The of effect of temperature on germination

Course name: Biology Lab 111

Course code: BIOL2301L
Name: Jarissa Banner
Course instructor: Dr. Dion Daniels
Date: 11th October 2018
Introduction:
A seed is usually the beginning of the life cycle of many plants. Seeds are important for the
survival and continued existence of many plant species. Seeds contain the genetic materials
needed to produce another plant with identical, similar or unlike characteristic of the parent
plant. Red beans, the seeds used in this lab have an embryo and their own food supply, like all
other seeds. The embryo consists of a plumule, epicotyl, cotyledons, hypocotyl, and a radicle.
The plumule includes the young primordial leaves and growing point of the stem. The epicotyl is
the portion of the stem above the cotyledon, while the cotyledons are the seed leaves used for
food storage. The radicle is the young embryonic root and root tip. Prior to germination, most
seeds produced by mature plants pass through a period of inactivity or dormancy. During this
period, the seeds remain viable. Dormancy, may be external, internal or a combination of both.
Immature or underdeveloped embryo would be an internal form of dormancy, while the seed
coat can act as an external form of dormancy, preventing water absorption or intake of oxygen
(Hodgson, 2015).

As Pascoe said “There are five steps in the germination process. This includes, water absorption,
radicle emergence, plant emergence, leaf formation and photosynthesis. In the water absorption
phase, seeds absorb water and oxygen. These cause the seed to swell and increase in size. The
seed then secretes enzymes that convert insoluble starches to soluble sugars which dissolve in the
absorbed water and are used as food by the plant embryo. After this, the seed coat ruptures and
thus permits the young root (radicle to emerge and grow downward to anchor the plant. After the
radicle develops into the plants root system, the above soil surface portion of the plant then
emerges. In di-cotyledons, the hypocotyl arch straighten to a vertical position after passing
through the soil surface, while in monocots, no hypocotyl is present. In dicots, two types of seed
germination occur based on how the seedlings emerge. The first is epigeous germination, in
which the hypocotyl of the embryo elongates and raises the plumule, epicotyl, and cotyledons
though the soil surface above the ground. The second, hypogenous germination, occurs when the
epicotyl elongates and raises the plumule above the ground. The cotyledons and the hypocotyl
however never emerge and remain below the surface of the soil. The last step of germination is
the formation of leaves. In dicots, the two cotyledons spread apart and serve as the first leaves to
transfer food to other parts of the plant. One exposed to the air however, the epicotyl begins to
develop into stems and true leaves are formed. These true leave continue to photosynthesize and
produce a constant supply of food reserves.”(Pascoe, 2015).

As McCarthy said “The germination of seeds is dependent on both internal and external
conditions. The most important external factors include: water (moisture), oxygen, light or
darkness and temperature.

Water- A seed must have an ample supply of water (moisture) for germination to occur. Moisture
content needed for germination may range from twenty-five to seventy-five percent (relative to
the seed’s dry weight). The uptake of water by seeds is called imbibition which leads to the
swelling and the breaking of the seed coat. When seeds are formed, most plants store food, such
as starch, proteins, or oils, to provide nourishment to the growing embryo inside the seed. When
the seed imbibes water, hydrolytic enzymes are activated that break down these stored food
resources in to metabolically useful chemicals, allowing the cells of the embryo to divide and
grow, so the seedling can emerge from the seed. Once the germination process begins, a dry
period or lack of water will cause the death of the developing embryo” (McCarthy, 2015)

Oxygen is necessary for respiration to occur within a seed. Respiration converts the stored food
in the seed into energy for germination. If the soil is waterlogged or the seed is buried within the
soil, it might be cut off from the necessary oxygen it needs.

The presence or absence of light may or may not have an effect on germination, since light is not
as important as a viable seed, germination medium, water, optimum temperature, and oxygen.

