Seed germination in response to pH: Effect of tap water, alkaline water, and carbonated water on Phaseolus lunatus

Abstract

This study aims to determine which type of water and what pH range is most optimal for germinating seeds of Phaseolus lunatus, as there have been limited studies focused on the pH of water. Seeds of P. lunatus were germinated under three separate water treatment groups with varying pH values. In this particular study, we used tap water from British Columbia’s lower mainland, alkaline water, and carbonated water. P. lunatus root growth was observed over the span of two weeks, where we considered a longer root length to be associated with higher germination success. We calculated a mean root length using the compiled data, which included each group member's measurements. P. lunatus germinated in a tap water environment had the longest mean root length of 9.83 centimeters; however, using a Kruskal-Wallis test, these results were not found to be statistically significant (p= 0.9049). With this, we conclude that none of the water treatments yielded P. lunatus root lengths that were statistically greater in length compared to P. lunatus grown in other conditions.

Keywords: water, pH, acidic, alkaline, germination, Phaseolus lunatus, lima beans