Hypothesis for Seedling Experiment

HYPOTHESIS:
"An explanation for an observation"

Explanation: In the GEOS170C1 experiment, seedling growth is inhibited by mould.

Observation: Caffine and other alkaloids in coffee are produced by the coffee plant as allelochemicals that kill or retard the growth of competing plants. (Anaya, 1999; Anaya et al. 2002).

General Prediction: Coffee should have the same allelopathic effect on the mould growning on germinating seedlings, and let the seedlings grow longer.

Prediction for this experiment:
Sheedlings germinating in coffee-soaked paper towels should grow faster and longer than those grown in water-soaked paper towels.

Works Cited

Anaya. A. L. 1999. Allelopathy as a tool in the management of biotic resources in agroecosystems. Critical Reviews in Plant Science 18: 697-739.

Anaya, A.L., Waller, G.R., Owuor, P.O., Friedman, J., Chou, C.H., Suzuki, T., Arroyo-Estrada, J.F. and Cruz-Ortega, R. 2002. The role of caffeine in the production decline due to autotoxicity in coffee and tea plantations: pp. 78-99 in. Allelopathy, From Molecules to Ecosystems. Science Publishers, New Hampshire.