Effects of Different Shade Conditions on the Height of Wisconsin Fast Plants

• Austin J. Baker

  Juniata College

  Author

• Emma R. Burry

  Juniata College

  Author

The Wisconsin fast plant, or Brassica rapa, is an herbaceous full-sun plant. Like other plants, it has a shade avoidance response that results in increased height. This increase in height was studied under varying shade conditions over the course of a month, which was long enough for B. rapa to go from seed to flower. Plants in shadier conditions grew taller earlier in the study period, but they matured slower and were overall less healthy than plants grown in full sun.

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