Effect of Caffeine on the Incipient Ontogenesis of Raphanus sativus
Plant Science- Grade:
- 10
- Teacher:
- Elyse Wexler
Caffeine is a naturally occurring chemical found in many plants and beverages. Prior research has shown that it can influence plant growth through allelopathic and herbicidal effects. This study investigates how varying concentrations of caffeine affect the growth of radish plants, specifically examining whether increased caffeine exposure reduces seedling height. Although previous studies have demonstrated that caffeine can inhibit germination and growth in various plant species, few controlled classroom experiments have directly compared multiple caffeine concentrations on radish growth over time using consistent environmental conditions. In order to address this gap, this experiment tested the effect of four different caffeine concentrations on radish plants by measuring the changes in plant height throughout the growth period. Radish seeds were planted in identical pots and watered every two days with solutions containing 0, 50, 100, and 200 milligrams per liter of caffeine. Plant height was recorded every three days, with results analyzed using average line graphs and bar graphs. The results showed that plants grown with no caffeine exhibited the greatest average height, while increasing caffeine concentrations led to progressively reduced growth, with the 200 milligrams per liter group showing the least growth in the lowest germination. Thus, confirming the hypothesis that caffeine negatively affects radish plant growth period, these findings support the existing research suggesting that caffeine limits plant development through interfering with water and nutrient absorption, and they highlight the importance of chemical concentration and plant growth with potential implications for agricultural practices and the understanding of natural plant competition.