Development of an LED-Attached Box for Phytochrome Response Experiments on Lettuce Seed Germination in Senior High School Biology

抄録

The germination of lettuce seed is known to be a phytochrome-mediating phenomenon: red light promotes it, while far-red light inhibits it. In Japan, this topic has been included in biology textbooks for senior high schools, but the phytochrome response experiments have not yet been practiced widely. In order to enable senior high school biology teachers to conduct these experiments, the authors developed an apparatus for the experiments, LED-attached box. This article attempts to explain how to set up the LED-attached box. By means of the LED-attached box, the experimental procedures written in Japanese biology textbooks and in some research articles were followed. The phytochrome responses in photoblastic lettuce seed germination mentioned in Japanese biology textbooks and in other articles were successfully confirmed by using this box. This experimental apparatus was piloted in biology laboratory classes for senior high school students in Japan and pre-service high school teacher trainees in Cambodia. The participants could obtain good results and they were interested in using this LED-attached box.