Alcohol as a “Water” to plants

SCIENCE PROJECT 2019-20

Frances Thom A. Dela Cruz

Princess Solar

Ronju Alvarez III

Renzo Valazquez Tela

Althea Jean Teodoro

CHAPTER 1

1.1 Introduction
In the course of many years , alcohol is known for its flammable substance and its
various products that help us humans . For example , Rubbing Alcohol , Alcoholic
beverages , And some health benefits like reducing your chances of dying your heart
disease and ischematic stroke.
But , have you ever wondered pn how alcohol can help plants in their growth and
how alcohol can help plants to protect themselves from bad organisims . Some may
say that alcohol is bad for plants , because it may just kill the plant , it may kill it if it
is overdosed in alcohol consumption because too much of everything may kill it. But
. if you put the right amounts of alcohol , it may help it in growing and protecting
your plants .
1.2 Purpose of the study
Our Objective/Purpose is to know if alcohol can be a “water” to plants. And to know
if alcohol can help plants in growing and protecting it from bad organisms . And our
main our purpose is to compare and contrast the difference of alcohol and water .
What will be more effective , effeicient , Speed up its rapid growth , and overall , its
contribution ro the plant
1.3 Statement of the Problem
 1. How effective will alcohol in plant growth? ___
2. Will the alcohol protect the plant from bad organisms ? ___
3. Is alcohol more effective than water in growing plants? Why? ___
4. Overall, Will these help the plants to grow?
1.4 Hypothesis
If we may give the right amounts of alcohol to the plant , it may grow faster and be
more efficient. And too much of it may cause the plants to die , And if we put small
amounts , it may not support the right nutrients that the plants need to grow.
1.5 Scope and Limitations
The scope of our research is to determine what are the possible effects of alcohol
and water to groq plants , and which is more effective and faster. Limitations of our
research is , we will limit the use of alcohol brcause it is flammable substance and it
may bring severe fire and may destroy ot kill the plants
1.6 Definition of Terms
1. Rain Water – Water that has been fallen or obtained in rain
2. Tap Water – Water that came from pipes
3. Distilled Water –Water that has been boiled into vapor and condensed back into
liquid
4. Softened Water – is the removal of calcium , magnesium , and certain other
metal cations in hard water
5. Watering – Pour or sprinkle over water in plants
6. Alcohol – A colorless volatile flammable liquid
7. Hydroxyl – Denoting the radical –OH , Present in alcohol and many other
organic chemical
8. Isopropyl – Derived from propane by removal of a hydrogen atom from the
middle carbon atom
9. Methanol – id the simplest alcohol . It is a light , volatile , colorless flammable
liquid with a distinctive odor
10. Ethanol – is a colorless volatile flammable liquid which is produced by the
natural fermentation of sugar and alcohols
11. Alcohol Beverages – is a drink or beverage that contains ethanol
1.7. RRS Writing (Review of Related Literature)

1st Article

Through the process of photosynthesis, plants covert solar energy, water

and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and oxygen. Life on earth depends
on the presence of plants. However, plants often come into contact with
alcohols. Alcohols are organic chemicals with a hydroxyl (OH) group
bonded to a carbon (C) atom, which is often bonded to other carbon
atoms or hydrogen atoms. The results vary when plants are allowed to
metabolize alcohol.

The enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase is found in most living organisms,

including humans, bacteria and plants. This enzyme catalyzes the
reaction of an alcohol into an aldehyde or ketone by removing a hydrogen
from the alcohol. There are a variety of alcohols. Among the most
common are methanol, ethanol and isopropyl alcohol. Each alcohol is
converted into a different aldehyde or ketone by alcohol dehydrogenase.
For instance, in humans, ethanol is converted into acetylaldehyde, while
methanol is converted into formaldehyde.

Ethanol
Ethanol, or grain alcohol, is produced by the fermentation of grains. Ethanol is the alcohol
found in alcoholic beverages. Ethanol tends to stunt the growth of plants. When ethanol is
applied to flowers, scientists note that, when watered with a 5 percent solution of ethanol,
plant growth slows. When a 10 percent alcohol solution is applied, the plant becomes stressed
and, with a 25 percent alcohol solution, the plant dies. This can be useful if growth of the plant
needs to be supressed, as is the case with many flowers. Once the flower gets larger, it wilts
and loses its aesthetic value. Using ethanol, the flower can be kept smaller for a longer period
of time.