Temperature affects both the germination percentage and the germination rate of seeds.
Germination rate is lower at low temperatures, since most plants germinate at an optimum
temperature just above room temperature. The objective of this lab is to determine the effects of
three different temperatures (4oC, room temperature and 30oC) treatments on the germination
rate and germination percentage of red bean seeds.
Materials & Methods

1. Five bean seeds were placed 2 cm from the top edge and 5 cm apart on a piece of damp 5
layered tissue paper.
2. The tissue paper was then rolled, which allowed the red bean seeds to be trapped between the
layers.
3. The roll of tissue paper was placed in a bag labelled A, and securely sealed with paper clips.
4. The bag was then placed in an oven set to a temperature of 30oC.
5. Procedures 1-3 was repeated. The roll of tissue paper was placed in a bag labelled B.
6. Bag B was placed in a cupboard and left at room temperature.
7. Procedures 1-3 were repeated. The roll of tissue paper was placed in a bag labelled C.
8. Bag C was placed into a container in a refrigerator at 4oC.
9. The three bags were left for 7 days.
10. The tissue paper from bag A was removed and carefully unrolled.
11. The longest root from 1 of the beans was measured and the measurement was placed in the
data table.
12. The length of the shoot from the same bean was then measured.
13. Procedures 11 & 12 were repeated for all of the beans that germinated in bag A.
14. The tissue paper from bag B was removed and carefully unrolled.
15. Procedures 11-13 were repeated.
16. The tissue paper from C was removed and carefully unrolled.
17. Procedures 11-13 were repeated.
Results and Observations
Average Length of Shoot & Root Average Length of Shoot & Root
for Red Beans Placed in Bag A at for Red Beans Placed in Bag B at
Room temperature 20oc 30oc
Length Length of
A Length Length of
of shoot main root A
20 oC of shoot main root
in mm in mm 20 oC
1 - - in mm in mm
2 - - 1 50.0 130.0
3 - - 2 40.0 35.0
4 - - 3 25.0 50.0
5 - - 4 45.0 130.0
Total - - 5 - -
Average - - Total 160 345.0
Average 40.0 86.25

Average Length of Shoot & Root

for Red Beans Placed in Bag C at
4oc

Length Length of
C
of shoot main root
4 oC
in mm in mm
1 - -
2 - -
3 - -
4 - -
5 - -
Total - -
Average - -
 Graph Showing Average Lengths of Roots & Shoots at
20 oC, 30 oC and 4 oC

LENGHT IN MM OF ROOTS AND SHOOTS OF SEEDS IN DIFFENT

TEMPERATURES.

100
90
LENGHT MILLIMETERS

80 86.25
70
60
50 SHOOT
40 40 ROOT
30
20
10
0 0 0
A B C

Histogram Showing Average Lengths of Shoots &

Roots at 30 oC& 20 oC

AVERAGE LENGTH OF SHOOT AND ROOT FOR

BAG A,B&C.
100
90
80
70
60
50 AVERAGE LENGTH OF SHOOT
40 AND ROOT FOR BAG B.
30
20
10
0
S R S R S R
PICTURE SHOWING SEEDS AT AFTER 7 DAYS AT 30 DEGREES CELCIUS.

PICTURE SHOWING SEEDS AT AFTER 7 DAYS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE 20

DEGREES CELCIUS.

PICTURE SHOWING SEEDS AT AFTER 7 DAYS AT 4 DEGREES CELCIUS.

As Duramn said “The seeds of most agricultural plants germinate somewhere in the temperature
range of 10oC – 35oC. The preferred temperature usually bears some relationship to conditions
under which the plant normally grows. Some seeds grow best at constant temperatures, others
require an alternating temperature. Tests can be done to determine the temperature conditions in
which a particular seeds germinate best.” (Duram, 2008).

