This experiment will try to validate that various light frequencies have an influence on Ceratopteris richardii. It is believed that far-red light have an anatomical and physiological effect on the gametophytes of Ceratopteris richardii.
Ceratopteris richardii is an autotrophic organism, they are found in most tropical and subtropical areas and live in bodies of water such as ponds, rivers and wet areas such as ditches. “Ceratopteris richardii are successfully grown in pot culture in the greenhouse under warm, humid conditions.”(Leslie G. Hickok and Thomas R. Warne 1998) Ceratopteris richardii has the ability to reproduce both sexually and asexually.
Ceratopteris richardii commonly called a C-fern is a prey in many food webs around
southeastern Asia. C-Fern has two independent autotrophic phases, a haploid
gametophyte and a vascular, diploid sporophyte. Development of this haploid phase is
very rapid. Germination occurs in three to four days following inoculation, and full
sexual maturity is reached within six to eight days from germination. The archegonium is the female organ, it contains one egg. The antheridium is the male sex organ and each contains 16 sperm. Due to water, the neck canal cells in the mature archegonia open, which then creates a small canal leading to the egg. Also due to water the discharging motile sperm quickly swim to the archegonium. In a few minutes, hundreds of sperm are around archegonium, and one of them eventually reaches and fertilizes the egg. “After fertilization of the egg, the resulting diploid zygote develops rapidly by mitotic cell division, forming an embryo. The gametophyte soon dies and the sporophyte grows to maturity. It undergoes meiosis and produces spores to continue the life cycle.”( Leslie G. Hickok and Thomas R. Warne 1998)