Predation Stress Response Brassica Rapa

Will Allen

Biology 4- Kukola

Final Lab

A Predation Stress Response from The Wisconsin Fast Plant, Brassica Rapa

ABSTRACT

Brassica Rapa, better known as the Wisconsin Fast plant, is a model plant in science. It is a staple in modeling mendelian genetics as well as the effects of putting induced stress on a plants quality of life. The experiments conducted consisted of growing the Wisconsin fast plant to its budding stage, then inducing a predation like stress on its leaves to see its response. Previous results have shown the Fast Plant investing more energy in its reproductive are (flowering) or inducing death on itself. Our experiment was testing the effect of predation mimicry on the Wisconsin Fast Plant, trying to observe if it will invest more energy in producing flowers. The obtained results were insignificant and inconclusive and thus resulted in no correlational difference between applying stress on the Wisconsin Fast Plant and how much flowers it would produce.

INTRODUCTION

Brassica Rapa, more commonly known as Wisconsin Fast Plants, are well known for their rapid-cycling period of life. By day 7 of growth there is typically visible budding; day 11 visible flowering; and by day 28 the plant is fully developed (Tomkins, Williams, 1990). They are a model plant for studying in genetics as well as other accounts of experiments due to their quick growth and development, as well as its fast reproductive cycle. Moreover, to maximize the Fast Plant’s growth it is optimal that they have a strong source of light at all times, as this tends to maintain the growth cycle and insure optimal growth. Wisconsin Fast Plants are also known for their response when predation occurs on the plant (Argen, 1993). Throughout the study of plants and predation experiments, it has been observed that under predative stress numerous plants have unique responses. It has been observed that scarlet gilia, when exposed to high levels of mammalian herbivory, displayed flower...