1 The Rate and Effects of Plant Growth

The Rate and Effects of Plant Growth

Karli Merson

Chesapeake College

Environmental Earth Sciences

Professor Nicole Barth

2 The Rate and Effects of Plant Growth

Methods

Your container for this project will be a prog trays, with 3 x 3 cells, each holding 50ml.
Your first column of 3 cells will be filled with 50ml of your unknown soil, this will be your
controlled set. The next column will be a mixture of 25ml of Humus and 25ml of your unknown
soil. Your last column will be 12.5ml of compost and 37.5ml of your unknown soil. Once your
soil is ready, count out 10 radish seeds, and place them down 1cm into your soil. Water each cell
until completely saturated, then water when needed. The success of the soil will be based on how
many radishes germinate over the span of 2-3 weeks.

Results / Discussion

Water Holding Capacity and Capillary Action of Soil

Soil type Clay Sand Humus Unknown soil

Weight of empty 2.9g 3.1g 3.1g 3.9g

column(Row 1)
3 The Rate and Effects of Plant Growth

Weight of 19.3g 22.5g 11.4g 18.4g

column and soil
(Row 2)

Weight of Soil 16.4g 19.4g 8.3g 15.4g

(Row 3 = Row
2- Row 1)

Weight of 26.5g 29.5g 17.3g 26.9g

column and
saturated soil
(Row 4)

Weight of water 10.1g 10.1g 9.0g 11.5g

(Row 5 = Row 4
- Row 2)

Water-Holding 0.616g 0.521 1.084 0.747

Capacity High Medium High High
(Row 6 = Row
5/ Row 3)

In the Water holding capacity activity the column for Clay was two point nine grams
while the column for the unknown soil was three point nine grams when the column was empty .
Both the sand and Humus columns were three point one grams when they were empty. The
weight of the clay column when there is a soil sample in there is nineteen point three grams.the
sand was twenty two point five grams. The humus was eleven point four grams. And the
unknown soil was eighteen point four grams. The weight of the soils without the columns were
sixteen point four grams for clay, nineteen point four grams for sand, eight point three grams for
humus and fifteen point four grams for unknown soil. The weights of the columns when the soil
was saturated was twenty six point five for clay, twenty nine point five for sand, seventeen point
three for Humus, and the unknown sample was twenty six point nine grams.The weight of the
water alone in the clay was ten point one gram,The sand was also ten point one gram, Humus
4 The Rate and Effects of Plant Growth

was nine grams, and the unknown sample was eleven point five grams.The water holding
capacity of the clay was zero point six one six grams which is high and the sand was zero point
five two one which is medium, the hummus was one point zero eight for grams which is high
and the unknown sample is zero point seven four seven grams which is also High.
The soil texture and the amount of organic matter is the characteristic of soil that is the
most important in determining water-holding capacity. Water-holding capacity can affect
agriculture because if the soil can hold more water it requires less rain and if soil can hold less
water it requires more rain. Adding sand to the unknown soil would help regulate its
water-holding capacity since the unknown soil has a very high water-holding capacity and sand
would help lower it. Water-holding capacity affects plants because if it is too high the plants
might be getting too much water and if it is too low the plants may not get enough water.

Soil Texture

Depth Depth Depth Total % Clay % Silt % Sand Soil

of Clay of Silt of Sand Depth Type
Layer Layer Layer

Collecte 0.2 Cm 1.0cm 1.8cm 3cm 7% 33% 60% Sandy

d Loam
Sample

The depth of the clay layers is 0.2 centimeters. The depth of the silt layer is 1.0
centimeters. The depth of the sand layer is 1.8 centimeters. Overall, the depth of all layers was 3
centimeters. Thus, the percentage of clay was 7%. The percentage of silt was 33%. The
percentage of sand was 60%. This concludes that the type of soil we have is Sandy Loam.
The soil type after this activity was predicted to be sandy loam. The soil type affects
plants because if the soil is low in nutrients the plant may not be able to thrive. Also if the soil is
too sandy it may not be able to hold as much water which can also make it hard for plants to
grow and thrive.

