The Effectiveness of Neem Oil and Beneficial Nematode Treatments on the Growth of Early Vegetative State Soybean Plants
Abstract:
Bibliography/Citations:
A. Question or Problem being addressed
In a controlled indoor environment and during the off-season for soybean cultivation, can soybean growth be amplified and can soybean health be maintained during the early vegetative period of soybean growth with a treatment of neem oil or a treatment of both neem oil and beneficial nematodes?
B. Goals/Expected Outcomes/Hypotheses
Should the neem oil not impede beneficial nematodes, the plant treated with both neem oil and beneficial nematodes will grow the fastest and the healthiest.
C. Description in detail of method or procedures
- Drill five holes two inches apart in twelve to fourteen inch plant pot containers.
- Fill containers up to 2 inches from the top with an equal mix of Sungro Black Gold Seedling Mix and Sungro Black Gold Natural and Organic Potting Mix Fertilizer.
- Poke in one inch holes to plant soybean seeds. Plant five soybeans four inches away from each other. Once inserted into holes, cover the beans with soil. Do not compact the soil.
- Water plants with one hundred fifty to two hundred milliliters of water.
- Place plastic wrap over plants and place the container in a lightbox.
- Repeat steps one through seven for three separate containers: C (control); NE (neem oil); and BNE + NE (beneficial nematodes and neem oil).
- Water plants with one hundred fifty to two hundred milliliters of water daily.
- Before the NE soybeans sprout, pour a quarter of Captain Jack’s Neem Max oil directly on the roots. Let it seep.
- Before the BNE + NE soybeans sprout, open a five milliliter packet of nematodes and mix in two-hundred and fifty milliliters of water. Stir well and then water the plants with this mixture. After letting the mixture seep into the soil, pour a quarter of Captain Jack’s Neem Max oil directly on the roots. Let it seep.
- Start recording height and qualitative health measures after sprouting period.
- Remove and finish the experiment after ten days of growth (post-sprouting).
- Graph recordings, determine the healthiest plant, and determine the best treatment plan.
D. Bibliography:
Works Cited
“CAPTAIN JACK’S Neem Max Concentrate.” Bonide, bonide.com/product/captain-jacks-neem-max-conc/. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.
“Growing Edamame Indoors (Soybeans).” Www.theindoorgardens.com, 16 Jan. 2022, www.theindoorgardens.com/growing-edamame-indoors/#:~:text=Soybeans%20will%20need%20at%20least. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.
“How to Grow Soybeans Indoors.” Garden Guides, www.gardenguides.com/12430878-how-to-grow-soybeans-indoors.html. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.
“Neem Oil Insecticides | Knockdown Control Sprays.” Www.arbico-Organics.com, www.arbico-organics.com/category/neem-oil-insecticides#:~:text=Neem%20Oil%20has%20many%20other. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.
“Pests on Your Plants? Neem Oil Is an Organic Solution for Banishing Bugs.” Better Homes & Gardens, www.bhg.com/gardening/pests/neem-oil-for-plants/. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.
Vinje, Eric. “Neem Oil for Plants: How and When to Use It on Plants.” Planet Natural, 30 July 2022, www.planetnatural.com/neem-benefits/#:~:text=Neem%20oil%20is%20an%20ideal. Accessed 15 Mar. 2023.
Weller, Emily. “Growing Soybeans in Containers.” Home Guides | SF Gate, homeguides.sfgate.com/growing-soybeans-containers-21549.html.
Additional Project Information
Project files
Research Plan:
A. Question or Problem being addressed
In a controlled indoor environment and during the off-season for soybean cultivation, can soybean growth be amplified and can soybean health be maintained during the early vegetative period of soybean growth with a treatment of neem oil or a treatment of both neem oil and beneficial nematodes?
B. Goals/Expected Outcomes/Hypotheses
Should the neem oil not impede beneficial nematodes, the plant treated with both neem oil and beneficial nematodes will grow the fastest and the healthiest.
