Life Skills
The Senior School Science lab saw the boys conduct a fascinating experiment on cloning cauliflower. The purpose of the experiment was to explore the process of asexual reproduction, in which new plants are grown from a single parent plant, without the need for fertilisation.
To begin the experiment, the students carefully selected a healthy cauliflower plant and removed a small section of its stem, known as the "meristem". After practicing aseptic technique, they then dipped the cutting in a meristem culture, which contains nutrients and growth hormones, helping to stimulate the growth of new plants.
Over the course of several weeks, the students will monitor the progress of their cauliflower clones. Hopefully, they should observe how the new plants grew from the meristem cutting and developed their own distinct characteristics, such as leaf shape and colour.
The experiment provided an exciting opportunity for the boys to learn about cell division, the cell cycle and cloning. It also highlighted the potential benefits of cloning, which include the ability to produce large numbers of genetically identical plants that exhibit desirable traits.
Overall, the cloning cauliflower experiment was a great success and a valuable learning experience for the boys. We look forward to seeing their meristems growing into whole plants!
