How Does Light Affect Sweet Basil Plants

Light availability has a profound effect on plant growth and development. Different types of plants require a different amount of sunlight to survive. However, this experiment is solely based on the manipulation of sunlight intensities regarding sweet basil plants. Through this investigation, the alteration of light intensities will denote the effect that light has upon basil plants. This question draws upon fundamental bases into how photosynthesis works, as plants are classified as autotrophs which means they are required to produce their own energy to survive. In photosynthesis, the energy from the sun is used to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen as a waste product [1]. Photosynthesis can be divided into two sections,

Light dependent reaction, this process can only happen when light is available, as light energy is created into chemical energy. The light independent reaction can happen in both light and darkness. However, to start the process, light is needed.The process of photosynthesis doesn’t only apply to plants, it also applies to any autotroph, some of which include, bacteria and algae.

The photosynthetic process depends on a set of complex protein molecules that are located in and around a highly organized membrane in which chlorophylls- pigments that are responsible for the absorption of light to create energy- are able to capture the sunlight and further transform into glucose and ATP energy. See figure 1. This is because photosynthesis is light dependant, meaning that low intensities become a limiting factor towards the maturation and development of the plant. Therefore, the more sunlight a plant receives

This experiment mainly focuses on the light quantity, which refers to the intensity or the concentration of sunlight. A basil plant requires a minimum of 2000 lux in order to produce a precise amount of photosynthesis for the plant to develop and grow at an accelerating rate [3]. Basil plants also require plenty of heat and light as well as having a moist and warm climate. It is recommended that a basil plants receives 2000 lux of sunlight for a time period of 8-16 hours. Basil also requires a significant amount of water and constant drainage to be kept healthy, and it is also recommended to keep the soil with a PH of 6-7 [4]. Due to the fact that the lowest light intensity is 115 and the highest is 4000, the basil plants will show distinct results as the difference is substantial. With the information that is gathered throughout the experiment, many individuals can benefit from the results. For example, farmers and agriculturists can obtain the correct information to further raise sweet basil plants more abundantly and