How Microwave Time Affects the Growth of Pinto Beans

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of varying amounts of microwave time on the growth of the pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). The researchers hypothesized that if a minimal amount of microwave time causes bean seeds to grow the fastest, then when measuring the growth of the beans in centimetres, the pinto bean seeds that are microwaved for shorter amounts of time or not at all will grow faster compared to the bean seeds microwaved for longer amounts of time. This was tested by microwaving pinto bean seedlings for 0 seconds (controls), 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds, 120 seconds, 150 seconds, and 180 seconds and measuring the growth of each seed in centimetres for three weeks. A repeated measures one-way ANOVA and Tukey test were conducted using the data collected, and it was found that there was a significant difference (p < 0.0001). Pinto beans treated with shorter amounts of time, or not at all, showed higher amounts of germination compared to pinto beans treated for longer amounts of time. All treatments had significant results and an adjusted p-value of less than 0.05 except for three comparisons. The findings of this study contribute to the larger question of what the best factors are to improve the growth and health of plants.