Gibberellic Acid Kits & Refills
Gibberellic Acid (GA) is an amazing material to experiment with - and absolutely great for science fairs!
Gibberellic Acid is a very potent plant growth hormone. Depending on the amount used, Gibberellic Acid can produce a variety of effects:
1. Overcoming Dormancy - higher concentrations of GA are highly effective in overcoming dormancy and causing rapid germination of seed.
2. Enhance Growth - GA can produce much larger, greener plants. At moderate concentrations (sprayed on seeds) GA can have a surprising effect on their development and growth. Some will germinate at a highly increased rate; other varieties of seeds will begin to grow much differently than untreated seeds and produce absolutely bizarre and unusual plants. Still other seed varieties will produce only slight changes in development. As the amount of Gibberellic Acid is increased, the change in plants becomes quite remarkable. At higher concentrations, plant growth becomes almost uncontrolled, producing incredibly large plants that have little resemblance to the original plant. Some will grow so tall, so fast, that the stalk will not support the plant and some sort of wooden or metal support will have to be fashioned to prevent the plant from falling over and breaking.
In a Department of Agriculture experiment, GA was applied to the terminal bud of Walnut trees. Treatment was three times during the summer. The GA treated trees grew to 8.5 feet tall while the untreated (control group) grew to just 1.5 feet.
3. Increased Fruit - GA can increase the total yield and produce rapid growth of the fruit. In some cases, the resulting fruit may be partially or entirely seedless.
4. Frost Protection - Spraying fruit trees at full-blossom or when the blossoms begin to wither can offset the detrimental effects of frost.
5. Premature Flowering - If a plant is sufficiently developed, premature flowering may be induced by direct application of GA to young plants.
Varying amounts of GA will have different effects and different plants will produce different results. It is best used on seeds, seedlings, or young plants. The seeds just need to be sprayed and the seedlings just sprayed once in a while. Older, established plants will not show much of an effect because they have already completed the majority of their growth cycle. However, the effects on new or young plants will surprise you as they grow. One of the things the hormone does is inhibit the plant's ability to control growth length - which can produce surprising results (like 10' tall cabbage plants).
Very tiny amounts are used, and a little goes a long way. United Nuclear’s Gibberellic Acid is sold in a concentrated liquid that is easily diluted to any strength desired. Our Gibberellic Acid Kit includes a 2-ounce bottle of concentrate, a convenient graduated spray mixing bottle, and instructions. Various sizes of concentrate refills are also available for purchase.
If you're looking for a unique, safe and fun Science Fair project, Gibberellic Acid fits the bill. Simple experiments like growing a few different plants from seed, half treated with Gibberellic Acid and half grown normally are easy to do and fascina
MSDS ( Material Safety Data Sheet )
|