GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF SWEET CORN

(Zea mays sacharata) AS INFLUENCE BY RATES OF

FERMENTED SEAWEED

A Research Paper
Submitted to
The Faculty of the School of Graduate studies
J.H. Cerilles State College
Pagadian City

In Partial Fulfilment
Of the Requirements for the Subject
Agro 503 (Field Crop Production
and Management)

Presented by:
Mark Iandy Y. Lumamig

March 2019
 Chapter I
INTRODUCTION

Corn is an important crop in the Philippines as staple food, livestock feed and raw

materials for starches used in food processing and other industries. It is one of the major

crops grown in the country with over million Filipino farmers depending on it as their main

source of income and employment.

Through the years, farmers have optimized yield using inorganic fertilizers.

Typically, the essential nutrients from fertilizer inputs forms part of the optimum production

of crops but it also contributes to the significant portion of total crop input cost leading

many farmers having dilemma of financing the agricultural inputs. Optimizing yield is an

important component of economical corn production. Managing fertilizer inputs is

essential as it can be a significant portion of total crop input costs. Typically, the soil

source is for adequate supply and plant uptake of essential nutrients in corn production.

Researches also showed that dependency to inorganic fertilizers to nourish

agricultural lands resulted to soil pollution and imbalances. Due to excessive application

of inorganic fertilizers, the pH value of soil has shown a significant change. This has made

most agricultural land become stressed and unproductive. Because of the major

disadvantage of inorganic fertilizers, several researches have focus on managing

fertilization need through organic farming to reduce long-term input costs and bring back

the fertility of the soil.

Most researches focus on managing fertilization needs through this nutrient supply

system. Organic farming is considered a vital solution in revitalizing the fertility of the soil
and bringing back its humus and productivity. Farm inputs specially inorganic chemicals

and fertilizers are now sky high and income of farmers is getting smaller every year due

to the production cost of the inorganic inputs. With the increased health awareness, there

is a high demand for organically grown crops. These crops are claimed to be produced

through the use of organic fertilizers which are free from chemicals and other synthetic

substances. Furthermore, with the increasing prices of chemical fertilizers, these cause

the shift of farmers to the use of organic fertilizer. In addition, farmers are becoming aware

of the depletion of organic matter in the soil resulting to less soil fertility and find ways to

restore the fertility to sustain crop production.

Most farmers cannot grow corn for market purposes because of the high cost of

commercial fertilizer. However, the Department of Agriculture (DA) of the Philippines is

aware of detrimental effect of the continuous application of the chemically manufactured

inorganic fertilizer. One of their aims is to restore the organic matter content of soils by

advocating the application of organic fertilizers and other soil ameliorants which are

organic in nature. This is to improve the soil structure and aggregate stability, water

holding capacity and enhance biological activities in the soil. The Department of

Agriculture has been promoting organic farming for growing the plants through the use of

organic or natural fertilizers.

Farming is a great way to describe the lifestyle and work of people whose jobs are

in the agriculture industry, but most of the Filipino farmers in the Philippines are not

successful in farming due to inevitable constraints like bad weather conditions,

occurrence of pests and diseases, poor soil fertility, low production, and many more. The

success of farmers depends greatly on how they manage their crop from planting,
harvesting and in marketing aspects as well. Because of the said problems, majority of

the farmers are still struggling from poverty. Only few farmers were able to adopt the latest

technologies which will augment the production yield and income. The common problem

that they have encountered during production are the weeds, corn borer, downy mildew,

bacterial stalk rot, banded leaf and sheath blight whorl maggot and, low production and

income. Farmers used hybrids, synthetic fertilizer and chemical pesticide. Other farmers

used organic fertilizer like chicken dung, vermi cast and other animal manure.

As mentioned by (Kashyap et al., 2017), the use of synthetic fertilizer can improve

the crop production. Synthetic pesticides can effectively control pest and diseases but the

residual effects are harmful to the environment and to the consumers. Furadan is one of

the chemical utilized by the farmers in controlling corn borer. Chemical compounds from

pesticides survive on the environment for almost century. The continuous use of

pesticides aggravate the global warming and climate change (Richardson et. Al., 2017).

With the continuous research and investigation of various scientists in the field of

agriculture, it was believed that the health of the consumers will become endangered due

to the use of synthetic chemicals. Not only human being but also the useful

microorganisms and other beneficial insects will be impaired too (Altieri, 2018), (Altieri,

1999).

