GERMINATION AND GROWTH OBSERVATION OF BEANS SEEDS EXPOSED TO SIMULATED MICROGRAVITY ENVIRONMENT USING 2D-CLINOSTAT

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the effects of varying gravity conditions with distilled water and growth a stimulator Indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA) as growth treatments on the germination and growth of brown and white bean seeds. Experiments were conducted using a 2-Dimensional Clinostat 0.5 rpm 2.5 rpm respectively for 96 hours. Results indicate that that microgravity enhanced germination rates and shoot elongation, with brown beans exhibiting superior growth compared to white beans. Seeds in 0.5 rpm, microgravity with distilled water germinated faster than those in 0.5 rpm with IAA treatment, likely due to improved water distribution and oxygen availability. However, IAA supplementation in microgravity slowed germination but significantly increased shoot lengths, demonstrating its role in shoot elongation but potential inhibitory effects on early seed activation. Furthermore, at 2.5 RPM, brown seeds treated with IAA showed greater shoot growth than those with distilled water suggesting that combined with hormonal regulation can optimize plant development in reduced gravity. These findings have important implications for space agriculture, hydroponic farming and controlled environment for food production, providing valuable insights into optimizing plant growth in extra-terrestrial and resource-limited conditions.