Introduction
Germination of a seed begins when it is provided water and is in the appropriate conditions. Seeds imbibe the water and the enzymes hydrate, the hydrated enzymes increase metabolic activity to produce energy for the growth process. The root is the first thing to break from the seed and this is when the sed can be officially considered germinated. The environment is what triggers the germination of the seed. How does increasing the salinity of the substrate effect the germination rate of radish seeds?
Increasing the salinity of the substrate or increasing the amount of salt present in the substrate will have some effect on the germination of the radish seeds. Salt can decrease crops …show more content…
Osmosis is the movement of a solvent, water, through the cellular membrane. Salt triggers osmosis by attracting water and causing it to travel across the membrane. When new salt is introduced in the substrate there is a higher amount of salt concentration on the outside of the cellular membrane. This is what is known as a hypertonic solution meaning there are more solutes on the outside of the cellular membrane. A requirement for plants to successfully germinate is the presence of water. The water activates enzymes within the seed that trigger the …show more content…
Thus will correlate to the salt concentration in each pot.
Fill each of the pots with four inches of miracle grow dirt.
Dig a small trench half an inch down to place the row of seeds. Place the the row of seeds into the trench and cover the seeds back up with dirt.
Fill a one liter Pyrex measuring cup with one litre of water. Making sure that it is filled as accurately as possible.
For the first plant no solution will be added. Pour 100ml of water into the 500ml Pyrex measuring cup. Then pour the water over the pot labeled one. Pot one will have no salt concentration.
Wash both of the measuring cups thoroughly and refill the one liter Pyrex measuring cup with one litre of water again making sure it is filled as accurately as possible.
Measure exactly 2.60g of salt on an electronic scale and add the salt to the water. After the salt has been added, stir until the salt has dissolved this will usually take a minute or two. Make sure that the salt has dissolved before continuing.
Pour the Solution over the pot marked with the number two. Pot two will have a concentration of .25% salinity