| Explore | From our experiences outside of school we know that plants make the oxygen we need to breathe along with taking in carbon dioxide. They have eukaryotic cells along with structures and material such as cell walls, chlorophyll , and chloroplast that set them apart from other living organisms. From research conducted, we know Alternaria, also known as early blight, is a mainly soil-borne fungal pathogen that affects potato crops. It is a global disease that has been present in GB crops for many years. Warm and wet periods favour the disease, and if not controlled, it can cause dramatic leaf loss, leading to yield reductions of up to 30%. We also know Black dot is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum coccodes and although a mild disease it is one of the most problematic blemish diseases of washed, pre-packed potatoes.Late blight remains the single most important potato disease, costing the industry an estimated £50 million a year in crop protection chemicals during a typical blight pressure season.These strains can infect a plant more rapidly, so limiting the curative effects of some fungicides. |
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| Research Question | How do different levels of light exposure affect the growth of potato rot? |
| Predictions | The potato with more light would probably have a dry texture because the sun would dry it up and possibly have a more fungal/algae type of rot because the light would promote plant like cells to grow. The potato kept in the dark would probably have moist texture and would promote more bacteria like growth and would produce a worse smell due to the bacteria growth. |
| Experimental Design | Our plan is to find how different levels of light exposure affect the growth of potato rot. This experiment will be completed by creating 3 groups of potatoes in 3 different light settings. The first group being the control which will be allowed to follow normal day-night cycles of light. The second group of potatoes will be the group that is held in light at all times. The third and final group will be the potatoes that are kept in complete darkness where no light is able to hit it. We will be observing the potatoes smell, looks, textures, and other physical traits. There will be two variables. The light is the independent variable while the rot it produces is the dependent variable. We will record data by taking pictures and writing down precise observations, marking times and dates. |
| Investigation Theme | PGST |
| Grade Level | High School Students (Grades 9,10,11,12) |
| School Name | California Academy of Mathematics and Science |
| Session | Fall 2020 |