The Effect of Temperature On Germination in
Fescue Seed
By: Annie Blackwell &
Miranda Allison
Division III
Botany
July 5, 2011
Annie Blackwell
& Miranda Allison Walnut Grove FFA
Botany Division III
ABSTRACT
The Effect of Temperature on Germination in Fescue Seed
This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of germination on fescue seed at different temperatures. To perform this experiment we baked fescue seed samples in an oven slowly increasing the temperature until the maximum temperature of 200 degrees was reached.
We then took seed samples at 20 degree increments and conducted a germination test on the samples. We tested seed that had been baked at 120, 140, 160, 180 and 200 degrees as well as the beginning sample which had no artificial heat applied. For accuracy, we took five samples each at each temperature.
To test the germination of the seed, we placed 20 seeds on a wet paper towel and placed the samples in plastic sandwich bags. After 14 days, we counted the seeds that sprouted and used this data to determine if the temperature increase affected the germination.
After analyzing our data, we concluded that the germ is affected but not completely killed at higher degrees. Even as the theory states that temperatures over 160 degrees will completely destroy the germination, we proved that to be incorrect up to 200 degrees in our experiment. We also determined that a better method of germination testing would need to be used in the future, since the germination rate of our beginning sample did not match the professionally tested sample. The lab-tested germination rate showed 99 percent germination, while our test showed only a 33 percent germination rate.
Annie Blackwell
& Miranda Allison Walnut Grove FFA
Botany Division III
INTRODUCTION
In the late 1800s tall fescue was brought to the U.S. from Europe, as told by Craig Roberts at the MU Extension Office. The University of Kentucky was the first to discover it in 1931 and fescue became known as “Kentucky-31” in 1943. It became popular in the 1940s and 1950s with farmers in the Midwest and South. Today, 40 million acres of forage and grassland are fescue, including 17 million acres in Missouri alone. This makes fescue one of Missouri’s most used forage crops. (Roberts, April 2000).
The purpose of this project was to determine if excessive heat affected the germination rate of fescue seed. According to Martin Porter, Owner of Porter Seed House in Bolivar, MO, fescue seed lost germination when it reached a temperature of 160 degrees. We wanted to test this theory.
For this experiment, we gathered a bucketful of Kentucky 31 fescue from Porter’s Seed House in Bolivar, along with Ziploc bags, paper towels, a probe, a measuring cup, plates, an oven glove and a place to bake and bag the fescue.
To test our experiment we baked the fescue at each heat interval and then tested the germination percent. To do this we placed a bowl of Kentucky 31 fescue seed from Porter’s Seed House in the oven and placed a temperature probe in it.
After the seed was baked we organized it and placed them into bags, inside wet paper towels. After 15 days we came back and checked the seed germination. By this we determined our hypothesis to be incorrect.
Beginning Sample
120 Degrees 140 Degreees 160 Degrees 180 Degrees 200 Degrees 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3.2
2.2
2.6
2.2
2.8
2
Fescue Seed Germination (Annie)
Highest Lowest Average
Annie Blackwell
& Miranda Allison Walnut Grove FFA
Botany Division III
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Materials List
1. Fescue Seed from Porter’s Seed House 2. Oven with digital thermometer
3. Probe 4. Water
5. Paper Towels 6. Measuring Cup 7. Magnifying Glass 8. Tweezers
9. Bowl 10. Paper Plates 11. Ziploc Bags 12. Flats
13. Oven Mitts
Experimental Method
1. Gather all materials needed for the experiment. (listed above) 2. Count out paper towels and Ziploc bags (30 each)
3. Dampen Paper towels
4. Count out 20 seeds per paper towel for 5 times before baking (Beginning Temperature)
5. Put remaining fescue seed in the bowl and place in oven with the probe in the middle of the bowl.
6. Turn on the oven and heat until the probe reaches each interval of 120, 140, 160, 180 and 200 degrees.
7. As the probe reaches each interval remove bowl with oven mitts and dump a
measuring cup full of fescue seed on a paper plate and label the paper plate with 120, 140, 160, 180 or 200.
8. Count out 20 seeds per damp paper towel and place in a labeled Ziploc bag. Repeat this five times each per temperature interval.
9. Place Ziploc bags in a flat and warm place for 14 days.
10. On the 15th day, remove the seeds from the flat and record the number of germinated seeds.
Annie Blackwell
&
Miranda Allison Walnut Grove FFA
Botany Division III
RESULTS
The following charts show the results for this experiment:
Fescue Seed Germination (Annie)
Fescue Seed Germination
Out of 20 Seeds
Beginning Sample
120 Degrees
140 Degrees
160 Degrees
180 Degrees
200 Degrees
6 3 2 0 3 3
3 0 1 2 3 1
2 4 4 2 2 3
3 1 3 4 3 2
2 3 3 1 3 1
Fescue Seed Germination (Miranda)
Fescue Seed Germination
Out of 20 Seeds
Beginning Sample
120 Degrees
140 Degrees
160 Degrees
180 Degrees
200 Degrees
5 0 2 13 8 4
1 1 1 16 2 2
6 10 3 11 0 3
3 1 1 11 7 2
2 0 0 13 7 3
Average Germination of Fescue Seed
Fescue Seed Temperatures Annie Miranda
Beginning Sample 3.2 3.4
120 Degrees 2.2 2.4
140 Degrees 2.6 1.4
160 Degrees 2.2 12.8
180 Degrees 2.8 4.8
200 Degrees 2 2.8
Beginning Sample
120 Degrees 140 Degreees 160 Degrees 180 Degrees 200 Degrees 0
0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
3.2
2.2
2.6
2.2
2.8
2
Average Fescue Seed Germination (Annie)
Average
Beginning Sample
120 Degrees 140 Degreees 160 Degrees 180 Degrees 200 Degrees 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
3.3
2.3
1.5
7.5
3.8
2.4
Project Average
Average Germination
Beginning Sample
120 Degrees 140 Degreees 160 Degrees 180 Degrees 200 Degrees 0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
3.4
2.4
1.4
12.8
4.8
2.8
Fescue Seed Germination (Miranda)
Highest Lowest Average
Beginning Sample
120 Degrees 140 Degreees 160 Degrees 180 Degrees 200 Degrees 0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
3.4
2.4
1.4
12.8
4.8
2.8
Average Fescue Seed Germination (Miranda)
Average
Annie Blackwell
&
Miranda Allison Walnut Grove FFA
Botany Division III
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
1. Increased internal seed temperature does not completely destroy germination up to 200°. At 200 degrees we still had an overall average of 10% germination.
