COMPARING SOIL-GROWN PLANTS WITH HYDROPONIC PLANTS

OBJECTIVES
■ Compare hydroponic plant-cultivation techniques with conventional plant-cultivation
techniques.
■ Observe the germination of mung bean seeds over a two week period.

PROCESS SKILLS
■ analyzing data
■ measuring
■ comparing and contrasting

MATERIALS
■ 2 clear plastic cups
■ improvised plastic-foam floater with 6 holes in it
■ 50 mL of potting soil
■ cheesecloth (must be large enough to cover the plastic
foam floater)
■ 12 mung bean seeds
■ 50 mL of banana peel solution
■ plastic dropper
■ labeling tape
■ marking pen
■ measuring cup
■ metric ruler

BACKGROUND

1. Hydroponic cultivation is a technique for growing plants in a solution that contains all of the
inorganic nutrients the plant needs. Plants that are grown hydroponically do not require soil.
2. The beginning of growth in a seed is called germination.

PROCEDURES

PART A. DAY 0
1. Prepare banana peel solution by soaking 2 to three pcs of banana peel in 600 mL of water
for at least 24 hours.

PART A. DAY 1
Using the marking pen and the labeling tape, label one clear plastic cup “Soil Cultivated,” and
label the other plastic cup “Hydroponically Cultivated.”
2. Fill the cup labeled “Soil Cultivated” halfway with moist potting soil. Place six mung bean
seeds on the surface of the soil; use the distance between the holes in the foam floater as a guide
to determine the spacing of the mung bean seeds. (Do not place the floater on the soil.)
3. Press the seeds into the soil until they are approximately 0.5 cm below the surface. Cover the
seeds with soil, and press down firmly.
4. Water the seeds with 10 mL of distilled water.
5. Add 50 mL of banana peel solution to the cup labeled “Hydroponically Cultivated,” and place
the improvised plastic-foam floater on the surface of the solution, as shown in the figure below.
6. Place the cheesecloth on top of the floater, as illustrated in the figure. Press lightly at the
location of the holes in the floater to moisten the cheesecloth.
7. Place the remaining six mung bean seeds on top of the cheesecloth in the cup labeled
“Hydroponically Cultivated.” Position the seeds so that each one lies in an indentation formed by
the cheesecloth in a hole in the floater. Press each seed lightly into the hole until the seed coat is
moistened.
8. Place both cups in a warm, dry location. Water the soil-cultivated seeds as needed, monitoring
the amount of water added. Aerate the roots of the hydroponic plants every day by using a clean
plastic dropper to blow air into the banana peel solution.
9. In your lab report, prepare data tables similar to Table A and Table B. Write your observations
of the seeds in your data tables.
10. Clean up your lab materials and wash your hands before leaving the lab.

PART B. DAY 2-14

11. Compare the contents of each cup every day for two weeks, and record the appearance of the
mung bean seedlings in your data tables. If you are unable to observe your seedlings over the
weekend, be sure to note in your data table that no observations were made on those days.
12. Each time that you observe the seedlings after they have begun to grow, measure their height
and record the average height of the seedlings in each cup in your data tables. To find the
average height for one cup, add the heights of each seedling in the cup together and divide by the
number of seedlings (6).
13. After the seeds in the cup containing banana peel solution have germinated and formed roots,
allow an air pocket to form between the floater and the surface of the banana peel solution. A
portion of the roots should still be submerged in the banana peel solution. The air pocket allows
the roots of the seeds to absorb the oxygen necessary for metabolic processes while continuing to
absorb nutrients from the banana peel solution. Continue to observe and record the progress of
the seedlings in each cup on a daily basis.
14. Clean up your lab materials and wash your hands before leaving the lab.

DATA AND OBSERVATIONS

Table A Observations of Soil-Grown Plants

Day Appearance of Seedlings Average Height (mm)

1 The seed is slowly breaking out of its outer coating -----
2 Formation of roots is very visible in some of the 2.5mm
seeds.
3 The mung bean sprouts are starting to gain more 21.67 mm
height. Almost all of the six mung beans are
visible above the soil. It grows rapidly in just a
day.
4 Almost all of the six mung beans have formed 48.67mm
leaves and are gaining more height.
5 Out of the six mung beans, four have shown great 74.67mm
growth. Leaves are very visible.
6 Almost all of the mung beans gained more height. 108.0 mm
7 The stems are continuously gaining more height. 127.5 mm
8 The stems are starting to bend due to height 135.83mm
increase.
 9 The stems are gaining more height. Five out of six 164.17 mm
beans grow. However, some stems are cut-off
because it can't support its weight anymore.
10 The stems grew longer. 181.33 mm
11 There are holes found in some leaves. 204.5 mm
12 There are smaller leaves forming in between 236.0 mm
leaves. Holes in the leaves can be seen and
discoloration in some leaves is also visible.
13 Small leaves growing in between old leaves are 265.17mm
getting bigger. It keeps on growing though some
stems are cut off.
14 In total, five mung beans survived and growed. 270.4 mm

Table B Observations of Hydroponically Grown Seeds

Day Appearance of Seedlings Average Height (mm)

1 The seeds are slowly breaking out of the outer coat
and has formed small roots
2 Sprouts or roots are starting to appear. 10.17mm
3 Leaves are starting to grow. 20.5 mm
4 The stems are starting to gain height. 27.67 mm
5 Leaves are very visible and it gain more height. 55.0 mm
6 The stems are continuously gaining more height. 61.67 mm
The banana peel solution decreased in large
amount.
7 Almost all of the mung beans are consistently 80.17 mm
gaining more height.
8 The stems are getting longer each day. 95.83 mm
9 The stems grew longer and the the banana peel
solution is decreasing each day.
10 The stems gained more height and the leaves are 115.5 mm
vivid in green.
11 The stems and leaves are continously growing 147.13 mm
12 The stems are bending due to its height increase. 175.33 mm
13 The stems are bent due to height increase. 203.5 mm
14 All of the mung beans survived in two weeks 214.67 mm
observation.

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS

1. Based on the data you recorded, which seeds germinated more quickly? Which seeds
attained the greatest height?
Answer:
Hydroponically cultivated mung beans germinated more quickly however, soil cultivated
mung beans showed impressive growth because it attained the greatest height.

2. Compare your results with those of your classmate. Were the results the same for each
pair of students?
Answer:
Yes, our recorded data are almost similar to each other and the appearances of our mung beans
in both cups are almost the same. However, the number of mung beans that survived are slightly
different.
3. You planted six seeds in each cup. Why do you think the lab had you do this instead of
having you plant a single seed in each cup? Why is the use of more than one sample important?
Answer:
We planted six mung beans instead of a single seed in each cup to measure the precise
average height of already germinated seeds. Aside from that, there is a possibility that not all
seeds will grow similar in height with other seeds and not all seeds may survive during the two-
week observation.

4. How could hydroponic growing techniques be useful to countries that have either a
growing season that is too short to grow a variety of crops or soil that does not support most
agricultural crops?
Answer:
Countries where soil does not support most agricultural crops can practice hydroponic
growing techniques because it practice growing crops using mineral nutrient solution instead of
soil to deliver water and minerals directly to the roots of the plant. Due to this, farmers can grow
their crops all year-round because there are no seasonal limits. Crops can also grow faster when
it is grown hydroponically. Aside from that, using hydroponic growing techniques uses less
water than soil-based farming and excessive water is collected and pumped right back to the
plants. Lastly, the practice is less-labor intensive.

DOCUMENTATION
[On a separate sheet, present pictures with captions]