Laboratory Activity 2: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF

MUNG BEANS (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek) EXPOSED TO

DIFFERENT VISIBLE LIGHT WAVELENGTHS

ERHON JUSTINE S. DONATO

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1

Department of Education
City Schools Division of Batac
GENERAL ARTEMIO RICARTE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
City of Batac 2906, Ilocos Norte
 INTRODUCTION

Photosynthesis takes place primarily in the leaves of plants. The structure of the leaf

consists of the upper and lower epidermis, the mesophyll, the vascular bundles, and the stomates

(Carter).The upper and lower epidermises serve mainly as protection for the leaf, and the

stomates only function in air exchange. Carbon dioxide enters through the somates and oxygen

gas exits. The vascular bundles are the plant’s transportation system; all water and nutrients

moves via the vascular bundles to different parts of the plant. Chloroplasts are only found in

mesophyll, and that is where photosynthesis occurs (Tawil, 2014).

A true seed is defined as a fertilized mature ovule that possesses embryonic plant, stored

material, and a protective coat or coats. Seed is the reproductive structure characteristic of all

phanerogams. The structure of seeds may be studied in such common types of pea, gram, bean

almond or sunflower (Gupta, n.d).

Viable seeds are living entities. They must contain living, healthy embryonic tissue in

order to germinate. All fully developed seeds contain an embryo and, in most plant species, a

store of food reserves, wrapped in a seed coat. Seeds generally "wake up" and germinate when

soil moisture and temperature conditions are correct for them to grow (Miles and Brown 2007).

Each seed type has individual needs--take a minute and read about their specific germination

requirements (Stivers, 2012)

Germination is the process by which the embryo wakes up from the state of dormancy

and takes to active life. This process, in fact, covers all the changes from the earliest sprouting of

the seed till it established itself as an independent plant. A mature seed is living. But the embryo

remains dormant (Gupta, n.d).

 However, the color of the light has a measurable impact on the amount of energy a plant

absorbs. This is due to the different wavelengths, depending whether they are short or long,

provide different levels of energy (Minolta, 2018).

In this study, the learners came up to a research and assessment for the effect of different

colour of light in Mongo seeds performing photosynthesis.

 METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methods and procedure applied in conducting the experiment.

This includes the materials used, locale of the study, research process, and the data analysis.

Materials

The students used 6 petri dishes that contains 20 mongo seeds each, a Tissue Paper, 6 box

of carton (12 x 6 inches), Yema wrappers with different colors (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green,

Blue), a Garbage bag, and a water.

Locale of the Study

The study was conducted at General Artemio Ricarte Senior High School, #35 Bil-loca,

City of Batac, Ilocos Norte from September 27- October 5, 2018.

Preparation of the Petri Dishes and Mongo Seeds

The tissue papers are served as the soil and the petri dishes are served as a pot for the

mongo seeds. First, the three layers of the tissue paper was folded and put into the petri dishes.

Then, twenty (20) mongo seeds were scattered in each petri dishes with the tissue papers

underneath. And lastly, the students watered all the petri dishes just enough for the tissue paper

to moist and was placed in each box prepared.

Preparation of the Boxes

The researchers used 6 boxes with the height of 12 inches and width of 6 inches. The top

of the box was covered with yema wrapper (in different colors) and a garbage bag for the black

one. One box of carton contains only one color of yema wrapper/garbage bag with three folds
and was properly sealed. Students made sure that there are no other light passing through the box

than the light from the top of the boxes in order for the experiment to succeed. Also, the students

created a little window to make way for the petri dishes for observation.

Setting the Time and Date for Observation

The time scheduled for observation was one day after the putting up of the boxes, and 2

days after the first observation, then another observation happened after 2 days, and the last

observation was again 2 days after the third observation.

Data Gathering Procedure

In this study, data was gathered through four observations. By using a ruler, measuring

the average number of height, identifying the color and number of the leaves and the number of

seed germination was done in observation days. To be specific, observation days was September

28, October 1, October 3 and October 5.

Monitoring the Mongo seeds for Germination

The scheduled time and date were followed. Mongo seeds were sized according to height

and also the germinated seeds were counted and recorded thoroughly.

Computing for the Average height and Percentage of Germinated Seed

After doing the observations, students computed the average height of the seeds and its

percentage of germination per box. This was done one observation at a time. And in order for the

students to properly calculate the gathered data, they created a table (per observation period) to

be more efficient as it will serve as their basis for computing.

 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section contains the detailed results, discussions, and implications after conducting

the experiment and after all the observations have been done.

