Louisa Arabidopsis
2017
Hypothesis
If magnesium sulfate is added to Arabidopsis thaliana plants, then the mutant experimental plants with the AAP2 gene disabled will exhibit an increase in stem height, an increase in rosette width, and an increase in silique production compared to the wild type plants.
How Magnesium Sulfate Affects Plants
Magnesium sulfate consists of the elements magnesium and sulfur. Magnesium strengthens the walls of the cell and is important for the production of fruits, nuts, and chlorophyll. Magnesium also is important in seed germination and the uptake of other elements, such as sulfur, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Sulfur is critical in the growth of plants and the production of enzymes, vitamins, and amino acids. Magnesium sulfate has been shown to enlarge the size of plants and fruits, increase the amount of flowers on the plant, and produce greener and bushier vegetation.
Why We Chose Magnesium Sulfate
Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), which is more commonly referred to as Epsom salt, is an additive that, when applied to plants, has provided multiple statistics of increasing the speed of the plants' life cycle. In a study on Zea mays (corn) plants with magnesium sulfate added to the soil and water, the Z. mays reproduced sooner and grew faster. When downy mildew, a primary disease of A. thaliana, attacks the AAP2 gene, it lowers the plant’s reproductive rates. Wild-type and mutant plants ,which have the AAP2 gene disabled, will be compared to each other for the effect of magnesium sulfate on A. thaliana. These rates of growth and reproduction will be monitored, recorded, and compared to the average life cycle of an A. thaliana plant in order to support the group hypothesis that mutant experimental plants will exhibit increased rates of growth and seed reproduction.
Who We Are
Louisa BRVGS consists of 18 tenth graders who are highly academic, but also participate in a wide range of extracurricular activities that include music and theater, marching band, cross country, football, baseball, tennis, track, cheerleading, volleyball, Envirothon, the High Five Club, Young Life, FCA, and more. Led by Ms. Richardson, our detailed experiment displays the effect of magnesium sulfate on A. thaliana.