Dat
e
Event
3/12 Received the notification for the SRP task in science class, and commenced
/15 brainstorming ideas. Found the “Science Domain International” website
(http://www.sciencedomain.org/journal/22), and browsed the “Current Articles”
section. Found two articles interesting:
 the uses of coffee wastewater (http://sciencedomain.org/abstract/12301)
 rice husks as a biofuel and fertiliser
(http://sciencedomain.org/abstract/11902)
After discussing with Miss Mitchell, decided to rule out coffee wastewater as it
would be difficult to refine the wastewater and quantitatively prove its usefulness as
a biofuel.
Focused on the rice husk idea, and was concerned that finding a supplier of rice
husk would be difficult. Luckily, discovered that rice husks are also used for
brewing purposes, and found a local supplier
(http://www.barleyman.com.au/products/malts-grains/aussie-base-malts/ricehulls.html)
4/12 Wanted to find out the real work application of the RHA idea. How much rice is
/15 produced globally, and thus how much rice husk ash? Can it be used as a biofuel?
Has it been used as a fertiliser? Are there any other potential uses for it?
Research on the topic was not common, meaning that the industry still had room for
new research.
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id025924.html
About two million tons of rice husks are currently produced every year in Japan,
and 100 million tons around the world. These husks are burned as biomass fuel to
generate electricity, but the problem remains of how to deal with the remaining
ashes, which amount to 20 percent of the original volume. This new technology
contributes to making effective use of these ashes.
However, rice husks burned at low temperatures (around 500 degrees Celsius) make
a useful fertilizer that contains highly soluble amorphous silicic acid. Applying this
ash fertilizer to paddy fields increases the concentration of silicic acid in the soil,
yielding a rich harvest of rice. This technology raises expectations for the effective
use of both heat energy and rice husk ashes.
http://www.bioenergyconsult.com/tag/rice-husk/
The importance of Rice Husk as an attractive source of energy can be gauged from
the following statistics:
Rice Husk:
 1 ton of Rice paddy produces 220 kg Rice Husk
 1 ton Rice Husk is equivalent to 410- 570 kWh electricity
 Calorific value = 3000 kcal/kg
 Moisture content = 5 – 12%
Rice husk is the most prolific agricultural residue in rice producing countries
around the world. It is one of the major by-products from the rice milling process
and constitutes about 20% of paddy by weight. Rice husk, which consists mainly of
lingo-cellulose and silica, is not utilized to any significant extent and has great
potential as an energy source.
The benefits of using rice husk technology are numerous. Primarily, it provides
electricity and serves as a way to dispose of agricultural waste. In addition, steam, a
byproduct of power generation, can be used for paddy drying applications, thereby
increasing local incomes and reducing the need to import fossil fuels. Rice husk ash,
the byproduct of rice husk power plants, can be used in the cement and steel
industries further decreasing the need to import these materials.
Found that the fact that rice husk is considered a waste product in rice-producing
countries has pushed for research into its potential use.
http://precast.org/2010/07/rha-kernel-of-wisdom/
As a supplemental cementitious material, RHA added to concrete mixtures reduces
the amount of cement used and, at the same time, increases the silica needed for the
hydration process (see Chart A). With more silica available, a subsequently more
efficient hydration process occurs that translates into stronger and more durable
concrete products. Incorporating RHA in concrete mixtures represents a reduction
in greenhouse gases over typical mixes that use only portland cement.
Rice husks generated in North American rice production typically end up in
landfills. In landfills, anaerobic decomposition of the rice husks can lead to
subsidence problems. Other than being disposed of as waste material, a percentage
of rice husks are sold for use in poultry and animal litter. In developing countries,
rice husk is not wasted or landfilled because it can be used as fuel. In fact, rice husk
can generate about 60 percent of the energy of coal; Indian and Chinese power
plants use rice husks to generate electricity where fossil fuel is scarce or expensive.
(Zain et al. 2010, p. 798)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950061810003703
Rice husk ash (RHA), rich in silica content, can be produced from rice husk using
appropriate combustion technique for use in concrete as a supplementary
cementitious material.
http://www.aelsindia.com/rjcesdecember2013/13.pdf
A review listed all the known uses of rice husk and its ash (Kumar et al. 2013, p.
126):
 as an industrial fuel
 preparation of active carbon
 fertiliser and substrate
 pet food fiber
 substrate for silica and silicone compound
 making bricks
 cement and construction industries
The potential for RHA being a good fertiliser, especially for rice, which requires a
high level of silica, was less common. In fact, I could only successfully find two
investigations on the use of RHA as a fertiliser:
(Tateda. 2015) [http://sciencedomain.org/abstract/11902]
In comparison with the control, almost all the pots with the added ash treatment
showed higher values for all the factors considered (Table 1). A comparison of the
rice plants with the applied ash (30 kg/a [a = 100 m2 ]) and without (the control) is
shown in Fig. 4. The image shows that the rice plant with added ash was healthier
and the plant was larger than the control plant.
