The Effect of Nutrients Available on Respiration Rate of Alaska Peas

1. The Effect of Nutrients Available on Respiration Rate of Alaska Peas Sarah Brown, Joseph Da, Isha Khosla, Leia Stephenson

2. Hypothesis: Nutrients available to pea will increase its respiration rate. Miracle Gro Ingredients: Total Nitrogen…8%, Available Phosphate(P2O5)…7%, Soluble Potash(K2O)…6% Phosphorus helps a plant convert other nutrients into usable building blocks with which to grow. A plant exposed to the proper amount of phosphorus will grow more vigorously and mature earlier than plants with inadequate phosphorus. Phosphorus plays a key role in the transfer of energy and is indispensable to cell differentiation and the development of growing plant tissues. The majority of the cell membrane, phospholipids, contains the element, and so does every molecule of ATP, the main energy source of all cells. Potassium is absorbed by plants in larger amounts than any other mineral element except nitrogen and, in some cases, calcium. It participates in the building of proteins, photosynthesis, fruit quality and reduction of diseases. The nutrient activates more than 60 enzymes, thus playing a vital part in carbohydrate and protein synthesis. It improves the water use of the plant and increases tolerance to stresses such as drought, frost, salinity, and diseases. Potassium makes up 1 percent to 2 percent of the weight of any plant and, as an ion in cells, is essential to metabolism.

3. Nitrogen is a necessary part of all proteins, enzymes and metabolic processes involved in the synthesis and transfer of energy. The nutrient helps plants with rapid growth, increases seed and fruit production, and improves the quality of leaf and forage crops. It stimulates root growth and crop development as well as uptake of other nutrients. Every amino acid contains nitrogen. SAMPLES OF RAW DATA 2 Trials Alaska Peas, No Nutrients - Red & Blue 1 Trial Beads (Control) - Green 3 Trials Alaska Peas, Nutrients Available

4. Procedure The temperature was held constant at 25 degrees Celsius by submerging test tubes of peas to equal levels in water at 25 degrees C as per the standard procedure. The rate of oxygen disappearance was collected using gas pressure sensors. 3 Trials for Each Condition Control: 9 mL of Glass Beads Condition 1: 9 mL 2 Day Germinated Peas (volume equalized with glass beads) Condition 2: 9 mL 2 Day Germinated Peas (volume equalized with glass beads) submerged in Miracle Gro fertilizer at recommended concentration (10 drop fertilizer: 473 mL water) for 1:30 minutes For the fertilizer trials, the peas were gently dried off with a paper towel before being placed in the test tubes.

5. Results The rates of respiration for the 2 experimental conditions were corrected by subtracting them by the average rate of respiration of the bead (control) trials. The corrected rates were averaged and are depicted to the left. Alaska peas exposed to fertilizer show a more negative rate of oxygen disappearance, indicating a higher rate of respiration. Rates of Oxygen Disappearance in KPa/sec

6. Analysis and Error The results indicate that the hypothesis was correct. Nutrients available to Alaska peas yielded a higher respiration rate than Alaska peas exposed to solely water. Miracle Gro contains the three most important nutrients for plant growth: Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potassium. These nutrients caused an increase in respiration rate. Possible sources of error include: • Pea test-tubes not submerged to precisely equal levels in the 25 degree C bath • Trials on different days (possible varying environmental conditions) • Small sample size: only 3 trials per condition

7. Discussion • The results apply to agriculture; pre-germination and a fertilizer bath for seeds before planting may be a practical method of increasing plant growth. • Further research may include investigation of: • type and concentration of fertilizer • length of single exposure to nutrients • schedule of repeated exposure to nutrients • different nutrients better suited for different seeds • different peas