Arid Plants Mask Drought: Exploring the Effects of Varied Amounts of Natural Polymer Hydrogel in Enhancing Drought Resistance in Canola

This experiment aims to find the most effective amount of natural-polymer based hydrogel to enhance drought resistance of canola in Alberta. Testable question: Do the Different Amounts of Natural Polymer Hydrogel Enhance Drought-Resistance in Canola?
Japp Kaur Gill
Grade 9

Hypothesis

          Based on a recent study, “Lignin-based hydrogel alleviates drought stress in maize,” it was suggested that hydrogel could be used as a “soil additive to increase water availability to crops experiencing drought stress that will not release undesirable byproducts” (Mazloom et al., 2020). With the current state of canola, especially in Southwestern Alberta, “Recent… arid conditions in Western Canada have led to catastrophic yield losses of canola…” (Generation of Canola Lines with Increased Heat and Drought Tolerance by Regulating Phospholipid: Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase Activity, n.d.). This is where hydrogel enhances drought resistance since “hydrogel may prove as a convenient and eco-friendly feasible option to achieve the goal of crop productivity under conditions of water scarcity” (Yadav & Kumar, 2023).  By augmenting the rate of photosynthesis (one of the factors that determines drought resistance) and other metrics e.g. length/number of leaves, average height, R.W.C., and photosynthetic flotation measures drought resistance in a conceptualized idea that they all show a plant’s productivity under water stress. The recommended application of hydrogel is 2580mg/1030 cm3 which is my hypothesis as  “for almost all types of crops to soil type and climate of the country, a meagre application rate of hydrogel i.e. 2.5-5.0 Kg/ha is effective” (Yadav & Kumar, 2023). This is my hypothesis for the most effective amount of hydrogel to ask for drought resistance. In response to these metrics, it is hypothesized that a 2580 mg section/grow tray with the applied hydrogel will have an R.W.C. (leaf relative water content - in %) that will lie in between or be equivalent to the average R.W.C. of canola plants, the average root length will be higher than 5 cm, the average height will be higher than the rest of the samples (estimated < 6), the photosynthetic flotation will lie in between 7-13 minutes (average for canola). Hence, these conclusions are made to the hypothesized amount of hydrogel that will enhance drought resistance the most: 2580 mg:1030 cubic cm. 

Research

BACKGROUND RESEARCH

(Refer to the “Works Cited” Page for the Citations being referred to in the Background Research)

Variables

Procedure

 

Major Materials Visuals (Personal photographs)

 

Procedure:

Observations

Observations/Data Collection

Day #

Observation during the Respective Day

Qualitative Data (Photographs)

Qualitative Data (Description of Observations on Respective Day with Average Height - height of all 24 trials can be seen in the quantitative data/logbook/graph page in the lab report and other metrics)

Germination Period (1 Day)

 

The 24 canola non-GMO, organic seeds were soaked for 1 day (24 hours) in water to increase the rate of germination.

Day 1

 

Day 1 of the Growth Period

 

  • Seeds were transplanted 5 mm into the soil

 

  • There was no growth for all the samples as it was only the first day of growth. The grow tray sections were divided into sections to keep track of all the samples for the observations

 

  • In simple terms, no observations could be taken as there was no growth

 

The average heights of all the sections were recorded (the growth of every single trial can be seen in the Quantitative Data Section which includes the logbooks and Graphs):

 

Section 1 (Recommended): 0 cm

Section 2: 0 cm

Section 3: 0 cm

Section 4 (Constant): 0 cm

Day 5





Day 5 of the Growth Period:

 

  • Nearly 80% of the samples grew and surprisingly all had around 1-4 leaves (swift growth)

 

  • The samples showed exceptional health as evidenced by the dark emerald colour, height of samples (considering it was only the 5th day of growth), and the number of leaves

 

  • Average leaf count: 3 leaves (1-4)

 

  • No plants were light green, which was once again a surprise considering it was only the 5th day of the growth period

 

The average heights of all the sections were recorded (individual samples were kept account of - can’t be mentioned due to excess samples shown in observations - can be seen in the logbook section with graphs and tables):

 

Section 1 (Recommended): 0.3 cm

Section 2: 0.3 cm

Section 3: 0.3 cm

Section 4 (Constant): 0.3 cm

Day 10

 

