Essay, Research Paper: Wisconsin Fast Plants Project

The Rapid Cycling Brassica rapa or Wisconsin Fast Plant are plants genetically designed to grow at a rapid rate so students can study and observe them. To plant a RCBr and effectively record the data, one needs a four quad pot. It starts out as a wick in each quad to soak up the water into the soil. Then soil and fertilizer pellets. Thirdly, more soil and seeds. Finally, more soil and water to top it off.
At the start of germination the radicle will start to grow underneath the soil. Then the true roots will form and the cotyledons will be visible above the soil. Soon, true leaves will grow and the cotyledons will fall off of the bottom of the stem. After germination buds will form and flowers will form from the buds. Hopefully, pollination from another plant will occur. Pollination has to come from another plant because the RCBr has self incompatibility. Self incompatibility means that the plant knows whether the pollen it receives is from the same plant or not and if it is it will not pollinate to ensure a healthy spread and mix of genes. Once pollinated, the RCBr will form its fruit, or long green pods with seeds inside.
Factors that can influence the plant's growth are many; living and non-living. Some abiotic factors include water, light, fertilizer, temperature, air current, etc. All plants need water to produce its own food and, in turn, survive. All plants also need light to produce food. A plant will get natural fertilizer no matter what, because all soil has nutrients in it from decomposed organisms, cycles, etc. No doubt the plants will be healthier if it gets fertilizer pellets, though. Plants also have a preferation of temperature, too. If it is too cold or hot, then the plant will die. If it has not started to grow, it will stay dormant until conditions are right. Air current can affect pollination by carrying pollen from one plant to another. Some biotic factors are insects, animals, etc. Bees and the Brassica rapa have a mutualistic relationship where both organisms benefit in the relationship. The bee gets its nectar from the plant's nectaries and the bee can transport the plant's pollen from plant to plant. Animals can do this as well.
I learned that even in the Wisconsin Fast Plant, there is a vast connection with other organisms. These plants need other organisms to survive. Without organisms like bees, rodents, etc., the Fast Plant would surely become extinct. Even the organisms that eat the plants help it out in the long run. Without them, the species would become overpopulated and there would not be enough nutrients and room for them to survive.
The Wisconsin Fast Plant Projects objectives were to observe the germination, pollination, and fruiting of the plant and to record all of the data.