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The Effect of Deicer Salt on the Growth of Barley |
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Researched by Ashley B.
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PURPOSE
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of deicer salt on the growth of barley.
I became interested in this idea when I saw people putting deicer on the roads and sidewalks in the winter. I wondered if the salt dissolved and got into the soil, would it affect how much plants grew. My family and I grew a garden, so salt in the soil could cause problems.
The information gained from this experiment could be of interest to gardeners, farmers, the Department of Transportation employees who salt the roads and homeowners who use deicer on their sidewalks and driveways. If salt damages plant growth, then this study could act as a warning.
HYPOTHESIS
My first hypothesis was that the barley plants with more deicer salt would grow more slowly than the plants without it.
My second hypothesis was that as the amount of deicer increased, the percent of surviving plants would decrease.
My third hypothesis was that as the amount of deicer salt increased, the weight of the plants would decrease.
I based my hypothesis on an Internet article called “Sources of Soil Salinity” at extension.usu.edu/publica/agpubs/salini.htm. The article said that salt doesn’t affect how plants grow much, unless a high amount of salt is present.
EXPERIMENT DESIGN
The constants in this study were:
• The amount of water given to the plants (5cc)
• The amount of soil in each cell
• The type of soil
• The amount of light given (14 hours a day)
• The temperature the plants were grown at (20°C)
• The type of plant seed (barley)
• The depth of the plant seed (1 cm)
The manipulated variable was the amount of deicer salt used.
The responding variables were the growth of the barley and the survival rate.
To measure the responding variables, I measured the weight of the barley using a triple beam balance and counted the number that survived.
MATERIALS
| QUANTITY | ITEM DESCRIPTION |
| 2 | Planting trays with 72 cells |
| 1 |
Triple Beam Balance |
| 432 |
Barley Seeds |
| 1 |
Bag of potting soil |
| 1 |
Bag of deicer rock salt |
| Tap Water | |
| 1 |
Growing Light |
| 1 |
Syringe |
| 2 |
Plastic Clear Domes |
| 1 |
Timer |
| 5 |
Plastic Jugs |
PROCEDURES
1. Planting seeds
A. Fill all of the cells in both planting trays 1/2 full with potting soil.
B. Add 15cc of water to each cell using the syringe.
C. Place 3 barley seeds evenly spaced into each cell.
D. Cover the barley seeds with a layer of potting soil.
E. Add another 15cc of water.
F. Place a plastic, clear dome over each of the planting trays.
G. Set the timer for the fluorescent light to turn on for 14 hours every day and make sure the light is placed 30 centimeters above the soil.
2. Label Groups
A. Divide up the cells so you have 3 groups of 24 cells in each tray (a total of 6 groups).
B. Label the first group “no salt”.
C. Label the second group “2.25 grams of salt”.
D. Label the third group “4.5 grams of salt”.
E. Label the fourth group “9 grams of salt”.
F. Label the fifth group “18 grams of salt”.
G. Label the sixth group “36 grams of salt”.
3. Creating Saltwater Solutions
A. Put 2.25 grams salt into a plastic jug, add 1 liter water, label it “2.25 grams”.
B. Put 4.5 grams salt into a plastic jug, add 1 liter water, label it “4.5 grams”.
C. Put 9 grams salt into a plastic jug, add 1 liter water, label it “9 grams”.
D. Put 18 grams salt into a plastic jug, add 1 liter water, label it “18 grams”.
E. Put 36 grams salt into a plastic jug, add 1 liter water, label it “36 grams”.
4. Experimental Treatments
A. Every other day add 5cc of salt solution to each cell using the syringe. Use the correct jug of water for each group.
B. At the end of the experiment, uproot and weigh all of the plants in each group using a triple beam balance.
C. Find the total mass for each group, then find the average mass for each group by taking the total mass for each group and dividing it by the number of plants in that group.
RESULTS
The original purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of deicer salt on the growth of barley.
The results of the experiment were that the groups with more deicer salt weighed less than the groups with less deicer salt. The group with no salt had an average mass of .25 grams. The group with 2.25 grams of salt had an average mass of .23 grams. The group with 4.5 grams of salt had an average mass of .20 grams. The group with 9 grams of salt had an average mass of .17 grams. The group with 18 grams of salt had an average mass of .12 grams. The group with 36 grams of salt had an average mass of .09 grams. The group with no salt had 100% surviving and the group with 36 grams of salt had 22% surviving. See graphs and charts.
See the table and graph below.
