The Effects of Blue Light on Wisconsin Fast Plants

November 7th, 2011- November 28th, 2011

Group 2: Ashley Davis, Brittany Bertone, Maggie Kane and Amy Canino

   Light is a significant factor in the majority of plant mechanisms that drive growth and survival.  Plants have evolved intricate light-sensitive and light-driven mechanisms that are related to vital processes including photosynthesis, photorespiration, germination, control of flowering, phototropism and the entrainment of circadian rhythms (Azari, 2009).  Based on these mechanisms, plants are able to use and adjust light so that optimal growth and development may occur (Azari 2009).  This experiment investigated the overall effect that various lights had on Wisconsin Fast Plants.  The types of light used in this experiment included: the control (white light), blue light, red light, far-red light and green light.  The types of plants analyzed in this experiment included four phenotypically and genotypically different Wisconsin Fast plants: standard, variegated, non-purple, and purple.  The variegated, non-purple and purple plants served as the mutants that were observed in this experiment, while the standard plant served as the wild-type. 

     Multiple groups were formulated within the class so that each type of light and the effect it had on each of the plants could be analyzed both phenotypically and on a molecular level.  The plants were analyzed phenotypically by recording the average percent growth of each type of plant as well as the average leaf size.  The plants were analyzed genotypically through performance of a Western Blot to quantify the amounts of the different proteins, phytochrome A and phytochrome B, present within each plant under each different lighting scenario.  The class objective was to determine the average percent growth and average leaf area for each of the four plants: standard, variegated, non-purple and purple under each of the light sources.  The class hypothesis was that the far-red light would have the greatest average percent growth because this light soure is needed for seed germination and maximum expression of Phytochrome A.  The group objective investigated in this specific experiment was to determine the average percent growth and average leaf area for each of the four plants: standard, variegated, non-purple and purple under intense blue light and lower intensities of the other light sources.  The group hypothesis was that non-purple plants would have the largest average percent growth and the smallest average leaf area, while the purple plants would have the smallester percent growth and largest average leaf area.  Experimentation and analysis of this light source on the Wisconsin Fast Plants was performed over a four week period to reach the final conclusion concerning the effects of blue light on these plants.