Project title: The effect of age and source on seed

germination of broccoli

Student name: Nkuna Doreen Culture

Student number: 218515088
Supervisor: Prof MM Slabbert
 Background and justification

• Broccoli is a cool season, sun loving crop best grown in spring or fall.
• Broccoli belongs to the Brassicaceae family.
• The crop forms single or multiple flower “heads” of tiny blue-green flower buds.
• The broccoli flower heads are eaten before they bloom.
• This crop has great economic importance due to its medicinal and dietic values.
• It can be propagated from seeds and cuttings.

Fig 1. on the picture is a broccoli plant, showing

how it looks like when it is fully grown.
 Factors that affect seed germination of broccoli

• The factors that affect seed germination of broccoli are: temperature, light, air, moisture,
different seed sources and age.

• Old broccoli seeds lose their viability and their germination rates fall and so decreasing
their production rate.

• New viable seeds germinate easily than old seeds and produce healthy crops.

• Seeds from different seed producers may germinate at different times and some may not
germinate at all.

• Seeds from different seed producers contain different properties and quality and they behave
differently according to their sources.

• Different harvesting methods are used by the different seeds producers and seeds are also
stored differently which make them to behave or germinate in different ways.
 Research problem

• Most people are not aware of the effects of age and source on seed germination of broccoli.

• Thorough research needs to be done regarding the type of seed to be used before planting.

• Failure of seeds to germinate causes a decrease in the production of broccoli which in turn
will cause a decrease in the economic returns of broccoli.
Hypothesis

• Age and source of seeds have no effect on seed germination of broccoli.

Objectives

• To determine the effects of age and source on seed germination of broccoli.

 Research methodology
• The experiment will be conducted in a greenhouse that is situated at the Tshwane university
of technology, Pretoria campus, under highly controlled conditions, in a growth cabinet of 20˚C.

antitative research approach will be used to conduct this experiment.

using the experimental research method.

y different broccoli seeds will be used for this experiment, from Seed from three different
d producers.

m each seed supplier we will use sixty seeds, 30 newly viable seeds and 30 old seeds. (three experimental un

petri dishes will be used for seed germination, two for each supplier, one with ten new
ds and one with ten old seeds.?????
• Simple random sampling will be used to randomly pick the different seeds from their packets
and the seeds will be sterilized or disinfected by soaking them in cups of luke warm water and
adding two tablespoons of bleach per cup.

Place on petri dish………

• Controlled observations will take place in the greenhouse NONONO!!!!!!!for 14 days??? NO! as part o
experimental research. How long does broc seed take to germinate? 14 days?

• Recording will be done on a daily basis.

• The recording sheet will include the number of days by which the seeds germinated, type of
seed (old or viable), name of supplier, planting date and the number of emerged???? seedlings
observed.

• Pictures and observation notes of the radicle emergence will also be taken.
 This is how the recording/observation sheet for the germination of the broccoli seeds
will look like: not 14 days
SUPPL SEED DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY
IERS TYPE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

SAKAT NEW
A OLD
MAYF NEW
ORD OLD
STARK NEW
E OLD
AYRES

• The number of seeds that will germinate per day will be written down
 Trial layout

Complete randomized design (2 treatments replicated 30 times)

T1
T2

No, this is wrong, you have 3 producers (a colour each)

and then 3 exp units (1 2 3) with 10 seed each.
Make a drawing on paper to understand trail layout, and se
 Validity and Reliability

• To ensure that the results of the experiment are valid and reliable, the seeds will be
soaked in luke warm water containing bleach so as to sterilize the seeds and speed up
germination. Why will this make it reliable?
• Randomize the seeds to reduce sample bias.
• Recording will be done daily to ensure that no external variables will contribute to the results
that will be obtained.
• Pictures will be taken as proof for the germination process of the seeds.

Ethical considerations

No ethical concern!!!

• Ask permission from TUT to carry out the study and to use their greenhouse.
• Follow COVID-19 rules (social distancing, sanitize and wear masks).
Time schedule

Activity Time frame

Getting consent from TUT February 2022
Purchasing seeds from different March 2022
producers
Sterilizing the seeds, growth March 2022
cabinet and petri dishes
Putting labels on petri dishes and March 2022
moisten pieces of filter paper and
place them in the petri dishes and
also placing the seeds in the petri
dishes.
Randomly place the petri dishes March 2022
in the growth cabinet
THANK YOU!