CONCLUSION
My first hypothesis was that the barley plants with more deicer salt would grow more slowly than the plants without it.
The results indicate that my first hypothesis should be accepted, because once the salt concentrations were applied, the groups with the higher amounts of salt grew the least.
My second hypothesis was that as the amount of deicer increased, the percent of surviving plants would decrease.
The results indicate that my second hypothesis should be accepted, because once the salt concentrations were applied, the groups with more salt had fewer surviving plants.
My third hypothesis was that as the amount of deicer salt increased, the weight of the plants would decrease.
The results indicate that my third hypothesis should be accepted, because the groups with the more deicer salt have a lower average mass.
After thinking about the results of this experiment, I wonder if a different type of deicer would affect how much barley grows. For example, the Department of Transportation sprays a special type of deicer on the roads. I wonder if that deicer would affect barley. Also, there are a lot of different types of plants that could be tested. I wonder if what the effect of deicer would be on wheat, soybeans, apple trees, or any other type of plant.
If I were to conduct this project again I would have used six different syringes so I would have had one for each group, because the next time I watered the plants, some of the salt could still have been in the syringe from last time. I also would have grown the plants in natural sunlight outside in the summer instead of using an artificial light inside in the winter because that would be more natural. I also would have used more plants in each group and more variations of salt concentrations to discover the smallest amount of salt having a negative effect.
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Introduction
Humans need food to live. If there is salt pollution in the soil, that
will damage the plants and they could die. If we don’t have enough
living plants on Earth, we won’t have enough food and we won’t be able
to survive. Salt pollution is harmful to the environment, agriculture,
and fresh water supply.Plants
There are more than 300,000 species of plants. Plants are typically
green and inhabit many different environments. They make food by
photosynthesis. Most plants live in soil and don’t actively move. Growth Plants grow if they are given nutrients and water. They will grow all of their lives. They make their food from minerals in soil, sunlight, carbon dioxide in the air, and water. Growth hormones are what control the way the plants grow. Photosynthesis Photosynthesis is the process where plants make food by using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water. Carbon dioxide enters the plant through holes called stomata. Photosynthesis takes place in the leaf cells called chloroplasts, which contain a green pigment called chlorophyll that absorbs energy from the sunlight. The absorbed energy is used to join carbon dioxide and water to form glucose. The chemical reaction is 6 H2O + 6 CO2 => C6H12O6 + 6 O2.The glucose is then transported through tubes in the leaf to the plant’s roots. The extra oxygen is released back into the air. Green plants are the only plants that can make their own food. Earth depends on photosynthesis for both food and oxygen. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Animals, including humans, take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Botanists Botany is the study of plants and is part of biology. Botanists study plant’s environments, their structure, and their uses. They collect specimens to examine plants closely. They try to discover similarities and differences between species of plants. Parts of the Plant The roots are the underground parts of a plant. Water and minerals travel through the roots. The stem is the main supportive part of the plant that grows above land. The leaves are the main site of photosynthesis. They consist of thin, flat lamina, petiole, and the leaf base. Barley
Barley is an important cereal grain that resembles wheat. Barley is the
fifth largest cereal crop in the world. It is a member of the grass
family, Poaceae. Farmers grow barley to provide grain for feeding
livestock. It’s an important farm crop in many regions of the world. History Barley was one of the first cultivated cereals. Grains of barley that are 5,000 to 7,000 years old have been found in Egypt and the Fertile Crescent. Scientists believe barley originated in Ethiopia, the Fertile Crescent, or central Asia. For thousands of years it has grown in Europe, Southeast Asia, and China. Barley was the main grain in Europe until the 1500s when wheat took its place. Christopher Columbus brought barley to North America in 1493. It has been cultivated here ever since. Uses About half of the world’s barley is used for animal feed. The other half is used for human food and malting. People use pearl barley in hot cereals, soups, salads, stews, casseroles, and puddings. It can be ground up into flour to make bread. Malted barley is used for making malted milk, syrup, vinegar, and cereals. Flakes of barley are used in porridge, granola, muesli, cookies, muffins, and desserts. Barley bran is used to make cereal. Barley flour is used to make muffins, cookies, pancakes, breads, pasta, biscuits, and pizza crust. Barley isn’t just used for food. It’s also used for livestock bedding, building construction, bales for building blocks, particleboard, sub-flooring, wall and roof sheathing, paper, and newsprint. Cultivation
Barley will grow almost anywhere in the temperate zone. It grows in
cool northern climates and grows at high altitudes. Farmers cultivate
it as a winter crop in warmer climates. The most proper planting season
for spring barley is March or April. Farmers plant seeds from 6
to 7 inches (15-18cm) apart and they sow 1 to 2 bushels per acre. A
bushel of barley weighs 48 pounds (22kg.). Annual world production is
about 145 million tons. Canada, Germany, and Russia are some of the
leading barley-producing countries. North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho
produce the most barley in the U.S. Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba
are the top barley-producing provinces in Canada.Diseases and Pests Smuts are fungi that change barley kernels into powdery black masses of spores. Stem rust causes reddish or black patches on stems or leaves. Mildew appears on plants as cottony white growth. Spot blotch and net blotch form lesions on leaves, stems, and roots. Scab can cause black dots or discoloration. Many barley diseases can be controlled. Grasshoppers, aphids, Hessian flies, and other insects also attack barley. Salt
Salt is a mineral known as halite. It is clear and is made up of
chlorine and sodium. Chemically it is called sodium chloride
(NaCl). The source of salt is brine, which is salty water. Brine comes
from oceans and lakes. Most salt comes from the United States, in
Louisiana. Rock salt comes from evaporated parts of ancient oceans.