At present, majority of the farmers are still using synthetic fertilizer and chemical

pesticides, thus the fertility of the soil are declining. With the said problems, there is a

need for intervention to improve the soil fertility as well as mitigate climate change and

global warming. The best technology that is ecological friendly and appropriate at the

farmers level should be given more attention.

 In this short term study, the researcher will investigate the growth of sweet corn in

response to the rates of fermented seaweeds. The target of this research is to achieve

the optimum growth performance of sweet corn at the vegetative level. The result of this

study will serve as guide for the farmers who want to engage organic production of sweet

corn using fermented seaweeds.

Statement of the Problem

This study will be conducted to determine the effects of fermented seaweed at

different rates on the growth performance of sweet corn. Specifically, the study seeks to

answer the following:

1. What is the effects of different rates of fermented seaweed to the growth of sweet

corn?

2. Which rate of fermented seaweed could improve the growth of sweet corn?

Objective of the study

This study will be conducted to determine the effects of rates of fermented

seaweed on the growth performance of sweet corn. Specifically, the study will be

conducted to:

1. Determine the effects of fermented seaweeds on the growth of sweet corn.

2. Evaluate the effects of different rates of fermented seaweeds on the growth of

sweet corn.
Significance of the Study

Our environments are degraded due to the improper and continuous use of

synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Organic in one of the best options for sustainable

agriculture. This technology will improved the income of farmers and at the same time

promote sustainable biological activity in the soil with the action of indigenous

microorganisms. Organic fertilizer application for sweet corn ( Zea mays L) improves the

fertility of the soil. The result of this study will help the farmers by improving their

production and income, improving the soil fertility and structure, promoting biological

activities and maintaining ecological balance.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study will focus only on the growth performance of sweet corn using the

different rates of fermented seaweeds. The study consisted of four (4) Treatments and

four (4) Replications as follows:

1. Treatment 1- ten (10) ml of fermented seaweeds/litter

2. Treatment 2- twenty (20) ml of fermented seaweeds/litter

3. Treatment 3- forty (40) ml of fermented seaweeds/ litter

4. Treatment 4- control (no application)

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined conceptually and/or operationally for better

understanding of the readers.

Bacterial Stalk Rot (BSR). It refers to the diseases of sweet corn caused by

bacterium called Erwinia chrysanthemi pv. Zeae.

 Banded Leaf and Sheath Blight (BLSB). It refers to the fungal infection on

sweet corn caused by Rhizoctonia solani that makes the corn to wither even during pre-

maturity stages.

Fermented seaweed. It is organic and effective plant growth promotant.

Growth. It is the irreversible increase in size of the plants.

Plant height. It refers to the length of the plant from the ground levels to the

base of the tassel.

Plot. It refers to the area of land measured to be used in the study.

Replicate. It refers to the repetition of an experimental study so that the

variability associated with the phenomenon can be estimated.

Seed. It is the ripened ovule enclosed in a protected covering.

Sweet corn. It refers to a variety of corn with kernels that have a high sugar

content. It is grown for human consumption and is harvested while slightly immature.

Treatment. It refers to the application of organic fertilizer which fermented

seaweed applied at different concentrations.

 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) is a monoecious plant staminate flowers borne in the

tassel and pistillate flowers borne on a shoot midway of its stalk. Pollination is consumed

by transfer of pistillate flower. Wind is the principal agent in the uncontrolled or open

pollination of sweet corn plant. Normally, about 95% of the ovules on a shoot are cross-

pollinated and 5% self-pollinated (Mehta et al., 2017).

Sweet corn yields can be increased if applied with organic fertilizers provided that

the nutrient requirements are met (Gou et al., 2018) and (Efthimiadou et al., 2009). In the

study of (Simarmata et al., 2015), sweet corn applied with fertilizer produced more

biomass. In Romania, they are producing sweet corn varieties intended for organic

farming in which they found out a certain genotypes highly suitable for organic with low

inputs (Ardelean, Cordea, Voichita & Agnes, 2012).

Sweet corn plants are susceptible to insect pests. As reported by (Olmstead, Nault,

and Shelton, 2016), they revealed that Asiatic corn borer, corn ear worm and aphids are

the major pest of corn in the world.