C. Description in detail of method or procedures
- Drill five holes two inches apart in twelve to fourteen inch plant pot containers.
- Fill containers up to 2 inches from the top with an equal mix of Sungro Black Gold Seedling Mix and Sungro Black Gold Natural and Organic Potting Mix Fertilizer.
- Poke in one inch holes to plant soybean seeds. Plant five soybeans four inches away from each other. Once inserted into holes, cover the beans with soil. Do not compact the soil.
- Water plants with one hundred fifty to two hundred milliliters of water.
- Place plastic wrap over plants and place the container in a lightbox.
- Repeat steps one through seven for three separate containers: C (control); NE (neem oil); and BNE + NE (beneficial nematodes and neem oil).
- Water plants with one hundred fifty to two hundred milliliters of water daily.
- Before the NE soybeans sprout, pour a quarter of Captain Jack’s Neem Max oil directly on the roots. Let it seep.
- Before the BNE + NE soybeans sprout, open a five milliliter packet of nematodes and mix in two-hundred and fifty milliliters of water. Stir well and then water the plants with this mixture. After letting the mixture seep into the soil, pour a quarter of Captain Jack’s Neem Max oil directly on the roots. Let it seep.
- Start recording height and qualitative health measures after sprouting period.
- Remove and finish the experiment after ten days of growth (post-sprouting).
- Graph recordings, determine the healthiest plant, and determine the best treatment plan.
Questions and Answers
1. What was the major objective of your project and what was your plan to achieve it?
The major objective of this project was to assess the effectiveness of Neem Oil and Beneficial Nematode treatments on the growth of early vegetative state soybean plants. The plan to achieve this was to test both treatments on soybean plants and measure the results by looking at quantitative measures of growth and qualitative measures of health.
a. Was that goal the result of any specific situation, experience, or problem you encountered?
No.
b. Were you trying to solve a problem, answer a question, or test a hypothesis?
I was merely testing my hypothesis: should the neem oil not impede beneficial nematodes, the plant treated with both neem oil and beneficial nematodes will grow the fastest and the healthiest (that is, the plant with the least yellowing, browning, damage to roots, and lesions).
2. What were the major tasks you had to perform in order to complete your project?
I had to apply neem oil and beneficial nematodes to soybean plants and I had to maintain the health of soybean plants through daily watering and checkups.
a. For teams, describe what each member worked on.
3. What is new or novel about your project?
The growth of early vegetative state soybean plants has not been treated extensively by any conventional farming applications and certainly not by a treatment of beneficial nematodes and neem oil in an indoor environment.
a. Is there some aspect of your project's objective, or how you achieved it that you haven't done before?
I’ve never had to apply neem oil or beneficial nematodes to a plant.
b. Is your project's objective, or the way you implemented it, different from anything you have seen?
Well, most of the nematode tests I’ve observed had to do with testing for soybean cyst nematodes and other such plant parasitic nematodes. This test involves beneficial nematodes.
c. If you believe your work to be unique in some way, what research have you done to confirm that it is?
I’ve scoured numerous articles, done extensive research on the companies behind my products, and am also testing the claim of the NeemOil Max (which says that it doesn’t inhibit beneficial nematodes).
4. What was the most challenging part of completing your project?
a. What problems did you encounter, and how did you overcome them?
Applying the beneficial nematodes was the most challenging part of this project because they were hard to activate and I was very worried about letting them loose.
b. What did you learn from overcoming these problems?
I followed the instructions of the company I bought the beneficial nematodes from very carefully.
5. If you were going to do this project again, are there any things you would you do differently the next time?
I would increase the sample size and perhaps conduct the project outside, during the on-season for soybean cultivation.
6. Did working on this project give you any ideas for other projects?
In the future, I want to test the application of these treatments to other plants during other seasons.
7. How did COVID-19 affect the completion of your project?
n/a