Effects of Niacin on Wisconsin Fast Plants (Brassica rapa)
Via Enzyte® Vitamin Supplement
Courtney Brown & Alex Breiding
Dr. Tsao
Muhlenberg College
Bio 151 Fast Plant Proposal
April 24, 2008
ABSTRACT
Plant growth of the Brassica rapa, also known as the Wisconsin Fast Plant, is influenced by
presence of niacin, as well as other essential nutrients for plant growth. Based on the known
observations of the affects of niacin with pyridoxine on angiosperms and the large presence of
niacin in Enzyte tablets, the addition of niacin from Enzyte tablets and pyridoxine was tested to
find increased plant and root mass. It was concluded that if one were to increase the
concentration of niacin through the introduction of aqueous Enzyte tablets, then one would see a
significantly increased plant and root growth of the Wisconsin Fast Plant, eventually finding an
optimum concentration. The study showed that the optimum level of niacin from Enzyte tablets
for root growth was 5.0ppm. This is different from the optimum level for plant (excluding root)
growth, which was found to be 30.0ppm of niacin.
INTRODUCTION
Wisconsin Fast Plants are rapid-cycling Brassica rapa plants that are known for their short
duration of plant growth and development. These herbaceous dicotelydons are part of the
mustard seed family. The full life-cycle of the Fast Plants extends to about five weeks, occurring
in nature in the late spring. One of the defining characteristics of the Fast Plants is the rapid seed
maturation with no seed dormancy required. This allows for many cultures to be harvested and
studied in a small time frame. The great amount of seeds produced from such a small plant lends
to why this plant is so abundant. Another unique trait to the Fast Plant is its ability to grow under
continuous fluorescent lighting and in regular potting soil. This trait also hastens the plant
growth and development by increasing de-etiolation and photosynthesis. Lastly the Wisconsin
Fast Plant has a petite size that enables high planting density. At these high planting density
levels samples have shown to be able to still produce seeds (Wisconsin Fast Plants® Program
2007).
The distinctive qualities of the Wisconsin Fast Plant allow quick and multiple studies to be
performed within small time constraints. But even with all of these distinguishing traits, Brassica
rapa is still part of the angiosperm grouping. As with all angiosperms, Brassica rapa requires a
certain amount of niacin (vitamin B3) for plant growth. To acquire this niacin, angiosperms have
evolved a complex biosynthesis system. The metabolic pathway for the biosynthesis of niacin for
all green plants starts with tryptophan. An addition of niacin with other supplements to an
angiosperm has proven to increase the metabolic process and increase the growth rate of the
plant (Adritti 1967, p. 293). Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) has demonstrated in other studies to
compliment the additive niacin the greatest in the attainment of larger plant growth (Lee &
Whaley 1953, p. 345).
Niacin can be found as a key ingredient in the vitamin supplement Enzyte®, which is advertised
as “the natural male enhancer” (Enzyte® 2007). The concentration of niacin found in each tablet
of Enzyte is 30 mg. The other major ingredients of Enzyte are zinc, which is known to be a
common additive to potting soil, and organic materials from numerous plants such as ginseng
root and pine bark. Because the organic materials are in lower quantities and are elementally
similar to other materials already found in either the potting soil or in the Fast Plants themselves,
the addition of these organic materials should have no marked effects on a plant’s development.
The metal oxides found in Enzyte are barely water soluble, so these should not be absorbed as
nutrients. Pyridoxine and niacin are water-soluble vitamins.
MATERIALS & METHODS
The Brassica rapa seeds were attained from the lab instructor. Forty-eight regular Fast Plant
seeds were planted evenly in sixteen Styrofoam cultures with fertilizer pellets. Four cultures
were grouped together into four quads. All quads start out with twice-daily watering of distilled
water. After the plants reached 3 cm, the quads were weeded, leaving only the tallest of the
sprouted plants in each culture. At this point, each quad was treated with a constant 2.0ppm of
pyridoxine (vitamin B6). The treatment was given with each watering of the plants. In addition
to the pyridoxine, varying concentrations of the Enzyte tablets were administered to three of the
four respective quads. The untreated quad served as the control. One quad was treated with
5.0ppm, another with 10.0ppm, and another with 30.0ppm of the Enzyte solution. To make the
5.0ppm solution, an entire Enzyte tablet was dissolved into 600 mL. Then 100 mL of that was
diluted to 1 Liter. For 10.0ppm, a tablet was dissolved into 300 mL, and then 100 mL was taken
and diluted to 1 Liter. For 30.0ppm, an entire tablet was dissolved into 1 Liter. The Enzyte
solutions were administered with each watering of the Fast Plants, including having the each
watering mat soaked in separate containers of the respective solutions. The solutions of
pyridoxine and Enzyte served as the source of nutrient based water used in the watering process.