  • Nearly 95% of the canola samples grew and were all grass green in pigment with the exception of some being light green

 

  • As of now, the samples could be said as the same as their stature, leaf count, and pigmentation were pretty similar (can be seen in the picture of the samples above)

 

  • All sections had pretty similar, which is a good sign as this shows the controlled variables are actually controlled

 

  • Average leaf count (same as the 5th day - leaves take time to produce): 3 leaves (1-4 leaves)

 

The average heights of all the sections were recorded (individual samples were kept account of - can’t be mentioned due to conciseness of information) - which can be seen in the Quantitative data with tables and graphs

Day 15




  

  • The average height of all the samples were 6.9 cm, meaning they were pretty healthy for the 15-day growth period 

 

  • The average leaf count of all the samples was 4 leaves, therefore showing sufficient health as per the 15-day growth period

 

  • The canola plants were growing approximately 0.1-0.9 cm per day as per the current readings





 

Day 20











 

 

  • The average height of all the samples was 7.5 cm, meaning they were pretty healthy for the 30-day growth period 

 

  • The average leaf count of all the samples was 7 leaves (for sections 1-4), therefore showing sufficient health as per the 30-day growth period

 

  • The canola plants were growing approximately 0.1-1 cm per day as per the current readings

 

  • Since all the data was controlled/the same for all the sections, I could start the 

8-day Drought Stimulation period, which is a good sign

Day 25


 

Notable differences could be seen as the pigmentation of the samples overall was getting darker, conveying that the health of the canola samples was thriving

 

Height was pretty much the same as the 20th day with only some growth 

 

Overall, the internodal length increased significantly which showed consistent growth

Day 30

Last Day of Growth Period (30th Day)

 

  • No visible changes seen in the overall appearance, height, or pigment of the plants could be detected 

 

  • Average height and leaf count remained the same as 25th (Height increased by 1.3%)

 

No notable difference could be seen in the samples

 

From the background research, it can be inferred that the actual decisive data is the R.W.C. and photosynthetic flotation as it shows the plant's condition internally (more in-depth changes in plants’ response to water stress/drought)

 

Day 1

        Section 1           Section 2


Section 3

 

Section 4 (N/A - Constant)

 

1st Day of Drought Stimulation Period (10 Days) and Hydrogel Application

 

  • First, all hydrogel amounts were applied to the 3cm topsoil of all sections. Below is a visual of the hydrogel and its weight taken by the milligram scale 

 

  • No visible changes seen in the overall appearance, height, or pigment of the plants could be detected 

 

  • Average height and leaf count remained the same as the last day of the growth period

 

No notable difference could be seen in the samples as it is the 1st day of hydrogel application and the drought stimulation period

 

From the background research, it can be inferred that the actual decisive data is the R.W.C. and photosynthetic flotation as it shows the plant's condition internally (more in-depth changes in plants’ response to water stress/drought)

 

Day 3







 

3rd Day of Drought Stimulation Period (5 Days) and Hydrogel Application

 

  • No specific observations, but almost all the samplings were showing fairly the same observations as the R.W.C. and photosynthetic flotation would tell what was going on inside of the plants

Day 8 















  • Final observations were taken after the 12-hour lighting cycle and the R.W.C., photosynthetic rates experiments were conducted and the average height, leaf count, pigment, and root length were translated into a statistical analysis below:

 

 

Analysis of all Metrics (Section 1)

Final average height (cm)

11 cm

Final average leaf count

12

R.W.C. (%)

90%

Photosynthetic Rate (ET 50) - rounded to nearest min.

12 minutes

Final average root length (cm)

13.7

 

Analysis of all Metrics (Section 2)

Final average height (cm)

9 cm

Final average leaf count

8

R.W.C. (%)

72%

Photosynthetic Rate (ET 50) - rounded to nearest min.

16 minutes

Final average root length (cm)

5.9

 

Analysis of all Metrics (Section 3)

Final average height (cm)

9 cm

Final average leaf count

8

R.W.C. (%)

70%

Photosynthetic Rate (ET 50)
- rounded to nearest min.

14 minutes

Final average root length (cm)

10

 

Analysis of all Metrics (Section 4)

 

Final average height (cm)

9 cm

Final average leaf count

9

R.W.C. (%)

60%

Photosynthetic Rate (ET 50) - nearest min.

