Investigatory Project

TITLE: How does the mass affect the emergence of soybean

seedlings?

I. Background of the Study:

Seed germination is important to the world because all the people get most of their
food from plants. Even people who eat meat are dependent on plants for the animals to eat.
Statistics shows that 51% of all farmers are dependent in the season of germination of their
agricultures. Agriculture is important to all humans, so understanding germination is a benefit to
everyone.

Germination is a process of sprouting of a seed. When germination begins, the seed

needs a lot of water. The water makes a chemical change that enables the embryo to store food
and energy for growth. The water also causes the embryo to enlarge and split the seed coat.
Germinating seeds require a large amount of oxygen because of their high rate of respiration.
Respiration is taking in oxygen and giving off carbon dioxide. The radical then emerges and
grows forming its first root.

Soybeans are really important and crucial in our life because it adds taste to our food
and rations. Farmers have a very limited season for the growth of soybeans especially in the
other countries which have a cold and glacial temperature which is impossible to grow soybeans
in all seasons. It does not only help people to add taste and vitality in their foodstuffs and
provisions but also the to the farmers who are fond of raising beans especially in the near arctic
regions like Alaska, Spain, Italy, and whatsoever.

II. Problem of the Study:

The study was conducted to answer the question:

Will the mass have any relation to affect the growth and emergence of the soybean
seedling?

III. Hypothesis of the study:

We think that if the mass of the soybean seedlings are in fewer amounts, the lesser
the time will it take to emerge and somehow grow.

IV. Objectives of the study:

A. General Objective:
 • The purpose of this project is to determine if mass affects the emergence of a
soybean seed. This experiment was set up to verify if the size of a soybean affects
how it grows.

B. Specific Objectives:

To measure the specific time will the soybeans emerge and grow from the variables we
will use.

• To measure the length of each seedlings (plant) and how it interacts in its
environment. (E.g. Geotropism, phototropism, etc.)
• To compare the percent of length and speed to other soybean seedlings that is
used for world commerce.

V. Design of study:

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

A. Variables:

Controlled Variables:

- The genetic, moisture capability and the potential germination of the seed.
- The depth of the soil by which the seed will be planted (10 cm)
- The size and capability of the pot to sustain soil.
- The kind of soil (humus)
- The amount of sunlight and water it receives.

Manipulated Variables:

- The size of each soybean seedlings. (S4:220 mg; S3:190mg; S2:110mg; S1:70mg)

Responding Variables:

- The speed of the emergence and growth of the soybean seeds.

B. Materials:

Materials to be used:

- 4 different soybean seedlings (Mass is indicated at the experimental design)

 - 4 identical pots.
- Marker (for you to mark the pot)
- Small shovel

C. Procedure:

1. Bring 4 identical pots and use a marker to mark them. 1st pot 1; 2nd pot 2… and so on.
2. Put an equal amount of humus soil to the pot. Use a small shovel to dig at least 10
centimeters depth on the soil.
3. Put the soybean seedlings in pot and place it in a sunny window.
4. Give equal amount of sunlight and water them everyday for at least one week.
5. Record your observations and make a graph based on your experiment.

VI. Result of the study:

Seed A: (S4:70 mg) Seed B: (S3:110 mg)

After 1 week: After 1 week:
Seed C: (S2:190mg) Seed D: (S1:220 mg)
After 1 week: After 1 week:

(The place where we

conducted our experiment)
No ruler XD...
VII. The Data Gathered:

A. Quantitative Observation. We agreed and contributed to use the formula:

Percentage of growth= initial length - final length / initial length *100

Table 1: Seed A: (S1:70mg)

Days Height of the Percentage of

plant growth.
(from the
previous day of
measure)

Day 1 0 cm 0%
Day 2 1.5 cm undetermined
Day 3 2.5 cm 66%
Day 4 4 cm. 60%
Day 5 6 cm 50%
Day 6 8 cm 33%
Day 7 9.5 cm 18.75%

Table 2: (S2:110mg)

Day Height of the Percentage of

plant. growth. (From
the previous day
of measure.)

Day 1 0 cm 0%
Day2 1 cm undetermined
Day 3 2 cm 50%
Day 4 2.5 cm 25%
Day 5 4.5 cm 80%
Day 6 6.5 cm 44%

Day 7 8 cm 23%
Table 3: (S3:190mg)

Day Height of the Percentage of

plant. growth. (From
the previous day
of measure.)

Day 1 0 cm 0%
Day2 0 cm 0%
Day 3 0.75 cm undetermined
Day 4 2 cm 166%
Day 5 2.75 cm 37.5%
Day 6 4 cm 45%
Day 7 6 cm 50%

Table 4: (S4:220 mg)

Day Height of the Percentage of

plant. growth. (From
the previous day
of measure.)

Day 1 0 cm 0%
Day2 0 cm 0%
Day 3 0.25 cm undetermined
Day 4 1 cm 300%
Day 5 1.5 cm 50%
Day 6 2.5 cm 66%

Day 7 5 cm 100%
B. Qualitative Observations:

Seeds: A B C D

Day 1 -the seed at this -the seed at this -the seed at this -the seed at this
time has no raw time has no raw time has no raw time has no raw
observations observations observations observations

Day 2 The seed The seed -the seed at this -the seed at this
emerged. (The emerged also time has still time has still no
fastest and but shorter than no raw raw
tallest of them seed A observations observations
all for now.)
Day 3 The plant grows The plant The plant grew The plant grew
more and has continues to but only a little but has the
the highest grow also and portion of it can shortest length
percentage of has a high be seen. of all.
growth as is for percentage of
now growth.
Day 4 The plant The plant This plant for This plant has
continues to continues to now has a great the most amount
grow but the grow also but it amount of of percentage
percentage loose half of its percentage growth but still
growth begins percentage growth. It is small for its size.
to decline growth. continuing to
grow.
Day 5 The plant It grew more It grew more It grew but the
continues to and the POG but the POG POG decreased.
grow but the increased lost more than
POG have gradually. 75%.
decreased a bit
rather than
yesterday.

Day 6 It grew more It grew also but It grew and the It grew and the
but the POG the POG POG increase. POG increased
declines again. declines also. also.

Day 7 It grew the It grew the 2nd It grew the 3rd It grew the
tallest of them tallest and the and its Ave. shortest of them
all and its Ave. Ave. POG is POG is 74.6% all but has a
POG is 45.55% 39.8% POG of 129%
VIII. Summary of the results:

-We therefore conclude that our hypothesis was correct. So we concluded that
the smaller the mass of the soybean seedlings, the faster will it grow and emerge
healthier and the bigger the mass of the soybean seedling the slower will it grow
and emerge.

-The results showed that the control grew the best in the standard germination
and the hypocotyl elongation. Seed B and Seed C were the best germinating seed
sizes for both of the tests. Overall the 15 milligram seeds were the best but only
by a small margin. Seed A grew the fastest in the standard germination.

- This will be useful to farmers who are fond of planting soybean seeds to the
industry of soy sauce which we use

Submitted by:
4-Eros Paul V. Estante
8-Sherwin Neil G. Loor
15-Joebert Edison B. Velasco

I-JADE
Philippine Science High School- Western Visayas Campus

Submitted to: Mam Anne Mylene S. Itucal (AMSI)