Each quad received an equal amount of room-temperature water, whether it is distilled water for
the control quad or varying solutions for the others. The plants were watered twice a day for the
first four days, and then daily for the remainder of their cycle. The Enzyte tablets were from the
pharmaceutical company, Merazon Health Products, Inc., located in Seattle, WA. The pyridoxine
was provided by the lab instructor from the Biochemistry Department of Muhlenberg College.
All of the Fast Plants were treated with twenty-four hours of fluorescent lighting. To obtain
quantitative data measuring the growth of each plant, the dry mass of both the entire plant
(without root) and the separate root were weighed.
RESULTS
There appears to be an optimum level of absorbed niacin for each set of results. Looking at the
Fig. 1, the plants treated with 5.0ppm Enzyte solution had the greatest root weight of 2.5 mg, on
average. The average weight of the 5.0ppm treated roots was almost twice as large as the next
highest average weight, which was shared by both the 30.0ppm and the control at 1.5 mg.
As shown in Fig. 1, the plants treated with the 30.0ppm Enzyte solution had the greatest average
plant weight of 103.3 mg. When referring to the “plant,” the entire plant (stem, leaves, flowers,
seeds) except for the roots are included. The average weight of the 30.0ppm treated plants was
not significantly larger than the others, but upon sight of the dried plants, it was obvious to the
eye that the stems and leaves were thicker and containing more mass.
Figure 1:
Group
Average Root Weight (g) Average Plant Weight
(excluding root) (g)
Control
.0015
.085
5.0 ppm
.0025
.0725
10.0 ppm
.000725
.0825
30.0 ppm
.0016
.1033
Figure 2:
Figure 3:
DISCUSSION
As seen in other studies, niacin seems most beneficial to root growth. This statement can be
backed up with our results, which show a significant increase in root growth at an optimum
niacin concentration from Enzyte (5.00ppm). As with any other experiment, the best way to
validate the results would be to repeat the process on a larger sample size. In addition, isolation
of specific ingredients within the Enzyte tablets would be beneficial to finding out exactly what
adds to root growth. Though it is theorized that niacin is a major contributor to root growth, it is
possible that another compound had a major influence. This compound will most likely come
from Enzyte’s “Proprietary Blend.” A test of just the Proprietary Blend with fast plants would
give more insight on the effects that other natural compounds may offer for plant and root
growth. According to Dr. Arditti, “When the concentrations of niacin were doubled, the growth
promoting effect of niacin was enhanced while that of the other additives [such as quinolinic
acid, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, and kynurenine] was somewhat reduced.” This reflects our data,
as the average weight of the 5.0ppm treated roots was almost twice as large as the next highest
average weight, which was shared by both the 30.0ppm and the control at 1.5 mg. A note to
make is that because of dealing with such small weights, minute particles of plant mass could
have been lost in the washing process before drying. Similarly, extra soil could have remained on
the roots even after the washing process.
REFERENCES
1. Adritti, Joseph.Mar.,1967. “Niacin Biosynthesis in Germinating X Laeliocattleya Orchid
Embryos and Young Seedlings.” American Journal of Botany, Vol. 54, No. 3, pp. 291298.
2. Lee, Addison E., Whaley, W. Gordon. Mar., 1953. “Effects of Thiamin, Niacin, and
Pyridoxine on Interval Growth of Excised Tomato Roots in Culture.” Botanical Gazette,
Vol. 114, No. 3, pp. 343-348.
3. Enzyte®. 2007, Enzyte®., 24 Feb. 2008,< http://www.enzyte.com/blend.html>.
4. Wisconsin Fast Plants® Program. 2007, Wisconsin Fast Plants® Program: University of
Wisconsin – Madison, 24 Feb. 2008, <http://www.fastplants.org/intro.php#menu>.