(Rajor et al. 2011)
[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237155654_Use_of_Rice_Husk_Ash_as_
Fertilizer_Amendment_to_Soil_and_its_Effect_on_Crop_Germination]
Rice husk is generally not recommended as cattle field since it has very low
nutritional value (low cellulose and other sugar content). It is estimated that every
tonne of paddy produces about 0.20 tonne of husk and every tonne of husk produces
about 0.18 to 0.20 tonne of ash. The mixture of RHA and soil was prepared by
adding RHA in different proportions such as 0,2.5,5,7.5,10,72.5 and 15% to soil
analyzed for organic carbon, available nitrogen, and available phosphorus. The
effect of RHA on the germination of the crop plant (lady finger) was also assessed.
The percent germination of lady finger crop was 62.5 to 100% and observed that
increase in RHA content decreases the germination of crop. Thus, we can concluded
that 2.5% of the RHA could be used in agriculture for its proper utilization and to
provide nutrition to the agricultural crop as fertilizer.
Rough aim: To determine the effectiveness of RHA (rice husk ash) as an organic
fertiliser. (details still to be worked out)
5/12 Emailed staff from the Sydney Uni Precision Lab (Derek Yates) asking advice on
/15 how to go about investigating my aim.
Overseas from 10/12/15 to 11/01/16
14/0 Have no experience in gardening, so did some research on it. Found that large seeds
1/16 germinate earlier with higher germination rates (Hojjat, 2011).
[http://ijagcs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/1-5.pdf]
Considered growing rice itself, as this is the planned real-life application, but knew
it was an unrealistic approach as rice takes a long time to grow, and develops into a
large plant which can’t be managed in pots (I don’t have a backyard but a balcony).
As an alternative, found that beans grow the fastest and with the highest rates of
germination success. Decided that kidney beans were appropriate.
Looked at the pros and cons of germination in water vs in soil.
(http://homeguides.sfgate.com/better-start-seeds-soil-paper-towels-41005.html)
Pros of Germination in Soil
 natural environment for the seed to grow in
 Transplanting (moving the germinated seedlings into soil) puts stress on the
plant
Cons of Germination in Soil
 pathogens* in soil can damage seed prior to germination
 conditions hard to control in soil; air and moisture need to move around
freely
 if seeds are planted too deeply, they can have trouble growing to find
sunlight
Pros of Germination in Water
 controlled environment; moisture and temperature are controlled
 no risk of disease
 it is clear which seeds have germinated and which will not; which is more
difficult in soil
Cons of Germination in Water
 transplanting can cause the seedling to fail (roots are sensitive and handling
can kill the plant)
*bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease.
Borrowed ‘Planning the Organic Vegetable Garden’, where Kitto (1993) stated that
germination in water (referred to as “pre-germination” in the book) decreases the
time by 70%, and more than doubles the success rate.
Weighing up all the pros and cons, decided to germinate my kidney beans in water
(using cotton balls soaked in water) and transplant them into soil once they became
seedlings.
15/0 Formed a rough equipment list in order to purchase the required items.
1/16
 Kidney beans
 Rice husk
 Soil
 Pots (to plant seedlings in)
Then ordered 2kg of rice husk from ‘Barleyman’ (from supplier found on the
3/12/15).
Decided that the investigation would involve four groups of 10 plants: 0%, 1.5%,
3% and 4.5% of RHA in the soil. This is a good range as it is regular (increasing by
1.5%) and a previous study (Rajor et al. 2011) determined 2-2.5% being a suitable
amount, meaning that I will probably be able to see a steady rising and falling graph.
Did some research on silica, which is a primary component in RHA:
http://sdhydroponics.com/resources/articles/gardening/the-benefits-of-silica-in-yourgarden
This produces a stronger plant overall, with higher chlorophyll production and
greater rates of photosynthesis and growth. As a result plants are able to produce
heavier fruits, vegetables, and flowers on branches that support the extra weight.
Decided to add a second component to my investigation, which would test the plant
strength (due to the extra silica) as well as its growth rate. Strength of a plant stalk
(especially for mass-produced field crops like rice) is especially important in order
to produce a strong, healthy group.
Therefore decided that in the investigation, I should measure the height, number of
leaves and average leaf size every two days. At the end of the investigation, I would
test the strength of the bean stalks, possibly by hanging the stalks and clamping
smalls weights onto the end until they snap.
