Do Sugar Snap Peas Have a Critical Growth Period?

Abstract

It is a known fact that humans have a critical development period in which external environmental conditions have long lasting effects [1]. In this study, I investigate the question of whether or not Pisum sativum 'Macrocarpon Group' (sugar snap peas) have a critical development period. In this experiment, sugar snap peas were grown in acidic soils or untreated soils for 20 days, with some being transplanted on day 10. This is done to investigate if when the plants are grown in their optimal pH of 6.0-7.0 matters. Throughout the experiment, the plants had individual heights and leaf counts measured every day, with the goal being to determine how changing optimal pH conditions affects germination, growth, and leaf count. After conducting the experiment for 20 days, it’s shown that germination and growth are affected by pH and when plants are placed in certain conditions, while leaf count is not impacted. Peas grown in optimal pH conditions in their early period of growth that were then transplanted into acidic soil grew taller than plants first grown in acidic conditions before being transplanted into optimal ph soil, showing that sugar pea plants do have a critical growing period from planting to early growth after germination.