Methanol
Methanol is the simplest alcohol. It is often used as a racing fuel and as a solvent. Studies
have shown that methanol actually stimulates the growth of many cultivated plants. Methanol
is used by the plant's metabolism in the same way the plant uses carbon dioxide. A solution of
30 percent methanol seems to be most effective in increasing plant yield.
Isopropyl (Rubbing) Alcohol
Seventy percent isopropyl alcohol is sold for antiseptic use. At this concentration, it may safely
be sprayed on plants to kill aphids. If the plant is watered with rubbing alcohol, the effects are
similiar to those of ethanol. At 5 percent concentration, plant growth is stunted, while
concentrations higher than 25 percent tend to damage or kill the plant.

Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol at different dilutions. Hard liquors, such as vodka and
whiskey, may be diluted and applied to plants to restrict plant growth. Beer or wine, however,
should never be applied to plants. The sugar content of beer and wine encourages bacterial
and fungal growth, which will damage or kill the plant.

Article 2nd

Alcohol sprays sometimes are recommended as insecticides, especially for the

elimination of mealybugs, which can prove resistant to other treatments.
Contact with alcohol also kills many other insects, including scales, spider mites
and whiteflies. Unfortunately, it can burn – or chill -- sensitive plant leaves. So
take precautions to keep alcohol from killing plants on which you use it to kill
bugs. An alcohol treatment is used most often on indoor plants with mealybugs
because those pests have many natural predators that can control them
outdoors.

Applying Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is the kind of alcohol most often recommended as an insecticide, and it usually
is sold as a mixture of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and 30 percent water. A small infestation of
mealybugs on a plant can be controlled by dipping a cotton swab directly in a bottle of rubbing
alcohol and dabbing the mealybugs -- which look like bits of cotton -- or their cottony egg
masses with that swab. The alcohol should dissolve the mealybugs' and eggs' protective coating
and kill both the bugs and eggs. Such selective treatment is less likely than a spray to damage a
plant’s leaves if you take care to apply most of the alcohol to the mealybugs and their eggs
rather than the leaves.
Adulterating Alcohol
Unfortunately, using a cotton swab to dab mealybugs and their eggs with alcohol does not
affect those mealybugs that are in the microscopic, juvenile, crawling stage. So the treatment
needs to be repeated after the juvenile mealybugs are mature enough to become visible. If you
prefer to make a spray solution that kills mealybugs of all stages at once, then mix 1 cup of
rubbing alcohol with 1 teaspoon of insecticidal soap or dish detergent and 1 quart of water.
Atomizing Alcohol
For safety's sake, don goggles and a respirator before spraying the alcohol, soap and water
mixture. The protective gear will help you avoid inhaling the spray and getting it in your eyes.
Ensure no open flames are in the vicinity of where you will spray; alcohol is flammable. In
order to test whether or not your plant is sensitive to alcohol, spray only one leaf with the
solution, and wait at least 24 hours for an adverse reaction in the leaf. If the leaf doesn't seem
affected, then spray the whole plant thoroughly, covering both the upper surface and underside
of the leaves. Dripping some of the spray solution into parts of the plant the spray can’t reach
may be necessary. Before you do so, tilt the plant over a dishpan so the alcohol solution will
trickle into it rather than into the plant's soil. In their book titled "Logee's Greenhouses
Spectacular Container Plants," Byron E. Martin and Laurelynn G. Martin recommend using a
more potent spray -- one that is one-half alcohol and one-half water -- for a heavy mealybug
infestation. They advise applying the solution with a pump-type sprayer. Don't try such a
strong solution or high-powered sprayer on soft-leaved plants, however, because their foliage
becomes damaged easily.
Absorbing Alcohol
Because the evaporation of alcohol has a chilling effect, dry leaves after dabbing them with
alcohol or spraying them with an alcohol solution. Simply pat them with a paper towel or lint-
free rag until they are no longer damp. If the spray doesn’t seem to have damaged your plant’s
foliage, then the spray treatment can be repeated once each week for one month to ensure that
you eliminate all of the mealybugs or other insect pests.