New aim: To determine the effectiveness of RHA (rice husk ash) as an organic
fertiliser, and its effect on plant growth rates, health and strength.
Hypothesis: RHA will be an effective organic fertiliser, increasing plant growth
rates and strength, and enhancing health, with 3.5% of RHA being the most
effective soil to RHA ratio.
This is better than the other one, because it narrows down the individual effects of
RHA rather than its effectiveness as a whole, and could open up more opportunities
for its use.
Bibliography
 Amy Rodiguez. 2016. Is it better to start seeds in soil or in paper towels?.
[ONLINE] Available at: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/better-start-seedssoil-paper-towels-41005.html. [Accessed 05 February 16].
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Hojjat, S, 2011. Effect of seed size on germination and seedling growth of
some Lentil genotypes. International Journal Of Agriculture and Crop
Sciences, [Online]. vol. 3 no. 1, pp 1-5. Available at: http://ijagcs.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/04/1-5.pdf [Accessed 05 February 2016].
Japan for Sustainability. 2005. Quality Fertilizer Developed from Rice Husk
Ashes. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id025924.html. [Accessed
05 February 16].
Kitto, D, 1993. Planning the Organic Vegetable Garden. 1st ed. United
States: Fulcrum Group.
Kumar S, Sangwan P, Dhankhar R, Mor V & Bidra S, 2013. Utilization of
Rice Husk and Their Ash: A Review. Research Journal of Chemical and
Environmental Sciences, [Online]. vol. 1 no. 5, pp. 126-129. Available at
http://www.aelsindia.com/rjcesdecember2013/13.pdf [Accessed 05 February
2016].
Rajor A, Xaxa M, Mehta R, Kunal 2011, ‘Use of Rice Husk Ash as Fertilizer
Amendment to Soil and its Effect on Crop Germination’, in ResearchGate,
National Conference on Emerging Trends in Chemistry-Biology Interface,
Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India, viewed 5 Feburary 2016.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237155654_Use_of_Rice_Husk_A
sh_as_Fertilizer_Amendment_to_Soil_and_its_Effect_on_Crop_Germinatio
n
Salman Zafar. 2015. Biomass Energy in Thailand. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.bioenergyconsult.com/tag/rice-husk/. [Accessed 05 February
16].
San Diego Hydroponics and Organics. 2011. The Benefits of Silica in Your
Garden. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://sdhydroponics.com/resources/articles/gardening/the-benefits-of-silicain-your-garden. [Accessed 05 February 16].
Sue McCraven. 2010. Rice husk ash technology will sharpen concrete’s
environmental edge. [ONLINE] Available at: http://precast.org/2010/07/rhakernel-of-wisdom/. [Accessed 05 February 16].
Tateda, M, 2015. Production and Effectiveness of Amorphous Silica
Fertilizer from Rice Husks Using a Sustainable Local Energy System.
Journal of Scientific Research & Reports, [Online]. vol. 9 no. 3, pp. 1-12.
Available at: http://sciencedomain.org/abstract/11902 [Accessed 05 February
2016].
Zain M.F.M, Islam M.N, Mahmud F, Jamil M, 2011. Production of rice husk
ash for use in concrete as a supplementary cementitious material, [Online].
vol. 25 no. 2, pp. 798-805. Available at
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950061810003703
[Accessed 05 February 2016].
Evaluating the Validity of Sources
 ‘Utilization of Rice Husk and Their Ash: A Review’ article
(http://www.aelsindia.com/rjcesdecember2013/13.pdf)
o This data source is valid, as it lists the many known uses of rice husk
and its ash and is therefore entirely relevant to my investigation
o
o
o
o
o
o
It is also accurate, as it cites 24 different sources (the majority being
published articles in journals or books), and was written by five
different people
The article adopts a neutral tone which is unbiased as it is for
educational purposes
The writers are from the “Environment Bioremediation Laboratory,
Department of Environmental Sciences, M.D.University, Rohtak,
Haryana, India”, and are therefore qualified
It has been published in a reputable journal, the “Research Journal of
Chemical and Environmental Sciences”
It was published in 2013, which is relatively current
However, it is not a recording of an experiment but a report purely
based off research, and doesn’t involve data from valid first-hand
investigations

‘Japan for Sustainability’ website
(http://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id025924.html)
o This website is valid through its relevant information about rice husk
ash and its properties as a fertiliser in a real life application
o The information has been gathered and written by qualified people
from the “National Agricultural Research Center and Takata
Engineering Corp, Japan”
o There is also no bias in the information, as it is strictly for
educational and informative purposes
o The website is a .org website, which is reasonably reputable. It is also
