Living Organism Care - Wisconsin Fast Plants
Quick Start Information:
Summary
- Ensure optimal germination rates, plant seeds the same year you receive them. Germination rates decrease over time.
- Seeds are living and need to be kept cool and dry before planting.
- You will need a high-intensity fluorescent or LED light source for your Fast Plants®, which need constant 24-hour light.
- Unless you are planning to observe germinating seed disks or seeds placed on a paper towel, you will need a growing medium for your Fast Plants
About the Organism
- Wisconsin Fast Plants® are a model organism developed through over 30 years of selective plant breeding conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- The entire process—from seed to flowering plant—takes only 14 days under typical classroom conditions.
- Fast Plants® produce viable seeds that students can harvest and grow in just over a month.
- Different varieties of Wisconsin Fast Plants® are available with easily observable traits that demonstrate dominant/recessive inheritance patterns. Traits such as purple stem and non-purple stem colour can be observed in just 72 hours.
- The plants belong to the genus Brassica that includes common foods like cabbage, turnips, and cauliflower, which are important in nearly every culture.
- Domain: Eukarya
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophyta (Angiosperms)
- Order: Brassicales
- Family: Brassicaceae Burnett
- Genus: Brassica
- Species: Rapa
Preparation
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Seeds in sealed packets should remain viable and free of insect damage for a year or longer if properly stored. Always store seeds in a cool, dark location protected from moisture. Recommended storage temperature is 0 to 20° C (32 to 68° F). Temperatures above 27° C (80° F) may reduce viability. Seed packets may be placed in a sealed glass or plastic container and stored in a refrigerator or freezer.
Note: seeds should be used within a year of receipt when the germination rates are greatest. The rate at which viable plants emerge from seeds typically decreases over time.
Housing
No Housing information needed for this organism
Feeding
No feeding information applies for this organism. See fertilizer recommendations below.
Maintaining and Culturing
Ensure that germinating seeds and growing plants never experience dry conditions. It is crucial to maintain adequate moisture for proper germination and the ongoing health of seedlings and flowering plants. Be cautious with the growing medium, aiming for a consistently moist (but not wet) environment. Many potting soils, which tend to retain excessive moisture, may lead to suboptimal germination rates for Fast Plants®.
To effortlessly sustain continuous moisture, consider utilizing a wicking system like the Wisconsin Fast Plants® Growing System. Perform daily inspections of the growing systems, topping off water reservoirs before weekends.
Upon emergence from the soil, plants require intense light 24 hours a day. Prior to planting, prepare the light source and promptly position the growing systems under lights to ensure newly emerging seedlings receive ample light, preventing the development of leggy stems. Maintain strong and stocky young seedlings by placing lights very close to plant tops during the initial two weeks, preferably within 3 to 10 cm (1 to 3").
The cultivation of healthy plants necessitates the use of fertilizer. Employ time-release fertilizer during planting, such as Carolina's Wisconsin Fast Plants® Fertilizer. Experimenting with the effects of fertilizer on plants serves as an excellent ecology or independent study project.
For optimal observation, seeds planted on either Monday or Friday should emerge within the timeframe of 24 to 26 °C, approximately room temperature.
After five days, thin seedlings based on the chosen growing system: one seedling per cell in quads or up to six seedlings in a deli-container growing system. Overcrowded seedlings tend to develop weak stems.
Around fourteen days post-planting in standard classroom temperatures, the plants will initiate flowering. Note that Wisconsin Fast Plants® do not self-pollinate; seeds develop when pollen from one plant's flower is transferred to another. Use bee sticks or pollination wands for this purpose, with a preference for bee sticks (crafted with toothpicks and dried bees).
The process of pollination and fertilization culminates in easily observable seed development, completing the Fast Plants® life cycle. In selection experiments and genetics investigations, allow seeds to dry approximately three weeks after pollination before harvesting and planting for the subsequent generation.
Disposal
Southern Biological provides living organisms for educational purposes only. As a general policy, we do not advocate the release of organisms into the environment. In some states, it is illegal to release organisms, even indigenous species, without a permit. The intention of these laws is to protect native wildlife and the environment.
Although Wisconsin Fast Plants® look like some weed species of Brassicas, they are most closely related to turnips. The plants were selectively bred to eliminate seed dormancy mechanisms that are needed to thrive in the wild. As a precaution, however, we suggest that the plants be:
- Maintained in the classroom until the end of their life cycle.
- Donated to another classroom or science department.
- Allowed to dry out or frozen before disposal in a municipal solid waste container.