Rizal Technological University

College of Arts and Sciences

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

Laboratory Activity 2
HAY INFUSION

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the experiment or activity, students should be able to:
1. Produce a culture of microorganisms using hay infusion technique;
2. Observe different microorganisms under the microscope;
3. Identify different microorganisms including amoebas, protozoans, rotifers, euglena, paramecium, etc.

MATERIALS:
1. Electronic microscope
2. Jar e.g. mayonnaise, jam, and other wide-mouth jars
3. Hay
4. Pond, creek, sewage water
5. Sugar syrup solution (sugar crystal)
6. Gauze
7. Microscope slides and cover slips
8. Pipette/dropper
9. Hand soap and alcohol

SAMPLE GUIDE:

Euglena Paramecium Spirogyra

Chlamydomonas Volvox Amoeba

RTU – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE LOVELYN B. 1

 Rizal Technological University
College of Arts and Sciences
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

GENERAL PROCEDURES:
A. HAY INFUSION PREPARATION
1. Fill the mayonnaise or any wide-mouth jar with pond, creek, canal, or sewage water (NOTE: do not include debris or dirt
inside the jar, only the water without residual content).
2. Add pieces of cut hay.
3. In case of no hay at home, gather some grass and sun dry it. When dried, you can use it as substitute for hay.
4. Add sugar syrup (sugar crystals dissolve in water) inside the hay infusion.
5. Take pictures of the before and after of the hay infusion set-up.
6. Cover the set-up with gauze.
7. Set aside for 2 weeks in order for the microorganism culture to develop.

B. MICROORGANISM MICROSCOPY
1. Prepare three (3) sample slides and cover slips.
2. Name the first slide “bottom”, the second slide “middle,” and third slide “top.”
3. Get a small (a drop) water sample from the top part of the hay infusion culture. Put it in the third slide labelled “top.”
4. Do the same process in number 4 for the second and first slides.
5. Cover the slides with cover slips. Remove bubbles inside the specimen.
6. Look for microorganisms using the electronic microscope.
7. Record and take pictures of all your observations under the microscope.

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS:

(6 Points)
MICROORGANISM PICTURES DESCRIPTION
Euglena
Paramecium
Spirogyra
Chlamydomonas
Volvox
Amoeba

1. What did you observe before and after the hay infusion process? (2 Points)
2. Which part (bottom, middle, top) of the hay infusion produce more microorganisms? Why do you think this part
produce more microorganisms? (4 Points)
3. How many microorganisms were you able to view under the microscope? (2 Points)
4. What do you think is purpose of sugar syrup in the culture? (2 Points)
5. Why does the culture need to be set aside for two weeks? (2 Points)
6. What is your conclusion about this activity? (2 Points)

REFERENCE/S:
 chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.vernier.com/files/sample_labs/BD-PS-
microbes.pdf
 chrome- extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.yc.edu/v6/academics/pathway/biodocs/HayProtist.pdf

RTU – BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE LOVELYN B. 2