supported as being reliable and accurate by bigger NGOs like
TakingITGlobal and Worldchanging, and collects its information
from a variety of accurate resources such as the Global Environment
Forum KANSAI and the Development Bank of Japan
o The website is ongoing, from the early 2000s to the current day, and
even though the article in question was originally posted in 2005, the
pages are regularly revised
o The website refers to statistics from first-hand investigations
conducted by the National Agricultural Research Centre

‘Production and Effectiveness of Amorphous Silica Fertilizer from Rice
Husks Using a Sustainable Local Energy System’ article
(http://sciencedomain.org/abstract/11902)
o This article is also relevant to my investigation as it addresses the use
of rice husk ash as a sustainable fertiliser
o The information has been gathered through research using 25
different reliable sources (again, mostly published articles or books),
as well as valid first-hand investigations conducted over a long
period of time and under controlled circumstances
o The paper is not biased in any way and has been produced for
informational and educational purposes
o It had been written by a member of Toyama Prefectural University,
Japan, has been edited by members of the Department of Structural &
Chemical Biology and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,
o
o
USA. It was also peer-reviewed by three people, from the Malawi
College of Forestry and Wildlife, Dedza, Malawi, the Chang-Jung
Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan, and the Solar Energy Institute,
Turkey
The article was presented in the Journal of Scientific Research &
Reports, as well as SCIENCEDOMAIN International, which is a
reputable .org website
The article is very recent, written and published in 2015
16/0 Purchased 4 60cm plastic troughs and kidney beans. Left kidney beans to dry in the
1/15 shade for 3 days, ready for test trials.
Draft method 1:
1. The 10kg of rice husk was ignited, using the matches, on the barbecue until
it had turned into ash (2kg).
2. 40 kidney beans were dried on a plate for three days in a shady area.
3. The kidney beans were temporarily removed from the plate, which was
covered in cotton thoroughly soaked with water.
4. The kidney beans were spread out on the wet cotton, and placed in a shady
area until they had germinated.
5. The beans, now seedlings, were removed from the plate and divided into
four random groups of ten.
6. The four groups were planted 3cm deep into the soil in 60cm plastic troughs
which were placed in sunlight, with RHA occupying 0%, 1.5%, 3% and
4.5% of the soil.
7. The four troughs were labelled according to the amount of RHA in them.
8. The seedlings were watered equally as needed, and the height, number of
leaves and average leaf size of the plants were measured every two days after
planting.
9. After thirty days, the bean stalks were tested for strength?
Still need to revise how exactly I will clamp the stalks, what weights I will use, and
how I will attach them.
19/0 Started to test kidney bean germination after the advice of Mrs McGrouther (amount
1/15 of water required, amount of light required), in order to come up with the most ideal
circumstances when conducting my investigation. Set up 6 10cmx10cm bowls, and
spread the bottoms with cotton, and labelled them 1 - 6. Applied 20mL of water to
bowls, and waited 10 minutes for the water to soak in. (Cotton used was old, and did
not absorb water well). 6 groups of 5 beans (which had been dried) randomly
formed, and placed into each bowl into the cotton.
Even numbered bowls (2, 4, 6) placed in a dark area, and odd numbered bowls (1, 3,
5) were placed on a sunny windowsill.
20/0 Day II of trial germination 1
1/16 Amount of seedlings:
Bowl 1: 1
Bowl 3: 1
Bowl 5: 0
Bowl 2: 1
Bowl 4: 4
Bowl 6: 2
Bowls 1, 3 and 5 had dried considerably due to the sunlight, so water was added
evenly using a spray bottle.
Bowls 2, 4 and 6 hadn’t dried, so didn’t apply new water.
Realised that, due to the uneven watering, this may not be a fair test. Decided to
control the rates of watering in the next trial.
21/0 Day III of trial germination 1
1/16 Bowl 1: 1
Bowl 3: 3
Bowl 5: 2
Bowl 2: 3
Bowl 4: 5
Bowl 6: 3
22/0 Day IV of trial germination 1
1/16 Bowl 1: 3
Bowl 3: 3
Bowl 5: 3
Bowl 2: 3
Bowl 4: 5
Bowl 6: 5
23/0 Day V of trial germination 1
1/16 Bowl 1: 5
Bowl 3: 3
Bowl 5: 5
Bowl 2: 4
Bowl 4: 5
Bowl 6: 5
Five of the healthiest and largest looking seedlings from the sunlight group (Bowls
1, 3 and 5) and the shade group (Bowls 2, 4 and 6) were taken out of the cotton and
buried into small plastic containers, 3cm deep. The containers were labelled
“sunlight” and “no sunlight.” This transplantation was in order to test the success
rate, as kidney beans are known to not survive the transplanting process.
