Learning by doing: Students discover antibacterial activity in Lantana,an invasive weed of Delhi
Research Project by Class VIII Students of DPS RK Puram selected for State Level Science Congress organized by NCSTC in collaboration with DoE & Department of Science & Technology,Govt. Of India on December 2,2023 at Modern Public School, B Block, West Shalimar Bagh, Delhi
District Level Children’s Science Congress was held on October 1, 2023 in Virtual Mode (zoom meeting).Experiential learning plays a crucial role as it emphasizes active engagement, application of science and equips students with the skills, competencies, and mindset required for success in the 21st century. A perfect example here is the research project done by 2 students.
Simple queries of the two friends led to a series of experiments resulting in a series of amazing findings.The queries were ‘Why do dogs eat away lantana plants from my garden and how can I protect sprouted grains from microbial attack and increase shelf life without using synthetic chemicals?
Nanya Gupta & Aavya Shrivastava of Class VIII I of Delhi Public School,R K Puram under the mentorship of Ms Niva Chhonkar, Head of the Biology Department carried out the Research Project to get a scientific explanation and solution to their queries.
Part of the Lab Work was carried out at Sri Venkateswara College,New Delhi.
The experiment consisted of using leaf extract of Lantana and assessing its antimicrobial properties and comparing it with the already established antimicrobial properties of Neem and Tulsi.
The most common bacteria, E.coli,Common fungi- Rhizopus (Bread Mold) and Aspergillus (found as black powder on onions these days) were used.