Sea weeds are marine algae, saltwater dwelling, and simple organisms that fall

into the rather outdated general category of “plants”. Most of them are the red (6000

species), brown (2000 species) or green (1200 species). A wide range of beneficial

effects have been reported from the use of liquid seaweed extracts including increased

crop yields, resistance of plants to frost, increased uptake of inorganic constituents from

the soil, more resistance to stress conditions and reduction in storage losses of fruit. Sea
weeds have proved effective in enhancing yield, pest and frost resistance in vegetables,

fruits, flowers, cereals and pulses. Seaweed extracts had beneficial effect on seed

germination and plant growth (Thirumal et al., 2003).

Moreover, seaweeds are used as soil amendments. At present, one of the most

promising applications of seaweeds is their use as plant bio-stimulants. This influence is

explained on the basis of containing plant growth-promoting substances such as

cytokinins, auxins, gibberellins, abscisic acid, ethylene, polyamines and betaines in the

algal extracts (Crouch and Staden, 1993; Stirk et al., 2003; Blunden et al., 2010; Prasad

et al., 2010; Yokoya et al., 2010).

According to Chapman et al., (1980), there are reports where marine algae have

been gathered for centuries for the purpose to use them as fertilizer in the countries like

Australia, France, Great Britain, India, Japan, New Zealand, Scotlaand, Spain and USA.

The first record of the used of seaweed as fertilizer reported from the first century AD,

where Chinese, Greeks and later Vikings used them as manure for their crops, where wet

or dried seaweed were deposited on land for providing nutrients. In the fourth century

seaweed was used as partial substitute of manure. The increased in the yield of soybean,

sweet potato, sweet corn and melon were observed when seaweed fertilizer was used.

Seaweed manure has an advantage over farm manures since it is free from weeds and

fungi and has been found to eliminate “black spots” from roses, reduces brown rots of

peaches, increases resistibility of crop plants to pest and diseases caused by aphids, red

spider mites, powdery mildew and the fungi responsible for damping of seedlings.

(Zea, 1990), investigated that seaweed fertilizer is beneficial for plant growth,

because of the presence of organic and inorganic constituents which increase the nutrient
uptake and help in the assimilation of carbohydrates and protein contents of plants. The

application of seaweed manure increase the growth, yield, flowering and fruiting period

of plants. Seaweed contain essential minerals such as Ca, K, Mg, PO4, S, N, Fe, Cu, Mn,

Bo and Zn and has been found to increase the sugar contents in sweet corn and melon

because of high content of potash. Seaweed fertilizer is suitable for root crops and

cabbage.

Moreover, Wahab (1991), found out that different concentration of seaweed effects

differently on different plants vis. Zinnea and other related plants showed best growth in

50% concentration of seaweed manure plus soil. Seaweed fertilizer is used as a liquid

spray to supplement the horticultural plants and other field crops. He noted favourable

result by increase of 60-70% yield of the experimental plants. It is noticeable that seaweed

fertilizer increase the resistibility against disease and reduce the chance of insect attack.

This fertilizer also increase the water holding capacity of the soil. Nature of the seaweed

fertilizer is alkaline.

From the present study I am confident that it will surely give good results at large

scale, use of seaweed fertilizer as supplement will be feasible in the farmers and its

surrounding, because of tones seaweed cast as drifted seaweed at the seashore, which

nature has given us so generously, can be collected free of charge and may be utilized

as a best fertilizer in our field crops.

 Chapter III
MATERIALS AND METHODS

Methods
This chapter describes the methodology and discusses how the researchers

gathered the necessary data and information that will be used in the entire study. It also

shows the procedures of conducting the study and methods of collecting the data.

The study consist of three hundred twenty (320) samples of sweet corn

distributed into four (4) treatments and four (4) replications.

Research Design

The research design that will be used in the study is Complete Randomized

Block Design (CRBD) with four (4) treatments and four (4) replications. The treatments

are as follows: T1, – ten (10) milligram of fermented seaweed per litter, T2, – twenty (20)

milligram of fermented seaweed per litter, T3, –forty (40) milligram of fermented seaweed

and T4, – control (no application).

Statistical Tools

The statistical tools use for the analysis of data is, One Way Anova through

Minitab 2017. One Way Anova is use to determine whether there are any statistically

significant differences between the means of the two or more (unrelated) groups.