The seedlings from Bowls 2, 4 and 6 were considerably bigger, and a larger
percentage had been seedlings, and had a white colour. The seedlings from Bowls 1,
3 and 5 were smaller but were green in colour.
Revised method after advice of teacher:
1. The 10kg of rice husk was ignited, using the matches, on the barbecue until
it had turned into ash (2kg).
2. 40 kidney beans were dried on a plate for three days in a shady area.
3. The kidney beans were temporarily removed from the plate, which was
covered in the 20 make-up cotton pads thoroughly soaked with water.
4. The kidney beans were spread out on the wet cotton, and placed in a shady
area until they had germinated.
5. The beans, now seedlings, were removed from the plate and divided into
four random groups of ten.
6. The four groups were planted 3cm deep into the soil, the depth measured
with the ruler, in 60cm plastic troughs which were placed in sunlight. RHA
occupied 0%, 1.5%, 3% and 4.5% of the soil respectively according to the
different groups.
7. The four troughs were labelled according to the amount of RHA in them.
8. The seedlings were watered equally as needed with the watering can, and the
height, number of leaves and average leaf size of the plants was measured
every two days after planting.
9. After thirty days, the bean stalks were dug up and the roots were cut off.
10. The stalks were suspended using Blu-Tack on two different tables and one
20g weight was attached every 10 seconds.
11. The amount of weight taken for the bean stalks to snap was recorded using a
timer.
Equipment List
 4 60cmx10cmx10cm Eden plastic troughs
 20 Coles Brand Round Make Up Pads
 20kg of soil
 10kg of rice husk
 40 kidney beans
 Watering can
 Ruler
 Box of matches
 Barbecue
 Blu-Tack
 20g weights with hooks
 Timer/Watch with seconds
Variables
Independent: The amount of RHA in the soil.
Dependent: Time taken for plants to grow, number of leaves on each plant, leaf size
of plants, ability of bean stalks to hold accumulative weight.
Controlled: Amount of water given to plants, amount of sunlight received by the
plants, soil type and quality, growing space available to the plants and trough size,
weather conditions (humidity, rainfall, temperature), amount of days given to
germinate, conditions of germination.
Risk assessment on page 13a
24/0 Day I of trial germination 2
1/16 Made six random groups of five beans, and arranged them in six 10cmx10cm bowls.
Used different cotton buds (Coles brand, used for makeup removal), and used a
layer of cotton buds to cover the beans (after advice from the internet.) Gave them
the same initial amount of water, thoroughly soaking both sides of cotton buds.
Labelled them 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and put 1, 2 and 3 in the sun and 4, 5 and 6 in the
shade. Decided to water once a day for 2 and 5, and twice a day for 3 and 6, leaving
1 and 4 with no watering after Day I.
25/0 Day II of trial germination 2
1/16 Bowl 1: 4
Bowl 2: 3
Bowl 3: 3
Bowl 4: 3
Bowl 5: 5
Bowl 6: 5
The majority of the beans were already seedlings! Much faster than last time, so
what had changed? The cotton, and the layer of cotton buds on top.
Realised that, although the cotton buds stimulated much faster growth due to
surrounding moisture, the layer of cotton buds on top covered sunlight and therefore
eliminated my independent variable. Also, the seedlings had grown so fast that there
was no time to see any variation between the different amounts of water.
In order to ensure success, I will use the layer of cotton bud on top to germinate my
beans for my investigation. However, for my trials, I would also like to test the
difference between sunlight and no sunlight. Chucked out seedlings from trial 2.
Three seedlings from trial 1 (no sunlight group) have now reached the surface of the
soil.
26/0 Day I of trial germination 3
1/16 Set up six groups of five, using cotton buds but without the top layer. Same set up as
trial 2.
Four seedlings from trial 1 (no sunlight group) and one from the sunlight group have
reached the surface of the soil. Therefore, I can conclude that there is a high success
rate in the transplantation process for the no sunlight group (as they grew faster) but
not for the sunlight group. Need to see if trial 3 supports this.
27/0 Day II of trial germination 3
1/16 No seedlings yet - the cotton buds seem to dry up quicker than the cotton in trial 1,
and the seedlings have less moisture. Kept to the watering schedule decided in trial
2.
28/0 Day III of trial germination 3
1/16 Bowl 1: 1
Bowl 2: 1
Bowl 3: 2
Bowl 4: 0
Bowl 5: 2
Bowl 6: 3
Relatively slow growth, but clear distinction between amount of water, as well as
slight differences between sunlight and shade, which supports the results from trial
1.
29/0 Day IV of trial germination 3
1/16 Bowl 1: 1
Bowl 2: 2
Bowl 3: 3
Bowl 4: 0
Bowl 5: 2
Bowl 6: 4
Success, or at least for 2, 3, 5 and 6. Still not high success rates like for trial 1 and 2.