Percentage of Seed Germination

The collected results of the percentage of seed germination was calculated through the

formula:

Total number of germinated seeds

% of Seed Germination = ------------------------------------------------ x 100
Total number of seeds

100%
_______________________________________________________
100%
90%
_______________________________________________________
90%
80%
_______________________________________________________
80%
70%
_______________________________________________________
70%
Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4

Figure 1: The Percentage of Seed Germination in 4 Periods

In the first observation, students counted the seeds that have germinated in a span of one

day. Based on the graph, the box with green light has the highest percentage of germinated seeds

which has a total of 90%. Basically, the box with green light has a total of 18 seeds developed.

The box with a least percentage rate in the first observation are the boxes with red and orange
light which has 70% of germinated seeds. The other boxes like the box with blue light has

percentage 85% or 17 seeds are germinated box with black and yellow light has a total of 75% of

germinated seeds.

On the next observation, the students once again observed the mongo seeds in each box

with different color of lights. Based on the data gathered, the results of the first observation is

almost the same with the second one. Still, the box with the highest percentage of seed

germination is the box with green light with 90%, but there was no increase. Meaning to say, the

box with green light has no improvement in a span of 3 days. Next is the box with blue light

which also shows no improvement since it still holds 85% of germinated seeds since the first

observation. Unlikely, the boxes with black, red, and orange lights seemed to amuse us since

these boxes increased with 5% (black) and 10% (red and orange). While the box with yellow

light now appeared to have the lowest percentage rate of still 75% of germinated seeds since the

first observation.

In the third observation, boxes with yellow, orange, black, and green light was static

since the percentage rate of seed germination did not increase nor decrease. They all stayed with

that of their percentage with the last observation. But still, the box green holds the highest

percentage with 90%. On the other hand, boxes red and blue appeared to be the only ones that

increased with at least 5% both. Box blue having 90% (which means it also holds now the

highest rate of seed germination) and box red having 85% of seed germination. One thing most

obvious about this third observation is that there are still no boxes with 100% seed germination

in 6 days to be exact.

In the last observation, the boxes with green and blue light has the greatest number of

germinated seeds. The 90% of the 20 mongo seeds of these boxes were all sprouted. Next to
these boxes are the box with black and orange light which has a total of 85% of germinated

seeds. While the boxes with least number of germinated seeds are the boxes with orange and

yellow light having only a total of 16 seeds developed out of 20 mongo seeds for both boxes.

Therefore, throughout the 4 observations, we can conclude that the box with green light is

the fastest one to germinate it’s just that in the succeeding observations, it no longer showed any

change or improvement. However, the box with yellow light holds the slowest seeds to

germinate because it only began to improve in the last observation.

Average Height

The measured height was in terms of millimeters (mm) and was calculated through the

formula:

Total number of mongo heights

Average Height = ---------------------------------------------
Total number of germinated seeds

25

20

15

10

0
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Black

Figure 2. Average Height in Period 1

 In period 1, the box with blue light has the highest average height which has a total of

19.6 mm. Next is the black box with a total average of 12.7 mm. Followed by the green box

which has an average height of 10 mm. Fourth one is the orange box which has a total average

height of 9.8 mm then the red box which has a total average of 9.2 mm. And the box that has the

least average is in the yellow box which holds only a total average height of 8.4 mm.

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Black

Figure 3. Average Height in Period 2

In period 2, the students noticed that the mongo seeds grew much longer as compared to

the first observation. Based on the data gathered, the blue box now has highest average height of

34.3 mm. Next to blue box is the black box which has a total of 24.7 mm. Then the green box

which has a 21.5 mm. Next to the green box is the orange box which has only a total average

height of 19.8 mm. Then, the yellow box that has a total average of 18 mm. Last is the red box

which has only a total average height of germinated seeds of 11.1 mm.
 140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Black

Figure 4. Average Height in Period 3

In period 3, the findings of the students are as follows: it was the green box that has the

highest average height with a total of 117 mm. Following was the blue box which has a total

average height of 97.2 mm. Next was the black box which has a total height average of 66.8 mm,

and the orange box with 59.8 mm average height. Then the yellow box with 47.5 mm. And the

box that has the lowest average height was the red box that holds only 19.4 mm.

180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Black

Figure 5. Average Height in Period 4

 In period 4, for the average height of the germinated seeds, the blue box has the highest

average height with a total of 167 mm. Following was the green box which has a total of 124 mm

of average height; next was the black box which has 94.9 mm of total average height. Then, the

orange box which has a total average height of 90.8 mm. Next was the yellow box that has 89.6

mm of total average of heights. And again, the lowest computed average height was in the red

box with a total of 19.4 mm only. This is due to the death of all the seeds inside the box causing

them to not grow any longer and stayed as it is.