14 minutes

Final average root length (cm)

10.8

 

Results: Section 1 was the most effective hydrogel in masking drought resistance in canola plants.

 

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Analysis

Analysis (In words)

 

Quantitative Data: Statistical Data and Analysis (Graphs and Table/Logbook)

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS TABLES:-

Irrigation Water Analysis:


 

Water temperature

19 degrees Celsius

ppm

25 ppm

EC

4 dS/m

pH

5.5 (slightly acidic)

Average Height of all Sections at the end of Growth Period:

 

Section 1 (Recommended)

9 cm

Section 2

9 cm

Section 3

9 cm

Section 4 (Constant)

9 cm

R.W.C. and Photosynthetic Flotation - Section 1

 

ET 50 (Photosynthetic Flotation)

12 min. 26 sec.

R.W.C. (%)

90%

R.W.C. and Photosynthetic Flotation - Section 2

 

ET 50 (Photosynthetic Flotation)

16 min. 2 sec.

R.W.C. (%)

72%

R.W.C. and Photosynthetic Flotation - Section 3

 

ET 50 (Photosynthetic Flotation)

14 min.

R.W.C. (%)

70%

R.W.C. and Photosynthetic Flotation - Section 4

 

ET 50 (Photosynthetic Flotation)

14 min. 9 sec.

R.W.C. (%)

60%

Average Leaf Count of all Sections at the End of the Drought Period:

 

Section 1 (Recommended)

12

Section 2

8

Section 3

8

Section 4 (Constant)

9

 

Analysis of all Metrics (Section 2)

Final average height (cm)

8 cm

Final average leaf count

8

R.W.C. (%)

72%

Photosynthetic Rate (ET 50) - rounded to nearest min.

16 minutes

Final average root length (cm)

5.9

Analysis of all Metrics (Section 1)

 

Final average height (cm)

11 cm

Final average leaf count

12

R.W.C. (%)

90%

Photosynthetic Rate (ET 50) - rounded to nearest min.

12 minutes

Final average root length (cm)

13.7

 

Analysis of all Metrics (Section 3)

Final average height (cm)

8 cm

Final average leaf count

8

R.W.C. (%)

70%

Photosynthetic Rate (ET 50)
- rounded to nearest min.

14 minutes

Final average root length (cm)

10

Analysis of all Metrics (Section 4)

Final average height (cm)

9 cm

Final average leaf count

9

R.W.C. (%)

60%

Photosynthetic Rate (ET 50) - nearest min.

14 minutes

Final average root length (cm)

10.8

 

Quantitative/Numerical Data: Logbook/Table and Graphs for Data (Average Height - cm, Leaf Count and Others)


Key to Navigate Through Tables/Graphs:

 

TABLE + GRAPH 1 - #1.1 - 1.4 = Height Data

TABLE + GRAPH  2 - #2.1 - 2.4  = Leaf Count Data

TABLE + GRAPH 3 - #3 = Photosynthetic Flotation Data

TABLE + GRAPH 4 - #4.1 - 4.2 = Root Length Data

TABLE + GRAPH #5 = R.W.C. Data

 

#1.1: Height of all 24 Trials (4 Sections) During the 30-Day Growth Period (4 Sections) - Height in cm

 

#1.2: Height of all 24 Trials (4 Sections) During the 8-Day Drought Period (4 Sections) - Height in cm

 

#1.3: Average Height of 24 Trials (4 Sections) During the 30-Day Growth Period and 8-Day Drought Period - Height in cm

 

#1.4: E.E.I. (Extended Experimental Investigation) - Statistical Data for Height During the 30-Day Growth Period and 8-Day Drought Stimulation Period (4 Sections) 


 

#2.1: Leaf Count of all 24 Trials (4 Sections) During the 30-Day Growth Period (4 Sections) - Height in cm

 

#2.2: Leaf Count of all 24 Trials (4 Sections) During the 8-Day Drought Period (4 Sections) - Height in cm


 

#2.3: Average Leaf Count of  4 Sections During the 30-Day Growth Period and 8-Day Drought Period - Height in cm


 

#2.4: E.E.I. (Extended Experimental Investigation) - Statistical Data for Leaf Count During the 30-Day Growth Period and 8-Day Drought ) Stimulation Period (4 Sections

