CSI Seed Germination Experiment

BioServe Space TechnologiesUniversity of Colorado at BoulderAdventures of the AgronautsNorth Carolina State University

• In each picture you will see in this slide show, there is one set of 2 alfalfa seeds on the left and one set of 2 radish seeds on the right. The 2 seeds of each set have different orientations. Each slide will have two photos, one from the ground and one from the flight at corresponding times.

RadishAlfalfa

Seed One Seed Two Seed TwoSeed One

• We will refer to the seeds as shown in this picture with A standing for alfalfa, R standing for radish, G standing for Ground, and F standing for flight. R1F, for example would stand for radish seed number one on the flight.

RadishAlfalfa

A1G A2G R2GR1G

RadishAlfalfa

A1F A2F R2FR1F

Ground Flight

Camera One

Day 1 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 1 - Time 00:00

Ground• This slide shows the relative starting points of the

seeds as well as their orientation.

Flight

Day 2 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 2 - Time 00:00

Ground• Alfalfa seed 2 (A2G) has begun germination on the

ground and a small root is visible.

Flight

Day 2 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 2 - Time 12:00

Ground• Seeds A1G, A2G, and R2G and seeds A1F and R1F

have germinated.

Flight

Day 3 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 3 - Time 00:00

Ground• Seeds A1G, A2G, and R2G are growing roots down into the phytagel.

Seeds A1F and R1F are growing roots upwards away from the phytagel. Upwards shoots are visible on seeds A1G and R2F.

Flight

Day 3 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 3 - Time 12:00

Ground• All four ground seeds have germinated and all but A2F

on the flight have germinated.

Flight

Day 4 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 4 - Time 00:00

Ground• All four seeds on the ground are growing roots downwards. Seed A1G has grown a shoot

up through the opening in the container and seed R2G is growing a leaf. The root of R2G briefly curves out of view of the camera. The root on A1F has turned and the shoot is becoming visible. R1F and R2F are growing roots upwards and R1F is also growing a shoot twisting down into the phytagel.

Flight

Day 4 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 4 - Time 12:00

Ground• The leaf on R2G has moved to the left and the root on A2G has hit the side of the

container and is twisting. Seed A2F still has not germinated and a small part of the shoot of A1F is visible. Seed R1F is growing a leaf.

Flight

Day 5 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 5 - Time 00:00

Ground• At this point, though it is difficult to see from this view, the shoot from R1G has

also grown up through the opening above the phytagel. The leaf of R1F has turned and moved backwards and is obstructed from view.

Flight

Day 5 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 5 - Time 12:00

Ground• The roots of the ground seeds are getting very long. Little change is visible in the

flight seeds with the exception of R1F whose root has turned and is beginning to growing downwards into the phytagel.

Flight

Day 6 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 6 - Time 00:00

Ground• The root of A2G is still trying to find its way around the container to grow

downwards. R2G shows evidence of root and shoot growth.

Flight

Day 6 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 6 - Time 12:00

Ground• The shoot of R2F is becoming thicker and is nearly horizontal before the

root curves around and lays on the top of the phytagel before beginning to grow down into it.

Flight

Day 7 - Time 02:00

Ground Flight

Day 7 - Time 02:00

Ground• Root A2G has found its way back downwards and root R1G is growing lateral root

hairs. Additional root hairs are visible on R1F and the other flight seeds show minimal change.

Flight

Day 7 - Time 14:00

Ground Flight

Day 7 - Time 14:00

Ground• The ground seeds have long roots and thick shoots which are growing upwards

except for R2G which did not find the hole above it. The flight seeds have only small growth with roots and shoots growing in many directions. The leaf of R2F is visible.

Flight

Day 8 - Time 02:00

Ground Flight

Day 8 - Time 02:00

Ground• The ground seeds continue to grow and little change is seen on

the flight. R2G has wrapped around the shoot of R1G.

Flight

Day 8 - Time 14:00

Ground Flight

Day 8 - Time 14:00

Ground• Some new growth can be seen on R2F but it seems to

be mostly horizontal.

Flight

Camera Two

Day 1 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 1 - Time 00:00

Ground• This slide shows the relative starting points of the

seeds as well as their orientation.

Flight

Day 2 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 2 - Time 00:00

Ground• Seed R1G has begun to germinate.

Flight

Day 2 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 2 - Time 12:00

Ground• Seed A1G has begun to grow a root downward.

Flight

Day 3 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 3 - Time 00:00

Ground• All four ground seeds have germinated and are growing roots. Seeds R1F

and R2F have also germinated and are growing roots.

Flight

Day 3 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 3 - Time 12:00

Ground• Roots and shoots are growing on the ground seeds. The shoot of

R2G is curved downward slightly. A shoot is visible from A1F.

Flight

Day 4 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 4 - Time 00:00

Ground• A leaf has grown on seed R2G and seeds A1G, A2G, and R2G have roots growing downward

into the phytagel. The shoot of A1G has grown through the opening above the phytagel. Seed R1F has a root growing upward and seed R2F has a root curving around in the phytagel.

Flight

Day 4 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 4 - Time 12:00

Ground• Seed R1G has now grown a leaf and the leaf on R2G has gotten bigger. Seed A2F

has now germinated. The shoot of seed R2F is growing to the left above the phytagel and behind the root of R1F.

Flight

Day 5 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 5 - Time 00:00

Ground• The roots of A1G, A2G, and R2G continue to grow down. The roots of R1G may

be growing back but are still not visible. The shoot of R1F is growing into the phytagel and the root is growing up. R2F continues to grow to the left.

Flight

Day 5 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 5 - Time 12:00

Ground• The root of R2G may have grown up briefly after growing down because of the

pressure and resistance of the phytagel. It soon turned back downward due to gravity though. A2F is growing an upward shoot.

Flight

Day 6 - Time 00:00

Ground Flight

Day 6 - Time 00:00

Ground• The root of R1G is finally visible growing down into the phytagel. The seed cap is

stuck on the end. The roots of seed R2F are very curved and twisted but are growing lateral root hairs.

Flight

Day 6 - Time 12:00

Ground Flight

Day 6 - Time 12:00

Ground• The ground roots continue to extend downwards. Seed A1F shows additional

upward growth. Seed R1F shows shoot and root growth and seed R2F shows additional root growth.

Flight

Day 7 - Time 02:00

Ground Flight

Day 7 - Time 02:00

Ground• Seeds A1F and A2F show some additional shoot growth. Seeds R1F and

R2F continue to grow and are very twisted and difficult to differentiate.

Flight

Day 7 - Time 14:00

Ground Flight

Day 7 - Time 14:00

Ground• Seed R1F has grown a small leaf.

Flight

Day 8 - Time 02:00

Ground Flight

Day 8 - Time 02:00

Ground• The shoot of R1F has grown and it is at an angle,

embedded in the phytagel.

Flight

Day 8 - Time 14:00

Ground Flight

Day 8 - Time 14:00

Ground• The leaves of R1G and R2G are beginning to grow upwards through

the opening in the container. Seed R2F has also grown a leaf.

Flight

• As you have seen, seeds grow very differently in space where there is no

gravity.

• Thank you for participating in the experiment!

• Please send any questions or comments to Danielle Seneschal

dmsenesc@gw.fis.ncsu.edu