Cotton buds may not be a good idea unless I use them for two layers.
30/0 Transferred best three from sunlight and no sunlight into soil, like from trial 1.
1/16
31/0 Day V of trial germination 3
1/16 No visible growth of all six seedlings
04/0 Been about 4 days since planting the seedlings from trial 3, and all 6 shoots have
2/16 appeared. Have determined that planting into soil straight after germination provides
healthier plants and a higher chance of surviving the transplantation process, rather
than planting after considerable growth (like in trial 1), despite the fact that it takes
longer. Will note this for my investigation/further trials.
05/0 Received a reply from Derek Yates (Sydney University)
2/16 Dear Lina,
I am not sure if my advice is still of any use, but will offer it anyway.
… I suggest you ‘just go ahead and burn it’.
Yes, by all means use a rapid growing plant for your experiment , whatever is easiest.
You will need to weigh the harvested plants from each treatment at the end to estimate any
difference.
Your plan of using differing ratios of RHA and soil is fine, but would be better expressed
(and controlled) as different amounts of RHA additive to a set amount of soil.
That is, you cannot control the burning etc, so measure the amount of material burnt,
and the amount of ash produced, for EVERY combustion process. Use the same amount
or one process and subdivide.
Use a consistent amount of soil – at the same starting moisture content for each trial. For
moisture content, dry the soil (eg ‘air dry’ or room temp, ideally for at least 2 days).
If you are watering the plants, use a consistent known volume of water for each watering.
This will provide another indicator to the possibly differing growth rates.
Hopefully your starting soil samples will be similar – maybe prepare all at once then
subdivide for simplicity, but STILL MEASURE EVRYTHING.
The real point is that if your experiment is fully documented, it is repeatable. If you or
someone else wants to repeat it, or thinks there is a better way or the idea can be extended,
they can do so and compare results.
I hope this is of some use.
Good luck,
Dr Derek Yates
Took his advice into account and revised method:
Draft Method 3:
1. The 10kg of rice husk was ignited on the barbecue and using the matches,
until it had turned into ash.
2. The 20kg of soil was spread out in the sun and dried for three days.
3. 40 kidney beans were dried on a plate for three days in a shady area.
4. The kidney beans were temporarily removed from the plate, which was
covered in the 20 make-up cotton pads thoroughly soaked with water.
5. The kidney beans were spread out on the wet cotton, and placed in a shady
area for three days until they had germinated.
6. The beans, now seedlings, were removed from the plate and divided into
four random groups of ten.
7. The four groups were planted 3cm deep into the soil, the depth measured
with the ruler, in 60cm plastic troughs which were placed in sunlight. RHA
occupied 0%, 1.5%, 3% and 4.5% of the soil respectively according to the
different groups.
8. The four troughs were labelled according to the amount of RHA in them.
9. 200mL of water was measured every day using the measuring cylinder, and
the seedlings were watered with the watering can. The height of the plant
from the soil to the top of the stalk, number of leaves and average leaf size of
the plants was measured every two days after planting.
10. After three weeks, the bean stalks were dug up and their weight measured
and recorded.
11. The roots of the stalks were cut off.
12. The stalks were suspended by attaching both ends on two different tables
with the Blu Tack and one 20g weight was attached on the middle every 10
seconds.
13. The amount of weight taken for the bean stalks to snap was recorded with
the timer.
This method would keep all the appropriate variables controlled, with the only
independent variable being the amount of RHA mixed into the soil. It would test the
hypothesis (RHA will be an effective organic fertiliser and increase plant growth
rates and strength, and enhance health) by measuring the plant height, number of
leaves, leaf size and stalk strength on a regular basis across 40 plants, with 10 beans
in each group to maximise reliability. Repeated trials are not possible due to the
considerable length (at least three weeks) required to conduct one trial.
Equipment List 2
 4 60cmx10cmx10cm Eden plastic troughs
 20 Coles Brand Round Make Up Pads
 20kg of soil
 10kg of rice husk
 40 kidney beans
 Watering can
 Ruler
 Box of matches
 Barbecue
 Blu-Tack
 20g weights with hooks
 Timer/Watch with seconds
 Measuring cylinder
The added Step 2 includes Dr Yate’s advice of drying the soil prior to planting the
beans in order to control the amount of water content. I also revised the strength test
of the stalks, added Step 10, and changed the equipment list.
06/0 Proposal to be handed in on Monday - timeline of how I will organise my time:
2/16 08/02/16: Hand in Proposal, and discuss potential trials (for the log containing trials)
with Miss Mitchell.
09/02/16 - 24/02/16: Conduct and write up trials in log.
25/02/16: Hand in log containing proposals.