 

#3. Photosynthetic Flotation Rate for Sections/Grow Trays (ET 50 - Effective Time 50) 

Time it takes the leaves to float (minutes)

Section 1 (2580 mg)

Section 2 (4000 mg)

Section 3 (1000 mg)

Section 4 (Constant)

2

0

0

0

0

4

0

0

0

0

8

1

0

0

1

10

4

0

0

3

12

5

1

4

5

14

7

3

5

5

16

9

5

6

6

18

10

8

7

9

20

10

10

10

10




 

#4.1: Root Length of all 24 Trials (4 Sections) - Extracted After 8-Day Drought Period + 30-Day Growth Period (Height in centimeters) - No Graph Could be Made Due to Error with Google Sheets

 

2580 mg Grow Tray - Heights of Trials/Samples

4000 mg Grow Tray - Height of Trials/Samples

1000 mg Grow Tray - Height of Trials/Samples

Constant Grow Tray - Heights of Trials/Samples

Trial Number

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Trial 6

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Trial 6

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Trial 6

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Trial 6

Height of Root Length (in cm)

14

13.4

13.7

13.8

13.6

13.7

8

10

12

11

10

9

5.9

5.8

6

6

5.8

5.9

10.8

10.8

10.8

10.8

10.6

11

 

#4.2: Average Root Length of Sections (Measured in centimetres)

 

Section (2580 mg)

Section 2 (4000 mg)

Section 3 (1000 mg)

Section 4 (Constant)

Average Root Length

13.7

5.9

10

10.8

 

#5: R.W.C. (Relative Leaf Water Content) of 24 Trials - 4 Sections (Measured in %)

 

Section 1 (2580 mg)

Section 2 (4000 mg)

Section 3 (1000 mg)

Section 4 (Constant)

R.W.C. (Relative Leaf Water Content) - Measured in %

90

72

70

60




 

Qualitative/Quantitative Data of Metrics with Exception of Average Height/Leaf Count - Shown in Observations 

(non-numeric i.e. text, video, photographs, etc)

Qualitative Data: Photograph of Photosynthetic Rate of Flotation (ET 50) for all Sections - Videos can be seen in Google Slides Presentation


 

Qualitative Data: Photographs of Root Lengths of all 4 Sections - Visual may Appear Blurry due to Computer Difficulties in Forming a Clear Image











 

Qualitative Data: Leaf Relative Water Photographs of Weight Measurement of Leaves with Milligram Scale


 

Quantitative Data: R.W.C. Calculations (Numeric)

Conclusion

​​

Application

Sources Of Error

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Citations

Works Cited (APA 7th Edition)

           Yadav, S., & Kumar, R. (2023, August 3). (PDF) Hydrogel and its effect on soil moisture status and plant growth: A review.     ResearchGate. Retrieved November 23, 2023, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348927854_Hydrogel_and_its_effect_on_soil_moisture_status_and_plant_growth_A_review

          Albalasmeh, A. A., Mohawesh, O., Gharaibeh, M. A., Alghamdi, A. G., Alajlouni, M. A., & Alqudah, A. M. (2022). Effect of hydrogel on corn growth, water use efficiency, and soil properties in a semi-arid region. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 21(8), 518-524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssas.2022.03.001

          Non-GMO, cold-pressed canola oil brings self-sufficiency and international markets to an Alberta community. (n.d.). The Organic & Non-GMO Report. Retrieved November 30, 2023, from https://non-gmoreport.com/articles/non-gmo-cold-pressed-canola-oil-brings-self-sufficiency-international-markets-to-an-alberta-community/#:~:text=Non%2DGMO%20canola%20seeds%20ar

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          Generation of canola lines with increased heat and drought tolerance by regulating phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity. (n.d.). Canola Council of Canada. Retrieved December 22, 2023, from https://www.canolacouncil.org/research-hub/canola-lines-with-increased-heat-drought-tolerance/#:~:text=Overview

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          Antunović Dunić, J., Mlinarić, S., Pavlović, I., Lepeduš, H., & Salopek-Sondi, B. (2023). Comparative Analysis of Primary Photosynthetic Reactions Assessed by OJIP Kinetics in Three Brassica Crops after Drought and Recovery. Applied Sciences, 13(5), 3078. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053078

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Acknowledgement

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