Planting Science - Projects: The Effect of ACC on the Salinity Tolerance of Sea Oats
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Explore Sea oats are a slow growing grass which are most commonly found along beaches and in sand dunes. The sea oats grow up to six feet high, while their leaves grow around 1 feet long. Sea Oats leaves are usually not very wide and taper near the ends. The end of their leaves are brown and curl in. During the summer, large seed heads are produced. As the plant matures during the summer, the panicle goes from green to a light beige color. Near the soil surface, the stem of the sea oats produces nodes. The nodes will often point downwards in order to anchor the plant into the sediment. Sea oats are very drought resistant and their large root system allows them to tolerate high salinity levels. The sea oats thrive in areas of full sun and blowing sand. The sea oats will not tolerate fine sediments and struggles to survive in areas of low water on the beach. The sea oats produce very few seeds, although they are viable.
Research Question Our group is researching the effect that 1-aminocyclopropane 1-carboxylate, also known as ACC, has on the salinity tolerance of sea oats. We came up with this question after learning about the effect that chemicals found in agricultural runoff has on bodies of water, as well as the organisms in those areas.
Predictions If sea oats are grown with water that has .05055 grams of ACC, .02022 grams of ACC, and .2022 grams of ACC, than the sea oats grown in water with .2022 grams of ACC will have the lowest levels of proline. This is our prediction because ACC has the ability to reduce the negative impacts of salinity on the plants stress levels.
Experimental Design The independent variable is the amount of ACC in the water. The dependent variable is the proline level of the sea oats. The constants will be type of soil, type of seed, and amount of sunlight. 1. Put .05055 grams of ACC into one liter of water to create the solution that will be used to water the plants. 2. Repeat this process with .02022 grams and .2022 grams of ACC. 3. Using a plant tray, fill the cells halfway with soil. There will be 120 cells total used for the experiment. 4. Make a small divot with your finger in the soil and place a seed in the hole. 5. After all of the seeds have been placed, cover the top of the seeds with soil. 6. Water the soil with 15 milliliters of water with no ACC daily for three months. 7. Repeat this process with the water that has .05055 grams of ACC, .02022 grams of ACC and .2022 grams of ACC. 8. After three months, the plants will be extracted from their containers and will have their proline levels tested.

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NSF_Logo.jpg This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant #2010556 and #1502892. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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