For example, I recently found a fireweed root from which normal shoots were growing up to one point on the root. At that point grew a stem showing mixed albino and normal characteristics, beyond it twelve totally albino shoots grew. Not all mutations or unusual gene combinations are harmful.
In fact, by watching for favorable abnormalities it has been possible to develop important new varieties of fruit, flowers and ornamental plants Not all plant abnormalities are due to mutations or unusual gene combinations since external causes can create abnormal appearances. Examples are the cancer-like burls that grow on northern spruce and birch trees and the witch's broom that certain fungi cause in spruce.
Alaska Science Forum article has no image, a placeholder has taken its place. Recent Posts. Blown back to Alaska, bird perseveres. That is the case with all albino plants. The gene mutation that gives rise to albino plants is fatal to the plant, because without the ability to make sugars, the plant runs out of energy to live. Can White Leaves photosynthesize? Leaves cannot perform photosynthesis without chlorophyll. Some plants have variegated leaves, with patterns of white and green.
In these plants only the green parts of the leaf can photosynthesize, because the white parts have no chlorophyll. Can plants survive without chlorophyll? All plants can survive for short periods without light. The plants have no chlorophyll and get all their nutrients by parasitically attaching to the roots of nearby plants instead. Although broomrape doesn't harness sunlight itself, it is still indirectly reliant on the Sun to provide energy to its host plant.
How many albino animals are there? In humans, for example, about one in 70 people carry a recessive gene for albinism, and about one in 20, humans are albinos. At least species of animals in North America have albino individuals. What is the ratio of green to albino seedlings? Should you trim cat grass?
For best results, water just as soil surface dries. Re-sow often to maintain months of vibrant grass. Trim back to 1 inch every second week to promote fresh growth. Cat grass usually re-grows quickly several times after being nibbled. Who owns Burpee seed company? Burpee Holding Company Inc. Do variegated plants need more light? Normal room light levels will usually be sufficient.
Foliage plants with variegated leaves require brighter light, because their two-toned leaves have less chlorophyll, which is needed for growth. Photo permission from W. Atlee Burpee Company. There was only one way to find the answers.
I ordered the seeds and grew some variegated cat grass in our nature lab at the Learning Center. You can do this in your classroom to find answers to my questions and your own. The cat grass you may have seen sold in pet stores is usually a type of wheat, or Triticum. Both are cereal grains that have been cultivated as food for hundreds of years. Both are sold commercially as cat grass because some cats like to chew on the leaves.
Variegated barley was the result of science experiments on genetic mutations in barley seeds in the s. In less than a week, a few more than half of the twenty variegated cat grass seeds planted in this 4-inch pot grew to 4 — 6 inches tall.
The taller plants are ready for a trim. Fill the container with moist potting soil. Spread seeds on the surface of the soil. Cover seeds with a thin layer of moist soil and tamp the soil down so that most of the seeds are covered.
Place in a warm, bright location. The seeds will sprout in a few days, but may take a week depending on the room temperature. If students plant their own individual pots, have them place 20 — 30 seeds in each 3-inch container. The seeds I bought came to a pack, so that means you need at least two maybe three packs to have enough for everyone in the class. Half of the seeds planted in this 8-inch pot have sprouted, and more should be coming up soon.
You can also use the whole pack in a 8- to inch container, or even spread more seeds in a foil baking pan filled with soil to grow a carpet of grass. The more densely you plant the seeds, the closer the plants will grow together and it will look and feel more like a healthy lawn.
A sparser planting makes it easier to observe individual plants. Keep the grass in a warm, sunny location. Water when dry, but do not allow it to dry out.
When the grass leaves are more than 3 inches tall, use a sharp pair of scissors to trim them to a uniform height just as you would mow a lawn. This will prevent the grass from going to seed and keep it alive longer. You can plant new seeds in the same planter to revitalize in two to three weeks when it starts looking a little tired. Whether you make a single classroom planter or have each student plant her own pot, observe your variegated cat grass for the next four to six weeks, or even longer.
Keep it watered and trimmed. Measure its growth. Take photos or sketch it to record how it grows and changes. Ask your own questions and try to find answers, and ultimately reach a conclusion about what happens to white plants.
If you and your class are really interested, plant some more cat grass and change the procedure to test your own ideas.
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