The total experimental area is 90 square meters will be divided into 16 plots

that exactly correspond to the 4 treatments and 4 replications. Each plot will have 2 rows

with a dimension of 1.5 m x 1.5 m. There are 6 experimental samples in every rows to

ensure the significant differences of each treatment. The 10 selected samples in every
plot are subjected for the data collection and analysis. Plants will be planted with a

distance of 75 cm between rows and the distance between hills of 25 cm in a row.

The treatment are as follows:

T1 – 10 ml of fermented seaweed/L

T2 – 20 ml of fermented seaweed/L

T3 – 40 ml of fermented seaweed/L

T4 – control

Land Preparation

The area shall be prepared by plowing and harrowing the field two times for two

weeks interval to destroy the weeds and to incorporate plant residues, minimize rapid

emergence of weeds to obtained fine tilt.

Preparation of Seeds

Hybrid sweet corn (Zea mays L.) sweet fortune F1 will be procured from the

Provincial Agriculture Office, Province of Zamboanga del Sur. To achieve higher

percentage of germination, all seeds will be treated with larvin to protect it from ants and

whorl maggot infestation. The seeds will be planted directly in the field after the land

preparation are completely made.

Furrowing and Planting

Furrow shall be prepared at 75 cm apart. The seeds of sweet corn shall be

planted at the rate of 1 seeds per hill at a distance of 25 cm between hills.

Replanting

As per packaging, the Sweet Fortune F1 has only 85% germination. Extra

seeds shall be soaked for 12 hours and then be placed in a plastic container to facilitate

the germination. The germinating seeds in the plastic container shall be planted directly

in the missing hills at 6 to 7 days after planting.

Placing of Plot Numbers

Bamboo sticks with plot numbers shall be distributed in each plot for easy

identification and collection of data in each treatment.

Preparation of Fermented Seaweed

The materials to be used are as follows: 1 kg of seaweed, 1 litter of molasses,

manila paper, knife, chopping board, basin, and twine. The 1 kg of seaweed shall be

sliced into desirable size and then placed in the basin and put the 1 litter of molasses and

mixed it thoroughly. After mixing, the basin shall be covered with manila paper and then

tied with twine. Then after that, the basin will be placed in the room with dry and cold

condition for 7 to 14 days. Harvesting of Fermented Seaweed shall be done 7 to 14 days

after the fermentation processes. A whitish color of molds/spores in the fermented

seaweed that will be observed during harvest indicating that the fermentation of seaweed

is successful.

Recommended Rate of Fermented Seaweed

Based on the researched in Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Government

College – Aurora Main Campus 10 ml of fermented seaweed per Litter of water shows an

excellent effect to the growth performance of bell pepper and tomato.

 As a researcher’s basis in this short term research that being conducted in the

Growth Performance of Sweet Corn applied by different rates of fermented seaweed, the

treatment will start at 10 ml/L to determine if the said dosage is applicable in this

commodity.

Application of Fermented Seaweed

The fermented seaweed will be applied as foliar fertilizer to the experimental

plants according to the rates assigned for each treatment at 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th and

42nd days after planting.

Weed Control

Hand weeding will be done as the weed arises. The surrounding area of the

experiment shall also be free from weeds to avoid the presence of pests.

Control of Asiatic Corn Borer

Trichogramma evanescens cards from the Regional Crop Protection Center

(RCPC) RFU 9, Molave, Zamboanga del sur will be distributed in the experimental plots

at 30th and 45th days after planting to prevent Asiatic corn borer infestation.

Irrigation

To ensure sufficient water supply, barrels, sprinklers and hose shall be placed

in the experimental area in case of drought during the conduct of this study in the month

of January and February

Gathering and Recording of Data.

In every plot, 10 representative plants will be selected and marked at random

for the data collection. The data to be gathered are the following:
1. Plant height at 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th and 42nd days after planting.

2. Number of leaves at 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th and 42nd days after planting.

FIELD LAYOUT

1.5M

2.5M
T1R1 T2R1 T3R1 T4R1

0.5M

0.5 M

T4R2 T1R2 T2R2 T3R2

11.5 M

T2R3 T4R3 T3R3 T1R3

T3R4 T1R4 T2R4 T4R4

7.5 M