Seed germination is a complex process involving many individual reactions and phases, each of
which is affected by temperature. The effect on germination can be expressed in terms of
cardinal temperature: that is minimum, optimum, and maximum temperatures at which
germination will occur. The minimum temperature is sometimes difficult to define since
germination may actually be proceeding, but at such a slow rate that determination of
germination is often made before actual germination is completed. The optimum temperature
may be defined as the temperature giving the greatest percentage of germination in the shortest
time. The maximum temperature is governed by the temperature at which denaturation of
proteins essential for germination occurs (McDonald, 2015).

Macromolecules are large molecules made up of small, relatively simple subunits that are strung
together. During the process of anabolism, macromolecules are made. Catabolism is the process
of breaking them down. Most of the chemical reactions that must occur to either make or break
down a macromolecule do not happen spontaneously under normal conditions. For example,
starch is a macromolecule made up of many glucose subunits (monomers) joined together. Even
when left out in the oxidizing atmosphere, starch will not break down to glucose. Enzymes are
the biological catalysts that allow the chemical reactions necessary for metabolism to occur
(Duram, 2008).

The catabolism of starch is done by alpha-amylase, an enzyme released by the embryo in the
seed germination. With the aid of an alpha-amylase, starch is broken down to produce a mixture
of one-, two-, or three-monomer-long molecules. Other catabolic reactions which occur in the
food storage areas (endosperm or fleshy cotyledon) of a seed includes the breakdown of proteins
into amino acids by protease enzymes, the breakdown of maltose into glucose by maltase
enzymes as well as the breakdown of lipids into fatty acids and glycerol by lipase enzymes.
These breaking down of macromolecules are all essential for germination and therefore
temperature has a direct effect on the outcome of the catabolic reactions (Murugan, 2011)
In this experiment, the effects of different temperatures (4oC, 20oC & 30oC) were tested on the
germination rate of bean seeds. The 5 seeds placed in the freezer at 4oC had no sign of germinal
growth and hence no values for root and shoot lengths were obtained. This is because the
temperature was not ideal for the proper functioning of the enzymes in order for them to break
down the macromolecules and initiate germination. The 5 seeds placed at room temperature (20
o
C) showed no germination and ended up rotting this could be because there was too much water
and the paper towels were soaked instead of damp, this means no germination occurred due to
human error. The 5 seeds placed in the oven at 30oC had the best germination results. This is
because this was the optimum temperature which allowed the various enzymes and proteins
present in the cotyledon to function properly. The decrease in the germination rate may be
attributed to the denaturation of the enzymes and the proteins needed in the catabolic reactions
which occur in the cotyledon.

Conclusion

The bean seed germinated best at 30⁰C because the reactions in the food storage areas were able
to occur. The seeds placed in the refrigerator at 4oC showed no sign of germination due to
unfavourable condition. The seeds at 20oC did not germinate due to human error.
References:

Duram, J. (2008). How Sweet It Is: Enzyme Action in Seed Germination (1st ed., pp. 1-5).
http://www.huntington.org/: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical
Gardens. Retrieved from http://www.huntington.org/uploadedFiles/Files/PDFs/GIB-
EnzymeActioninGerminatingSeeds.pdf

Hodgson, M. (2015). Development of the Seed. Boundless, 1. Retrieved from

https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-biology-textbook/plant-
reproduction-32/pollination-and-fertilization-190/development-of-the-seed-725-11954/

McCarthy, P. (2015). Factors affecting germination of organic seeds. Highmowingseeds.com.

Retrieved 6 November 2015, from http://www.highmowingseeds.com/sb-factors-affecting-
germination-of-organic-seeds.html

McDonald, M. (2015). Physiology of Seed Germination (1st ed., pp. 1-4). Columbus, OH:
Slobodan Drugi. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/doc/138672109/Seed-Germination

Murugan, S. (2011). Seeds and germination - Seed structure (1st ed., p. 1). Murugan. Retrieved
from https://www.scribd.com/doc/207091139/Germination

Pascoe, E. (2015). Stages of Germination. Assoc.garden.org. Retrieved 9 November 2015, from

http://assoc.garden.org/onlinecourse/PartI5.htm