26/02/16: Start conducting my investigation by germinating the kidney beans,
drying the soil in the sun, and burning the rice husk. (Germinating and drying soil
will take approx 3 days.)
29/02/16: Transplant seedlings to soil. Start measurements and recording the
progress of the plants. Start working on the Report.
Week 6B (29/02/16-06/03/16): Complete Introduction, Aim Hypothesis, Risk
Assessment, Equipment list, Bibliography and Method ( Aim Hypothesis, Risk
Assessment, Equipment list and Method to be used from log with corrections from
teachers taken into account)
Week 7B-8B: The plants will need at least 3 weeks to grow. Throughout this time I
will water them regularly, and take new measurements. In Week 8B I will write up
my Results, Discussion, Abstract Conclusion and Self-Evaluation. I will aim to have
my SRP completed by 18/03/16, so I have the weekend and 21/03/16 to edit/fix.
14/0 Start of Logbook/Trials
2/16
Started drying 20 kidney beans in a shady area, in preparation for the
Logbook/Trials due on the 25/02/16.
15/0 Received logbook/proposal back and took feedback into account.
2/16
17/0 Used 15 make-up cotton pads, thoroughly soaked in water, and placed them on a
2/16 plate, then put the 20 kidney beans on top to start germination. (refer to Figure 1)
(Will actually only use 12, but some will not germinate, as indicated in the test
germinations) I will use the best germination conditions I can as determined in the
test germinations (using two layers of cotton make-up pads above and below, and
watering as needed daily) Will see if they germinate and test that. Also, will get
some kidney bean plants that are growing currently (from test germination 3), and
use these to determine if I can measure the height and average leaf size. I’ll also use
the stalks to see if my strength test (using weights) will actually work, because I am
the most unsure about this.
After the 12 germinate, I will plant them in soil with 0%, 1.5%, 3% and 4.5% (in 3
different trial groups) of RHA to see if I can actually see a difference.
Figure 1: Germination trials
I will not be able to repeat this trial several times due to the amount of time required
for one trial, but I will make up for this by having a larger number of plants being
tested, and it is also a repeat of trial germination 3.
19/0
2/16


Most plants had turned into seedlings. (Figure 2)
Figure 2: Germination had
occurred
Proceeded to burn rice husks (2kg) to produce 400g of RHA. (enough for my
actual investigation) Tried to light the rice husk with a match, but they didn’t
catch on fire very well. Then tried with a gas torch, which successfully
turned the rice husk into ash. (Figure 3)
20/0
2/16

Figure 3: Burned rice husks with a gas torch
Moved 12 seedlings into small pots with 0%, 1.5%, 3% and 4.5% RHA, 3
cm deep into the soil.

Uprooted 6 plants growing in soil from trial germination 3. (Figure 4)
Figure 4: The 6 uprooted plants from
trial germination 3
 Tested Steps 9-13 of my method (which measure the effect of RHA on the
plants across a variety of criteria)
 Counted leaves, and measured the size of the leaves, taking the longest
length and width of each leaf - this was also feasible
 The weight of the plants was tested using an electric balance. (Figure 5)

Figure 5: Weight test for plants
Then moved on to the length and strength tests. Cut off roots and the section
of the stem which separated to form thinner stems with leaves. (Figure 6)
Figure 6: Stalks of plants were separated from
roots and leaves
 Measured stalks starting from the section that was above the soil, was
possible to do so with a ruler because the stalks are relatively straight
 Started the strength test of the stalks. Produced a mock-set up of my method
with books, a small peg and coins. (Figure 7)



Figure 7: Original set-up for strength test
20c coins weigh around 11g each, meaning that two would be similar to the
proper 20g weights to be used in my method. The peg was so light that its
weight was not picked up by the balance.
However, the bean stalks were actually incredibly strong, thick and flexible,
meaning that they didn’t snap, even with 100g-200g attacked to them.
Instead, the peg wasn’t strong enough to hold the force and snapped off, and
sometimes the ends of the stalk came free of the Blu-Tack.
Tried a new set-up, involving a small bag, which was filled accumulatively
with the coins. (Figure 8)
Figure 8: Second set-up for strength test
involving a bag
Bean stalk still did not snap, and just bent. Therefore, the strength test needs
revising, but all the other tests for dependent variables have no issues.
