RESULTS

A week after the beginning of the experiment plants started to grow. The stem
height of the plants did not presented a significant difference, for instance the average
height of plants from both, control group and group 2, which had 5% fertilizer
concentration, was 0.700.36 cm and they were the smallest among the samples. Bean
plants of group 1(2.5%) measured 0.730.21 cm of height, which was the median value
compared with the other groups. Nevertheless, beans from group 3 (7.5%) were the tallest
after 7 days, with a height of 1.070.21 cm.
During the second week of the project, plants were measured two more times. The
height did not change noticeably. The average height for plants of control group, group 1
(2.5%), 2(5%) and 3 (7.5%) differed from each other by 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4 cm. The highest
bean plants were from 7.5% aqueous medium (1.120.15 cm), followed by samples from
control group (0.800.28 cm), 2.5% concentration (0.780.15 cm) and the smallest height
corresponded to 5% fertilizer solution (0.750.14 cm).
During the last week of the project, fourteen days after bean seeds were sown,
plants were measured two more times. The last measurements suggested an influence of
fertilizer concentration in the development of the plants. As shown in Figure 1 seeds from
experimental group 3, which contain a 7.5% concentration solution reached the highest
average height (7.13 cm 0.35 cm), followed by plants from control group (4.60 cm 2.45
cm).

Nonetheless, there was a change in the order of the values of height for the last two

groups. This time plants growing with 5% concentration had a major developed in stem
elongation than those with 2.5%.

After the statistical analysis for the height of the plants in each experimental groups
three different p-values were obtained. The p-value obtained for the samples of the Group 1
(2.5% concentration) was 0.01, confirming that there is a significant difference in
comparison with the control group. For group 2 (5%), the p-value calculated corresponded
to 0.05 which states that there is no important change in stem height between plants
growing with 5% fertilizer concentration and those growing only with water. Finally, for
samples from group 3 (7.5%) the p-value retrieved was 0.2, which shows that there is no a
statistical difference on plant growth and development between plants that were sown in a
growing medium of 7.5% fertilizer concentration and water.

Stems height

First measurement

Last measurement

Final average height of plants

Figure
1
Average height of plants from control and experimental groups during the first and last stage of
the
Figure 2 Average height of plants considering all the data obtained during the
study.
study.

The weight measurements of the plants had direct relation with their heights.
Therefore, seeds in 7.5% solution which were the highest also showed the greatest weight
(3.0 gr). Samples from control group weighted 0.23 gr and plants from both experimental
groups 5% and 7.5% concentration exhibited the same weight (0.2 gr). P-value obtained for

plants from group 1 and 2 was 0.2 that discard the existence of a serious difference in the
weight of the plants with 2.5% and 5% fertilizer concentration. Similar, p-value for group 3
(7.5%) was 0.09 so it also rejected the idea of a significant variation on weight of plants
with and without fertilizer.

Plants weight

Figure 2 Average weight of plants from control and experimental groups at the
end of the study

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