TITTLE: EFFECTS OF FERTILIZER CONCENTRATION ON PLANT GROWTH

COURSE TITLE: BIOLOGY 151

INTRODUCTION.

Plants are living organisms that cover much of the land of planet Earth. You see them

everywhere. They include grass, trees, flowers, bushes, ferns, mosses, and more. Plants are

members of the kingdom Plantae. Like animals, plants also require some chemical

elements and compounds to ensure proper growth, metabolism and their external supply or

developments. The study of these elements and compounds is known as Plant nutrition and the

elements and compounds are also known as Plants nutrients. These nutrients can be grouped

into macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are elements which plants require

in relatively large amounts and they include Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Sulfur, Calcium,

Magnesium. Micronutrients are those which plants require in much smaller amounts and they

include Chlorine, Iron, Boron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum.

Below are some of the functions of nutrients to plants:

 Nitrogen (N) – helps foliage grow strong, affects the plant’s leaf development. It also

gives plants their green color due to its assistance with chlorophyll production.

 Phosphorous (P) – assists with the growth of roots and flowers. It also helps plants

survive harsh climates and environmental stressors.

 Potassium (K) – strengthens plants, helps contribute to early growth and assists the

plants in retaining water. It also keeps the plants from contracting diseases and insects.

 Magnesium (Mg) – contributes to the green coloration of the plants.

 Sulfur (S) – resists disease and helps form and grow seeds. It also aids in the

production of amino acids, proteins, enzymes and vitamins.

  Calcium (Ca) – aids in the growth and development of cell walls. Well-developed cell

walls help resist disease. It’s also helpful in cell metabolism and the uptake of nitrate.

 Iron (Fe) – required for the formation of chlorophyll in plants.

 Manganese (Mn)– assists iron in chlorophyll formation. It also serves as an activator

for enzymes in the growth process.

 Zinc (Zn) – an important plant regulator, it’s essential in root and plant growth.

 Boron (B) – regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates in plants. It’s critical for new

growth and assists in pollination, fertilization and more.

 Copper (Cu)– activates enzymes in plants.

 Chlorine (Cl) – is required for photosynthesis and root growth.

 Molybdenum (Mo) – needed by plants for utilization of nitrogen. Without

molybdenum, plants can’t transform nitrate nitrogen into amino acids.

 Nickel (Ni) – required to complete the life cycle of the plant and viable seed.

In this experiment, Only the effects of increased amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and

potassium (K) were examined in this study. Of the nutrients required by most plants for normal

growth, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are obtained from the air or from water, while the

remaining nutrients, in the form of ions in solution, are absorbed by plant roots.

In the experiments, different concentration “Miracle Grow” fertilizer solution was used to study

for the effects of fertilizer concentration on plants growth. Miracle Grow fertilizer contains

nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

Hypothesis:
I hypothesized that the plants with high fertilizer will have the highest growth as compared to the

ones with low fertilizer and no fertilizer.

This experiment was important because it helped me to know the amount of fertilizer needed for

plants growth.

Prior to the lab, two different concentrations of fertilizer solutions were made by the instructor.

The Low Fertilizer solution has approximately 3.25 g of “Miracle Grow” powder fertilizer

dissolved in 1 gallon of water and the High Fertilizer solution has approximately 6.5 grams of

“Miracle Grow” powdered fertilizer dissolved in 1 gallon of water. These solutions of fertilizers

in addition to only water were applied to three (3) separate plants and were studied for three (3)

to obtain the result for the experiment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Materials:

i. Deli containers

ii. Garden soil

iii. Felt Strips

iv. Water

v. Miracle grow fertilizer

vi. Viable seeds

Methods:

1. The soil was moistened by mixing tap water and soil in a bucket.
2. Three (3) large (32 oz.) deli containers that have been wrapped with duct tape and were

obtained and labelling tape was used to label them No fertilizer, Low fertilizer and High

Fertilizer with initials and lab day.

3. 400 ml of water was put in the “No fertilizer” container, 400ml of the low concentration

fertilizer solution was put in the “Low Fertilizer” container and 400 ml of the high

concentration fertilizer solution was put in the “High Fertilizer” container.

4. Three (3) felt strips were obtained and placed one in each of the deli containers so that

the felt gets saturated with the fluid in the container. Three (3) small (8 oz.) deli

containers were obtained. The strips were threaded through the small deli container and

position the strips so that the ends are touching the bottom of the large container.

5. Each small container was filled with moistened soil, to get the soil under the felt strip and

covered the felt strip. Each small container was placed into one of the large deli

containers, so it sits on top and the felt strips hang down into the liquid.

6. 10 seeds were distributed across the surface of the soil and the seeds were covered by

filling each container to the top with moistened soil.

7. For the NO FERTILIZER container: a dropper was used to drop water across the top deli

container to ensure the soil is moistened.

8. For the LOW FERTILIZER container: a dropper was used to drop the low concentration

of fertilizer solution across the top deli container to ensure the soil is moistened with the

low concentration of fertilizer solution.

9. For the HIGH FERTILIZER container: a dropper was used to drop the high concentration

of fertilizer solution across the top deli container to ensure the soil is moistened with the

high concentration of fertilizer solution.

10. The three containers were placed under the grow lights and they were studied for weeks.

11. After one week, the seeds had already germinated.

12. Each week, the plants were continued to be cared for by dropping the correct fertilizer

solution or water onto the plants, and they were observed, and recording data were

obtained.

13. Each week, the following measurements were made, and they were recorded in Table 5.1

i. The heights of each plant were measured from the cotyledonary node to the very

tip of the plant and the mean height was calculated for each container.

ii. The number of true leaves on each plant was counted and their mean was

calculated per plant for each container.

iii. Their general appearance including observation of plant color, condition of stems

and leaves, whether stems are wilted or standing upright, etc. were obtained.
2/7 2.5 2 The light green color in leaves

2/14 2.6 3 Moderate new growth

2/21 5.1 4

2/7 2.6 3 The bright, green color in leaves

2/14 6.3 5 Look healthy with abundant new growth

2/21 8.8 Stems stand up straight

8
Many leaves per stem

2/7 2.7 2 The light green color in leaves

2/14 4.2 3 Few plants per pot

2/21 5.4 3 Small leaves

Stems look bent over, wilting near

bottom leaves
 EFFECTS OF FERTILIZER CONCENTRATION ON PLANT
10 GROWTH
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7
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5
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NO FERTILIZER LOW FERTILIZER HIGH FERTILIZER
7-Feb 14-Feb 21-Feb

Discussion and conclusion:

My hypothesis was not supported because I hypothesized that the plants with the high fertilizer

will have the highest growth as compared to the ones with low fertilizer and no fertilizer but

from the result data and the graph above, it can be seen clearly that, the plants with the low

fertilizer had the highest growth than the plants with high fertilizer. This was because the high

concentration of the fertilizer will make the concentration of the soil to be high so the plant

plants will begin to lose water because it will hypotonic to the soil and this will inhibit the

growth of the plants.

 REFERENCES

Macronutrients and Micronutrients for the Soil. (2018, July 12). Retrieved from

https://emeraldlawnsaustin.com/macronutrients-micronutrients-soil/

Biology for Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ducksters.com/science/nutrition.php

Macronutrients and Micronutrients for the Soil. (2018, July 12). Retrieved from

https://emeraldlawnsaustin.com/macronutrients-micronutrients-soil/

Plant nutrition. (2019, March 16). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_nutrition