2. The method of testing the germination in this experiment did not work correctly. The initial sample of seed at harvest was tested in the Nicolas Seed Testing Laboratory in Springfield, MO. This professionally conducted test showed a germination rate of 99%.
Our germination test of the same seed showed only a 16.5 %
germination rate, thus proving our germination testing methods were flawed.
3. Excessive heating of seed in short time intervals, does not
completely destroy all seed germination. In theory after fescue
seed has reached a temperature of 160 degrees, all germination will
be 0%. We proved this theory incorrect. At 160 degrees, one of our
samples reached a germination rate of 80%. Our overall average was
36.5% at 160 degrees and 10% at 200 degrees.
Annie Blackwell
&
Miranda Allison Walnut Grove FFA
Botany Division III
LITERATURE CITED
Anderson, Barbara J. (2006). “The Effect of Tarp Coverage on Moisture of Fescue Seed.”
Agriscience Fair Project. Walnut Grove FFA. Summer 2006.
Buckner, Josh. & Killingsworth, Kaleb. (2009). “The Effect of Container Color and Tarp Coverage on Moisture Content in Fescue Seed.” Walnut Grove FFA. Summer 2009.
Harman, Brandy. (2002). “The Effect of Time on Moisture Content in Fescue Seed.”
Agriscience Fair Project. Walnut Grove FFA. Summer 2002.
Henning, Jimmy C., Wheaton, Howell N., and Roberts, Craig A. “G4646 Tall Fescue.”
Missouri University Extension. October 1993.
Kucera, Clair L. “The Grasses of Missouri.” University of Missouri Press pg 24 1961 Nicolas Seed Testing. Telephone Interview conducted July 4, 2011. (417)-831-1340
Roberts, Craig. “G4669 Tall Fescue Toxicosis” Missouri University Extension. April, 2000.
J. T. Romo, P. L. Grilz, C. J. Bubar and J. A. Young. “Influences of Temperature and Water Stress on Germination of Plains Rough Fescue”. Journal of Range Management
Vol. 44, No. 1 (Jan., 1991), pp. 75-81 (article consists of 7 pages) Published by: Allen Press and Society for Range Management Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4002644
Experimental Method
1. Gather all materials needed for the experiment.
2. Count out paper towels and Ziploc bags (30 each)
3. Dampen Paper towels
4. Count out 20 seeds per paper towel for 5 times before baking (Beginning
Temperature)
5. Put remaining fescue seed in the bowl and place in oven with the probe in the middle of the bowl.
6. Turn on the oven and heat until the probe reaches each interval of 120, 140, 160, 180 and 200 degrees.
7. As the probe reaches each interval remove bowl with oven mitts and dump a
measuring cup full of fescue seed on a paper plate and label the paper plate with 120, 140, 160, 180 or 200.
8. Count out 20 seeds per damp paper towel and place in a labeled Ziploc bag. Repeat this five times each per temperature
interval.
9. Place Ziploc bags in a flat and warm place for 14 days.
10. On the 15
thday, remove the seeds from the
flat and record the number of germinated
seeds.
CONCLUSIONS
1. The temperature of the seed does not completely destroy
germination up to 200 degrees.
2. The method of testing the
germination in this experiment did not work correctly.
3. A short amount of heat at a
certain temperature does not
destroy the germ completely.
HYPOTHESIS
1. The germination in fescue seed will drastically
decrease after 160 degrees.
2. The germination will be
lower as the temperature
increases.
PROBLEM STATEMENT 1. Will the germination
completely die at 160 degrees?
2. Will heat affect the
amount of growth in
fescue seed?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Porter’s Seed House in Bolivar, Missouri for allowing us to use their
Kentucky 31 fescue seed from their 2011 crop. Also
Mr. Bruce Blakemore, our FFA advisor, for helping
us with this experiment.
We met on July 5
thas a team to organize our
experiment. We labeled each individual bag with the
temperature of the fescue seed for each sample. After
we each took our individual experiments home to see
our results.
We placed the probe in the middle of the fescue seed
and waited for it to reach each heat interval.
Once the probe reached each heat interval we took
the bowl out and took a sample out of the middle of
the bowl. Since the probe was in the middle that was
the most accurate place to take from.
After 15 days we opened the bags and counted the
number of sprouts from each sample (10 from each
temperature).
After removing it from the bowl we placed 20 seeds on each damp paper towel and placed them in Ziploc
bags.
Table of Contents
Title Page………1
Abstract………...2
Introduction……….3-4 Materials and Methods………...5
Results………6
Graphs………...7-11 Discussion and Conclusion………..12
Literature Cited………13
Experimental Method………...14
Conclusions………..15
Hypothesis………16
Problem Statement………...17
Acknowledgements………..18
