Hobbies And Interests
Sunflower Bees
Experiments have been being done by using a different variety of bee than the normal honeybee that pollinate sunflowers. The bee, known as the Megapug, helps sunflowers grow larger and heavier seeds after being pollinated by them. In an experiment by Vincent J. Tepedino through the USDA, outdoor enclosures kept the bees and allowed them to have access to the sunflowers. They spread out evenly amongst the sunflowers instead of congregating in areas closest to their enclosures, which provided a more even level of pollination. This experiment could be replicated by keeping Megapug bees near the area that sunflowers are being grown.
Sunflowers as Fuel
An experiment has been taking place in North Carolina between the Department of Transportation and North Carolina State University which looks at using sunflowers as a means of creating biofuels. Biofuels can be used to power vehicles that run on gas, with a few modifications, as an environmentally safe fuel. As of December 2010, the experiment is looking at whether land that is not viable for growing food can be used to grow sunflowers that can be converted into biofuel. This is a two-year experiment that has been undertaken to find out if it would be worthwhile to try to use land in this manner.
Children's Experiments
There are many experiments that can be done by children on sunflowers and sunflower seeds. Children can learn how to grow the sunflower seeds into sunflowers, experiment with soaking the seeds in water before planting them, putting seeds in a dark area to see if they will grow, and taking them out of the shells to see if there is a difference in growth. Once the sunflowers begin to grow, experiments can be done by placing the sprouts on their sides, facing them towards the sun and cutting the leaves off to see if they will grow back. These simple experiments can provide knowledge and fun for children regarding the growing process of plants.