The Peanut Plants mini project was carried out over a period of four
weeks, from 18 April 2017 to 22 May 2017. The goal of the mini project was to
understand the effects of different factors that affect plant growth.
Five different soils samples were used for the mini project, taken from various locations. The soil samples were labelled as pot A, pot B, pot C, pot D, and pot E respectively.
Table 1: Locations Where the Soil Samples were Collected
Five different soils samples were used for the mini project, taken from various locations. The soil samples were labelled as pot A, pot B, pot C, pot D, and pot E respectively.
Table 1: Locations Where the Soil Samples were Collected
Pot A
|
Mengkabong Lagoon, Tuaran
|
Pot B
|
FSSA’s Garden
|
Pot C
|
Sepangar
|
Pot D
|
FSSA’s Lake
|
Pot E
|
Residential College E, UMS
(B1 area)
|
Each soil sample was first tested for its texture and pH. These two factors are important to know as they affect soil fertility in various ways.
Table 2: Soil Sample and its Soil Texture and pH.
Soil Sample
|
Soil texture
|
pH (Universal indicator)
|
pH (pH Meter)
|
Pot A
|
Sandy loamy clay
|
5
|
5.71
|
Pot B
|
Loamy sand
|
5
|
5.69
|
Pot C
|
Sand
|
6
|
7.79
|
Pot D
|
Loamy sand
|
5
|
4.77
|
Pot E
|
Loamy sand
|
6
|
6.41
|
As seen in Table 2, pot D was the most acidic of the soils, while pot E and pot C is close to neutral pH. Knowing the soil pH is important as certain plant nutrients are only available in abundance in a certain range of pH such as phosphorus, sulphate, and nitrate which are available mostly within the pH range of 6.0 to 7.5.
Table 3: Phosphorus, Sulphate, and Nitrate Content of the Soil Samples
Soil Type, S
|
Test, T
|
Nutrient (mg/L)
|
||
Phosphorus
|
Sulphate
|
Nitrate
|
||
Pot A
|
T1
|
1.0
|
119 (over)
|
1.9
|
T2
|
1.0
|
118 (over)
|
1.9
|
|
T3
|
1.0
|
115 (over)
|
2.0
|
|
Mean
|
1.0
|
117.33 (over)
|
1.93
|
|
Pot B
|
T1
|
5.29 (over)
|
87 (over)
|
4.4
|
T2
|
5.29 (over)
|
86 (over)
|
4.4
|
|
T3
|
5.29 (over)
|
86 (over)
|
4.4
|
|
Mean
|
5.29 (over)
|
86.3 (over)
|
4.4
|
|
Pot C
|
T1
|
0.89
|
29
|
1.0
|
T2
|
0.89
|
29
|
1.0
|
|
T3
|
0.88
|
28
|
1.1
|
|
Mean
|
0.89
|
28.67
|
1.03
|
|
Pot D
|
T1
|
0.68
|
93 (over)
|
1.4
|
T2
|
0.68
|
93 (over)
|
1.5
|
|
T3
|
0.68
|
93 (over)
|
1.5
|
|
Mean
|
0.68
|
93 (over)
|
1.47
|
|
Pot E
|
T1
|
0.57
|
95 (over)
|
4.4
|
T2
|
0.57
|
94 (over)
|
4.3
|
|
T3
|
0.57
|
93 (over)
|
4.5
|
|
Mean
|
0.57
|
94 (over)
|
4.4
|
|
The soil texture of the soils samples
affects the water holding capacity of the soil. Due to the sizes of different
soil particles, the water holding capacity varies between different soil
textures; sandy soils has the weakest water holding capacity, clay the
strongest, with loam in the middle of the two. Water is vital for a plant's
survival as well as it is required for seeds to germinate. Table 4 shows the
moisture content of the soils after two weeks of drying. Pot D has the highest
moisture content, since loamy sand soils have the highest water holding
capacity, with pot C having the lowest since the inverse is true for sandy
soils. Please note that high water holding capacity does not directly result in
fertile soils as clayey soils have poor aeration and sandy soils can produce
fertile plants provided plant nutrients are abundant and it is regularly
watered. The results of the mini project shows something similar.
Table 4: Moisture Content of Soil Samples After Two Weeks
Table 4: Moisture Content of Soil Samples After Two Weeks
No. of Sample
|
Weight of empty bowl (R1)
|
Weight of bowl + sample (R2)
|
Weight of bowl + sample after drying for 2 weeks (R3)
|
Moisture Content (%)
[(R2-R3)/(R2-R1)] x
100
|
Pot A
|
6.19
|
171.83
|
118.25
|
32.35
|
Pot B
|
6.23
|
175.80
|
156.97
|
11.20
|
Pot C
|
6.20
|
190.88
|
173.80
|
9.28
|
Pot D
|
6.19
|
172.81
|
91.86
|
48.58
|
Pot E
|
6.28
|
173.35
|
148.67
|
14.77
|
Below are the results of the germination and plant growth of the Peanut Plants.
Table 5: Germination and Mortality Rate of the Plants in the Soil Samples
Soil Sample
|
Number of seeds planted
|
Number of seeds germinated
|
Rate of germination (%)
|
Rate of mortality (%)
|
Pot A
|
10
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
Pot B
|
10
|
1
|
10
|
90
|
Pot C
|
10
|
5
|
50
|
50
|
Pot D
|
10
|
4
|
40
|
60
|
Pot E
|
10
|
5
|
50
|
50
|
Table 6: Heights of the Plants in the Soil
Sample After 4 Weeks
Soil Sample
|
Week 1 average height (cm)
|
Week 2 average height (cm)
|
Week 3 average height (cm)
|
Week 4 average height (cm)
|
Average height for four weeks (cm)
|
Pot A
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
Pot B
|
6.88
|
17.46
|
18.76
|
27.30
|
17.60
|
Pot C
|
7.62
|
14.30
|
15.23
|
26.93
|
16.02
|
Pot D
|
6.27
|
15.78
|
17.58
|
28.66
|
17.07
|
Pot E
|
7.75
|
20.33
|
25.33
|
29.15
|
20.64
|
From Tables 5 and 6 and Figures 1 and 2,
soil sample pot E has the most fertile soil as the plants grew with an average
growth height of 2O.64 cm per week and had a 50% germination rate. A combination
of good soil texture (loamy sand), good pH range (pH 6.41), high moisture content
(14.77%) and abundance of nutrients led to the plants in the soil sample to
grow better than the other five soil.
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