Aim : To study the growth pattern of maize plant (Zea mays)
Variables :
Manipulated variable : Time of growth
Responding variable : Mass
of seedlings
Fixed variable : Amount of
water, fertilizer
Time (weeks)
|
Mass of 3 seedlings (g)
|
Mean mass of 1 seedling (g)
|
||
Fresh
|
Dry
|
Fresh
|
Dry
|
|
0
|
0.90
|
0.60
|
0.30
|
0.20
|
1
|
0.60
|
0.45
|
0.20
|
0.15
|
2
|
0.90
|
0.60
|
0.30
|
0.20
|
3
|
1.20
|
0.90
|
0.40
|
0.30
|
4
|
2.40
|
1.80
|
0.80
|
0.60
|
5
|
4.20
|
3.15
|
1.40
|
1.05
|
6
|
6.00
|
5.25
|
2.00
|
1.75
|
7
|
8.85
|
7.50
|
2.95
|
2.50
|
8
|
11.40
|
10.20
|
3.80
|
3.40
|
9
|
14.10
|
13.20
|
4.70
|
4.40
|
10
|
15.30
|
14.70
|
5.10
|
4.90
|
11
|
15.90
|
15.00
|
5.30
|
5.00
|
12
|
16.20
|
15.30
|
5.40
|
5.10
|
Draw a
graph based on the above table
Discussion :
- Sigmoid growth curve
- Week 5 to week 8
- Growth rate is negative from the beginning of the activity ti week 1. This is because the germinating seeds use food stored in the endosperm. Week 1 to wek 4 shows slow growth rate because young leaves are starting to grow and photosynthesis has just begun. Week 5 – 8 shows highest growth rate. The growth rate slows down from week 8 onwards because the plant has reached maturity.
Conclusion
:
The growth pattern
of the maize seedling represented by a graph of the mass of maize seedlings
against time is a sigmoid curve. The hypothesis is accepted.
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