and removing the abdomen, head, and legs. With a small drop of fastdrying glue applied to the tip of a toothpick, glue the thorax to the tooth pick by inserting the glue-covered tip in the hole left by the removal of the head or the abdomen.

Bee sticks can be dried by sticking them into the bottom and sides of an inverted styrofoam cup. After the glue has dried for several hours the wings may be removed. The bee sticks may also be constructed so that the entire bee is used for pollination. Press the end of a tooth pick, to which a drop of glue has been added, into the top of the thorax of the bee.

1. Cross-pollinate with bee sticks. Rotate the bee thorax over the flowers to pick up and distribute pollen. Transfer pollen back and forth among different plants.

2. Cross pollinate for 2 to 3 days.

3. On the last day of pollination, remove all other unopened buds and mark the date on the pot label.

1. Seed pods begin to elongate in 3 to 5 days, and mature in 20 days.

2. During days 18 to 36 of the life cycle, continue to remove new flower buds. The plant's resources are utilized by the developing seed pods.

3. Bee sticks loaded with pollen may be stored in a glass screw-cap vial with an indicator silica gel desiccant in a gelatin capsule. At 4 OC the pollen will remain viable for several months. Periodically check the color of the desiccant and replace it if it turns from blue to pink.

1. Remove plant from the watering system 20 days after the last pollination and allow them to dry for 5 days. To shorten the drying time to 3 days, cut off seed pods, place them in a brown paper bags, and set the bags on top of the light bank with the lights on.

2. Harvest seeds by gently rolling dry seed pods between your hands over a collecting pan. Store the seeds in an envelope or vial.

3. Store seed in a cool, dry place. Seeds of each type should be stored



Before next cycle

separately. Seeds stored in your desk remain viable for about 4 to 6 months. For longer storage, place seeds in a screw-cap vial with a silica gel desiccant capsule. Store the bottle at 4 oc. Periodically check the color of the desiccant and replace it if it turns from blue to pink.

Before the next planting, water reservoirs, platforms, water mat, quads, and wicks should be soaked in a 10% chlorine bleach solution for at least 15 minutes. Then, scrub quads with a brush, and rinse all materials thoroughly with water. Let all materials dry completely before reusing.

(These instructions were excerpted from Wisconsin Fast Plant Growing Instructions, published and available in its entirety from Carolina Biological Supply Company, 2700 York Road, Burlington, North Carolina 27215.)


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