Soil Texture by Feel Analysis

5 The Rate and Effects of Plant Growth

Texture

Sand Sand

Clay Clay

Unknown Sample Sandy Clay

When we compared our results on the chart, we concluded that our sample was sandy
clay. Our sample was able to be formed into a ball, pushed into a ribbon greater than 5 cm, and
had a gritty texture, therefore it is likely sandy clay.
The texture did not match, although it was close since both are predicted as sandy. The
consistency of soil affects plant growth because if the soil gets too dry it can get hard and it can
be hard for the roots to find moisture. If the soil gets too wet and does not dry out well the plants
can get too much water it can be hard for them to thrive since they cannot get as many nutrients.

Qualitative Analysis of ion Exchange Capacity

Crystal Violet Eosin Y

Volume of Color Intensity Volume of Color Intensity

Water Added of Water(Light, Water Added of Water(Light,
Medium, of Medium, of
Dark) Dark)

Sand 7 Dark 5 Dark

Ion Exchange Low Low

Capacity (Low,
Medium, Or High)

Sand and Clay 20 Clear 11 medium

Ion Exchange High Medium

Capacity (Low,
6 The Rate and Effects of Plant Growth

Medium, Or High)

Sand and Humus 7 Light 5 Medium

Ion Exchange High Low

Capacity (Low,
Medium, Or High)

Collected Sample 20 Clear 15 Light

Ion Exchange High High

Capacity (Low,
Medium, Or High)

Sand has a low ion exchange capacity for both crystal violet and Eosin Y. Clay has a high
ion exchange for Crystal Violet, but a medium ion exchange for Eosin Y. Humus has a high ion
exchange for Crystal Violet, but a low ion exchange for Eosin Y. The collected sample has a high
exchange for Crystal violet and Eosin .
Using the water volume and color intensity data the soil samples in order of increasing
ability to hold macronutrient ion to decreasing ability is sand, sand and hums, sand and clay, and
then the collected sample.It is important for soil to exchange ions because it the soil is negative
and the liquid is negative the soil will not hold the liquid. The charges of the soil and liquid must
be opposite so the soil will absorb it.

Analysis of Free Ions

pH N Test P Test K Test

Unknown 6.0-6.5 pH 20ppm 50ppm 200ppm

Sample

The Unknown sample has a pH between 6.0-6.5. The amount of Nitrogen found was 20
parts per million. The amount of Phosphorus found was 50 parts per million. The amount of
Potassium found was 200 parts per million.
7 The Rate and Effects of Plant Growth

Soil can become acidic from rain, carbon dioxides, and organic and inorganic matter. Soil
acidity is associated with nutrient depletion because nutrients are less available to plants. Too
much rain and harvesting planted crops without replenishing nutrients can cause nutrient
depletion in soil. Adding better irrigation, watching water levels, and maintaining adequate
levels of macronutrients can help nutrient depletion in soil. The unknown sample soil is most
defiant in nitrogen. Being deficient in nitrogen can affect the plants growth and they will slowly
die without nutrients.

Determination of Soil Permeability

Dry Sample Wet Sample

Time for first Time for Time for first drop Time for entire
drop entire sample sample

Sand 37.42s 135s 3.33s 18.00s

Clay 42.00 minutes ~47min

Humus 3.36s 12.00s 1.82s 16.375s

UnknownSample 18 minutes ~45min

For a dry sample of clay, it took 37.2 seconds for a single drop of water to fall through,
and 135 seconds for an entire sample of water. For a wet sample, it took 3.33 seconds for a single
drop of water, and 18 seconds for an entire water sample.
The smaller the particle size the slower the percolation rate. Adding humus or sand to the
unknown soil can increase the soil's permeability. The permeability affects the plants because it
can cause them to drown if the permeability is too low and it can cause them to be water
deficient if the permeability is too high.

Data Table of Plant Growth

8 The Rate and Effects of Plant Growth

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SZEoXS9Pdocv7trxNgz4hc0v2BczCGtLUJvlYxyR
21M/edit?usp=sharing