In addition, from Period 1 to 4, it is obvious that the mongo seeds in the blue box were

the fastest seeds to grow and develop. On the other hand, it was the mongo seeds in the red box

that did not grow well.

Number of Leaves

The number of leaves was counted manually and tallied through all the sprouted leaves in

each petri dishes/boxes.

1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Black

Figure 6. Numbers of Leaves in Period 1

 In figure 6, all seeds did not sprouted yet. Only the roots have started to develop.

20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Black

Figure 7. Numbers of Leaves in Period 2

In figure 7, the green box has greatest number of sprouted leaves which has a total

number of 13. Followed by the boxes blue and black 13 developed mongo leaves. Next was the

orange box which has 9 leaves. Followed the yellow box with 7 leaves and unfortunately, the red

box have not yet developed any leaves.

30

25

20

15

10

0
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Black

Figure 8. Numbers of Leaves in Period 3

 In figure 8, still, the seed inside the blue box has the greatest number of leaves which is

24. This was followed by the green box that has a total of 23 developed mongo leaves. Then, the

yellow box which consists of 16 developed mongo leaves. Following the orange and black box

which contains 14 mongo leaves and again, the red box has the lowest number of mongo leaves

which was only a total of 4.

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Black

Figure 9. Numbers of Leaves in Period 4

In figure 9, blue box got the highest number of leaves which has a total leaves of 32.

Following are the boxes green and yellow which has a total number of 24. Next was the black

box with a total of 19 mongo leaves, then the orange box which has 15 mongo leaves. And for

the lowest number of leaves, it was again the red box with only 4 leaves (almost dying).

All in all, from Period 1 to 4, the blue box holds the highest number of leaves. However,

the lowest total number of mongo leaves was in the red box which only contains 4 mongo leaves

after all the 4 observations. This is because the seeds in the red box died that resulted them to not

sprout any leaves and not grow any more inches.

Color of Leaves

During the first observation, the students noticed that there were still no leaves growing

from the seeds. Thus, they were not able to determine the color of any leaves yet from that day.

But as the observations succeed, leaves started to grow and the students learned that it was box

orange who has the greenest leaves. Following was the boxes yellow, green, and red. Box with

blue light’s leaves on the other hand has a yellow green color while the box with black light has

yellow leaves. Since it is dark and could not get so much light from the sun.
 CONCLUSION

Color and light affects photosynthesis, the color that has the highest influence on

photosynthesis is blue, which is why many plant growers use blue lights to grow indoor plants.

Red light is the next best for photosynthesis. However, photosynthesis does not occur in green

light because chloroplasts absorbs in red and blue part of spectre. They do not get energy needed

for photosynthesis when they are light up with green light cause chloroplasts reflect green light

and don’t make use of its energy (Karns, 2018).

After all the 4 observations for the impact of different colors of light on Mongo seed

germination, I agree with the statement of Karns (2018). That the best light absorbed by the

plants was the box with blue light. The box with blue light is one of the highest when it comes to

height and number of leaves. That is based on all the data gathered by our group. On the other

hand, the box with red light has the lowest rate of plants performing photosynthesis and not even

making any progress compared to the 5 other boxes with different color of lights.

.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gupta, H. (n.d.). Seeds: Definition and Structure (With Diagram). Retrieved October 16, 2018,

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Stivers, L. (2012, August 28). Seed and Seedling Biology. Retrieved October 16, 2018, from

https://extension.psu.edu/seed-and-seedling-biology

Gupta, Manasvi. “Seed Germination: Definition and Conditions | Botany.” Biology Discussion,

30 Aug. 2016, www.biologydiscussion.com/seed/germination/seed-germination-definition-and-

conditions-botany/48775.

Tawil, Khalid. The Effects of Light Color on the Rate of Photosynthesis in Living Leaves. 23 Jan.

2014,moodle.dearbornschools.org/mahara/artefact/file/download.php?file=13896&view

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Minolta, K. (2018). Can Colored Lights Affect How Plants Grow? Retrieved October 25, 2018,

from https://sensing.konicaminolta.us/blog/can-colored-lights-affect-how-plants-grow/

Karns, K. (2009, June 24). Color & Light Effects on Photosynthesis. Retrieved October 26,

2018, from https://www.hunker.com/12189111/color-light-effects-on-photosynthesis