It’s found in hard massive layers beneath the ground. These deposits
are found in 32 states in the U.S. The United States and China are the
top salt producing countries in the world. About 20% of the United
States salt production is used for deicing. Pollution
Pollution is the addition to the ecosystem of harmful substances that
affect things on the planet. It is caused by littering and chemicals
due to the growing population. There are many different kinds of
pollution. There is air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution,
and soil pollution.Soil Pollution Soil pollution is caused by chemicals like pesticides. It’s also caused by waste material being dumped in public places such as streets, parks, picnic areas, and bus stops. Littering can cause soil pollution because things like candy wrappers can eventually decay and dissolve into the soil and the decay can kill plants. Soil pollution threatens the ability of farmers to grow enough food for animals, including humans. Salt Pollution Salt pollution is an expanding problem and threat to plants. It is the destruction of the thin layer of healthy, productive soil. Rock salt is one of the most common deicers and is harmful to plants. If a plant is living in the polluted soil, the salt can be sucked up through the transport system and will eventually kill the plant. Irrigation water also leaves salt deposits behind in the soil and will eventually damage crops. There are two ways that salt can get into plants. One way is that it can go through the water cycle by evaporating with the water and coming back down as precipitation on the plants. Also, if salt is placed on the road, it can dissolve and flow down hill into soil and onto plants. Summary
Plants are the key to life on Earth. Without plants, all animals would
die. Living things depend on plants for food. Deicer salt is very
harmful to plants, so it can also affect humans. |
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Alberta Barley Commission. “About Barley”. November 16, 2005
<http://www.albertabarley.com/kids/about.shtml>. “Barley”. Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. 2003 “Barley”. November 9, 2005 <en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley>. “Barley”. November 30, 2005 <www.grains.org/grains/barley.html>. Burnie, David. Plant. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 1989. Pg 6. Chertow, Marian R. “Soil Pollution”. World Book Online Reference Center. Dean, Walter E. “Salt”. World Book Encyclopedia. 1998. DiMichele, William A. “Plant”. World Book Online Reference Center. 2005 Dorling Kindersley Inc. The Visual Dictionary of Plants. New York, New York, USA: Dorling Kindersley Inc., 1992. Pg. 6, 26, 28, 30, 32, 58 “Grains”. Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. 2003 Lammert, John M. Plants. Vero Beach, Florida: Rourke Publications, 1992. Pg. 10-11 “Malting Barley”. Brittanica Encyclopedia. 2003 Microsoft Corporation. “Barley”. Encarta Reference Library. 2005 “Photosynthesis”. November 9, 2005 <www.ktca.org/newtons>. “Plants”. October 26, 2005. <www.thinkquest.org/competition/plants.shtml>. Raven, Peter H. and Crosby, Marshall R. “Plant”. Encarta Deluxe 2001. 2001. Watts, Claire and Parsons, Alexandra. Plants. Monroe, Chicago, Illinois, US: Two-Con Publishing, 1992. Pg. 4 – 39 Wych, Robert D. “Barley”. World Book Encyclopedia. 2005. |
I would like to thank the following people for helping make my project possible:
• My parents for helping me get all of my materials and helping me with my experiment.
• Mr. Newkirk for helping me with my journal.
• Mrs. Viernes for helping me find information on my topic.
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