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Planning and Design Lab - Bio

This experiment aims to determine which fertilizer treatment (control, nitrogen, phosphorus, or bioorganic) results in the greatest growth of Salmonella bacteria in soil samples. Soil will be mixed with different fertilizers and plated on agar in Petri dishes. The growth of Salmonella colonies will be observed and recorded over 7 days. It is hypothesized that bioorganic fertilizer will lead to increased bacterial growth, potentially explaining how it caused disease in the plants.

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Princess Reyah
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147 views

Planning and Design Lab - Bio

This experiment aims to determine which fertilizer treatment (control, nitrogen, phosphorus, or bioorganic) results in the greatest growth of Salmonella bacteria in soil samples. Soil will be mixed with different fertilizers and plated on agar in Petri dishes. The growth of Salmonella colonies will be observed and recorded over 7 days. It is hypothesized that bioorganic fertilizer will lead to increased bacterial growth, potentially explaining how it caused disease in the plants.

Uploaded by

Princess Reyah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Problem Statement: John Doe observed that when he used the bio organic fertilizer treatment on

his spinach and lettuce plants, the leaves and roots of both plants were affected in a disease
caused by the Salmonella bacterium. Plan and design an experiment to determine which type of
fertilizer treatment results in increased growths of Salmonella bacteria in soils.

Hypothesis: Bioorganic fertilizer (BOF) Treatments result in the increased bacterial growth of
the gram negative, Salmonella bacteria in soils, which adversely affects plant leaves and roots.

Aim: To determine which type of fertilizer treatment( control- No treatment, Nitrogen Fertilizer,
Phosphorus Fertilizer, Bioorganic Fertilizer) results in increased growths of Salmonella bacteria
in soils

Materials/Apparatus:
- Nitrogen Fertilizer
- Bioorganic Fertilizer
- Soil Samples
- Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar (XLD agar)
- 4 Petri dishes
- Sterile swabs
- Inoculating needle
- Salmonella colony
- Bunsen burner
- Beaker
- Stirring Rod
- Thermometer

Method:
1. Measure 15g of XLD agar and distilled water into a clean, sterile beaker.
2. Using heat resistant hand protection, hold the beaker/flask over a flame and stir the
mixture gently using a sterile stir rod while heating.
3. Continue boiling the mixture for about one minute, and then remove from heat.
4. Place a sterile lab thermometer in the mixture and monitor until its temperature falls to
approximately 47 degrees (45- 50 degrees).
5. Pour melted agar into the Petri dish to cover the bottom and replace the lid immediately.
6. Label the first Petri dish, “Control”.
7. Allow the agar plate to cool and set.
8. Collect from the top, 20cm samples of four(4) from the same soil.
9. Mix samples with respective fertilizer treatments.
10. Using sterile cotton swabs, remove respective samples and place into respective Petri
dishes with a layer of XLD agar.
11. Store all dishes in a dark room under room temperature.
12. Record the initial observation for salmonella colony growth.
13. Leave the sample for a growth period of 7 days. On the 7th day, record findings.
14. Repeat steps 1-12 for the remaining samples and record initial and final observations.
Variables:
- Controlled- Temperature, all samples are kept at room temperature.
- Independent -Type Fertilizer Treatment
- Dependent- Growth of Salmonella Colony

Treatment of results:
The results will be used to plot a graph to show the effects of different types of fertilizer
treatments on salmonella bacterial growth.

Expected results:

Fertilizer Treatment Initial Observation of Final Observation of


Salmonella Colony Growth Salmonella Colony Growth

Control- No treatment Small amounts present Small amounts present

Nitrogen Small amounts present Medium amounts present

Phosphorus Small amounts present Medium amounts present

Bioorganic Small amounts present Large Amounts present

Precautions:
- Close the Petri dish before pouring the melted agar to ensure that the Petri dish does not
get contaminated.
- Treat all microorganisms as potential pathogens, especially Salmonella bacteria.

Assumptions: It is assumed that the temperature will be kept constant throughout the experiment
and that the bacterial growth will be not affected by previous dissolved organic matter within the
soil sample.

Limitations:
The temperature might not be kept constant.

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