Results
Table Showing Weight of Plants 1-6
Plant Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 Average
6 5 3 3 5 2
Weight (g)
4
Table Showing Bean Stalk Lengths in Plants 1-6
Plant Number
Height (cm)
1
2
3
4
5
6
Average
10.3
7
6.7
7.5
5.5
4.4
6.9
Table Showing Number of Leaves in Plants 1-6
Plant Number
1
2
3
4 5 6 Average
Number of Leaves 14 8 10 8 7 7
9
Table Showing Width and Length of Leaves of Plant 1
Leaf Number
Width (cm)
Length (cm)
1
3.5
4.5
2
6
6.7
3
5
5
4
3.7
5.8
5
3.1
3.8
6
3.9
4.1
7
3.6
4
8
2.3
2.4
9
2.4
4.2
10
2.8
3.2
11
1.8
4.2
12
1.2
2.2
13
1.3
2.5
14
0.9
1.6
Table Showing Width and Length of Leaves in Plant 2
Leaf Number
Width (cm)
Length (cm)
1
4.2
7.8
2
3
6.4
3
4
6.2
4
1.6
1.8
5
5.1
6.8
6
2.2
4.4
7
2.9
4.2
8
0.8
1.1
Table Showing Width and Length of Leaves in Plant 3
Leaf Number
Width (cm)
Length (cm)
1
6.3
6.5
2
2.8
5.7
3
2.9
3.8
4
2.7
4.7
5
2.4
5.3
6
2.7
4.5
7
0.5
1.4
8
0.6
1.7
9
0.3
1.2
10
1.4
4
Table Showing Width and Length of Leaves in Plant 4
Leaf Number
Width (cm)
Length (cm)
1
5.7
6.1
2
2.9
5.6
3
3.1
4.5
4
2.6
3.9
5
5.2
5.9
6
1.8
2.6
7
1.2
2.3
8
1.1
1.9
Table Showing Width and Length of Leaves in Plant 5
Leaf Number
Width (cm)
Length (cm)
1
5.6
6.1
2
3.6
5.9
3
3.1
7
4
6.8
6.9
5
2.1
3.6
6
1.2
2
7
1.8
1.9
Table Showing Width and Length of Leaves in Plant 6
Leaf Number
Width (cm)
Length (cm)
1
5.4
5.7
2
1.9
3.7
3
2.4
4.3
4
1.2
3.5
5
3.1
4.2
6
2.5
5.3
7
3.2
5.2
Table Showing Average Width and Length of Leaves in Plants 1-6
Plant Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
Average
Average Width (cm)
3
3
2.3
3
3.5
2.8
2.9
Average Length (cm)
3.9
4.8
3.9
4.1
4.8
4.6
4.4
22/0 Discussed the challenges of the strength test with Miss Mitchell, who suggested I
2/16 measure how much the stalk sags, thus testing its rigidity rather than waiting for it to
break.
23/0
2/16
Figure 9: Seedlings have emerged from soil. RHA percentage from left to right: 0%,
1.5%, 3%, 4.5%
5 of the seedlings planted on the 19/02/16 have emerged from the soil, but show no
clear distinction in growth rates between the different percentages of RHA. The
3.5% RHA pot does have the most growth so far, which aligns with my hypothesis.
However, it is important to consider that these seedlings have only just emerged
from soil, that the health of the plants cannot be determined at such an early stage,
and that this represents only a small number of seedlings and therefore there may be
outliers.
Final Conclusions from the Trials
 With the burning of the rice husk, I found that using a gas torch instead of
matches was much more effective and efficient - the gas torch was also safer
because it is a controlled flame
 The length, number of leaves, leaf dimension and plant weight tests are all
feasible and can occur according to my method.
 The original strength test proposed in my method will not work, as the bean
stalks are too flexible and thick to snap easily with weights. However, I will
resolve this issue by substituting the original strength test with a measure of
how much the bean stalk sags from its original position, with a controlled
amount of weights and time given before measuring.
 Germination generally occurs, with a 74% success rate (calculated from trial
germination 2 and the new trial, conducted under the same conditions). A
lack of germination in my investigation can be resolved by germinating a
higher number of seeds than needed, in order to ensure that I have 40 to
plant.
 Overall, through these adjustments, my method can be achieved.
28/0 40 kidney beans had germinated, and were transferred to 4 60cmx10cm troughs with
2/16 0%, 1.5%, 3% and 4.5% RHA. Each were watered with 1L of water each.
28/0
2/16
15/0
3/16
All results were observed and recorded.
When a plant was determined dead/not growing, it was made red on the excel
spreadsheet, and only included in averages up to the point where I realised it was
dead. Any plants that had not grown at all were excluded from averages. Outliers
were made orange, and not included in the averages. Averages were rounded to two
decimal places.
Leaf size was also recorded after a week. Bean leaves are a rough triangular shape,
so their leaf shape was calculated using the area formula for a triangle.
15/0 The report was written up, including the results, which took a lot of time to input
3/16 into excel and then graph. The discussion and abstract were written, and the report
was finalised.
21/0
3/16