GMOs: Testing the Performance of GMO vs. Wild Type Soybean Seeds When Exposed to Various Levels of Weeds and RoundUp

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective of my study is to determine if genetically modified (GMO) soybean seeds grow better than wild type seeds when exposed to various levels of weeds and RoundUp. Methods/Materials Soybean seeds (50 genetically modified and 50 wild type), grass/weed seeds, potting soil, 20 pots, 1 bottle of RoundUp, water. Created two sets of 10 environments with various levels of weeds and RoundUp, one for GMO seeds, the other for wild type. Observed and recorded the germination and stage of the seeds. Results In my experiment I tested GMO and wild type seeds and how well they grew when exposed to various levels of weeds and RoundUp. In the first round of experiments, 17.65% of the GMO seeds began to germinate, whereas 66.67% of the wild type seeds began to germinate. In the second round of experiments, 26.09% of the GMO seeds began to germinate, whereas 56.52% of the wild type seeds began to germinate. Conclusions/Discussion The wild type soybean seeds performed much better than the GMO seeds in my experiments. I believe this could be related to lower than optimal temperatures for the seeds to germinate. The experiment was conducted during the winter when overnight temperatures dropped below 60 degrees. In a future experiment, I would build a greenhouse that would constantly maintain the optimal temperature for germinating soybean seeds, 77 degrees.

Competition history

• CSEF 2018 Plant Biology · Entry J1914

Resources

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