Varying Light Intensities on the Bolting of VAL 1 Arabidopsis Mutant versus Wild Type

Shelby P. Voorhees, Lynchburg College

Abstract

Arabidopsis thaliana is an often used plant for studying effects for agriculture biotechnology and allows for better understanding of genes and varying gene function. There may be differences in the bolting times of plants with the monogenetic mutant of the B3 gene family, VAL 1, versus the wild type plants. In order to test if bolting times are affected by the VAL 1 mutation, controls must be put into place. This study is varying only the light intensities of the plants to see if this is affecting growth, or if there is a possibility that it is the mutant itself. This study distinguishes three light intensities, low (40-74 μmol/(m^2 s)), medium (85-122 μmol/(m^2 s) ), and high (132-176 μmol/(m^2 s)). The mutant and wild type plants were set up evenly under these conditions. Bolting times and heights were measured throughout growth. Over a series of three rounds of growth, the bolting of the VAL 1 mutant plants showed a slower rate of bolting compared to the wild type plants despite the light intensity plants were grown under.

 

Varying Light Intensities on the Bolting of VAL 1 Arabidopsis Mutant versus Wild Type

Arabidopsis thaliana is an often used plant for studying effects for agriculture biotechnology and allows for better understanding of genes and varying gene function. There may be differences in the bolting times of plants with the monogenetic mutant of the B3 gene family, VAL 1, versus the wild type plants. In order to test if bolting times are affected by the VAL 1 mutation, controls must be put into place. This study is varying only the light intensities of the plants to see if this is affecting growth, or if there is a possibility that it is the mutant itself. This study distinguishes three light intensities, low (40-74 μmol/(m^2 s)), medium (85-122 μmol/(m^2 s) ), and high (132-176 μmol/(m^2 s)). The mutant and wild type plants were set up evenly under these conditions. Bolting times and heights were measured throughout growth. Over a series of three rounds of growth, the bolting of the VAL 1 mutant plants showed a slower rate of bolting compared to the wild type plants despite the light intensity plants were grown under.