CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

As students of Don Bosco, the researchers want to help their Country by

conducting an experiment that will be useful to its citizens. A fertilizer is any material,

organic or inorganic, natural or synthetic, that supplies plants with the necessary nutrients

for plant growth and optimum yield. Organic fertilizers are fertilizer compounds that

contain one or more kinds of organic matter. The ingredients may be animal or vegetable

matter or a combination of the two. Unlike organic, inorganic fertilizers are usually

quick-release formulas making nutrients rapidly available to plants. Inorganic fertilizers

are safe to use, however, because it is quick-releasing, salts can build up fast, damaging

soil , pumps and air stones used in hydroponics application.

B. Statement of Problems/Objectives

This study aimed to prove if either fertilizer or compost pit is better as an

alternative for loam soil. By experimenting on Mung Beans (Vigna Radiata) the

researchers ought to find out if the effects of fertilizer and compost pit will harm the plant

or not, the side effects that the plant will have and changes on its physical form such as

color, height, growth, etc. The researchers will also be studying on the nutrients that lack

between the fertilizer, the compost pit and the soil by doing so, we will obtain

information and reasons on how the plants differ (if ever there is).

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C. Significance of the Study

The success of the research will give valuable information that will help the

farmers know the best fertilizer to use and they will be able to save money and produce

plants faster which could lead to a better economy.

D. Scope and Limitations

This study was conducted using commercial fertilizers, compost pit and normal

soil for a period of one month at Don Bosco Technical Institute of Makati. The budget of

the team ranges from P1000 to P1500. Every two days the researchers will record the

height, color, growth speed, plant thickness and how fast the plant will produce the beans.

The records are represented by the use of graphs.

E. Definition of Terms

Fertilizer - are substances that supply plant nutrients or amend soil fertility.

Compost pit - is dead plants and animals that have been broken down by various bugs,

bacteria and fungi; used to improve the soil for agriculture and gardening.

EM Bokashi - is an organic fertilizer used for soil and plant application to growth

and increase yield, and is made from a solution of EM1 and molasses,

usually added to bran or straw and then fermented (Daly and Okuda,

1998). It can also be made with oilseed cake, rice husk and bran, and fish

processing waste (Xu, 2000).

Biofertilizers - are ready to use live formulates of such beneficial microorganisms which

on application to seed, root or soil mobilize the availability of nutrients by

their biological activity in particular, and help build up the micro-flora and

in turn the soil health in general.

Pasture Aid - is a bio fertilizer product.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Microorganisms are often used in organic agriculture, as they are useful

for eliminating problems associated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides (Higa, 1991;

Parr et al 1994 cited in Higa and Parr, 1994). A microbial culture named "Effective

Microorganisms" (EM) was developed by Professor Teruo Higa of the University of

Ryukyus, Japan after he began his EM technology research in 1984, with the purpose of

improving soil quality, soil health, and the growth, yield and quality of plants (Higa and

Parr, 1994).

EM consists of around 80 species of selected beneficial microorganisms

including lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, photosynthetic bacteria, and actinomycetes, among

other types of microorganisms such as fungi (Xu, 2000). These produce a wide range of

benefits arising from the increased microbial diversity in the soil as well as the individual

effects of the particular types of microorganisms. Benefits to soil and plant health include

the fixation of atmospheric Nitrogen, decomposition of organic wastes and residues,

suppression of soil borne pathogens, and the increased availability of plant nutrients

(Higa and Parr, 1994). It has been shown that the application of EM can improve

photosynthetic efficiency and capacity due to an increase in nutrient availability, as well

as increase root mass (Fujita et al., 1997 cited in Yamada and Xu, 2000).

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 EM bokashi has been found to be a rich nutrient source (Xu et al., 2000), as the

addition of EM greatly accelerates the breakdown of the organic matter in the bokashi

(Attanayake et al., 1993). In this study the effect of EM bokashi on the growth and

chlorophyll level of radish and lettuce seedlings will be measured over time, comparing

this with the effect of Pasture Aid, a microbial fermentation product containing dead

microorganisms that promotes growth by stimulating microbial activity.

There has been a great deal of research conducted on the effect of EM bokashi on

plant growth and photosynthesis (Fujita et al., 1997; Xu et al., 1997 cited by Yamada and

Xu, 2000). Such research has shown that the addition of EM bokashi leads to more

vigorous growth with greater root mass and activity, and a higher rate of photosynthesis

compared to the addition of chemical fertilizers (Fujita et al., 1997 cited by Yamada and

Xu, 2000). These results are suggested by (Kato et al., 1997 cited in Yamada and Xu,

2000) to be due to the continual nutrient supply from the bokashi. It is suggested by

(Yamada and Xu, 2000) that EM contains phytohormones or other biologically active

substances that cause the delay of senescence of plants. (Yamada and Xu, 2000) believe

that the increase in the development of roots from the added bokashi may also help

maintain a higher rate of growth and photosynthetic activity. The results from this

preliminary study are consistent with these findings, with higher root, shoot and bulb

growth with the application of EM bokashi, and more dramatic results occurring at the

later stage where the bokashi may have had a greater effect due to the sustained nutrient

release. The increase in chlorophyll levels with EM bokashi treatments is consistent with

other studies, and the cotyledon leaves of control plants were noted to be generally

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yellow with senescence beginning at the later date, when treated plants appeared to be

greener.

Materials and Treatments that Susan Carrodus used to conduct the research.

Radish seeds were sown into 45mL cell transplant trays, with 60 cells per tray.

They were grown in a seedling mix containing 60% peat and 40% pumice, with

Osmocote Mini (18-2.6-10) 100g, Dolomite 400g, and Hydraflo II 100g. Lettuce seeds

were sown into trays using the same potting mix.

The treatments for both the radishes and lettuces were designed as follows:

(1) Pasture-Aid (equivalent to 20 L per hectare (by surface area) applied directly after

sowing by watering can);

(2) EM Bokashi (equivalent to 5 tonne/hectare (by volume) mixed into the potting

mix, and the equivalent volume of water to the Pasture-Aid treatment;

(3) Pasture-Aid + EM Bokashi (combination of treatments 1 and 2 with the same

volume of water as other treatments);

(4) Control (received equivalent water to other treatments). There were 5 trays for

each treatment, with each tray as a replicate.

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 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Materials

The researchers used 4pcs 8x8 inches plastic pot, 1 pouch of mung seeds, 1 bag of

Commercial Organic Fertilizer, 1 bag of Inorganic Fertilizers, 1 bag of Compost Pit made

from different organic materials, 1 bag of Loam Soil, tap water, ruler, barbeque stick.

B. General Procedure

There were four plastic pots containing organic fertilizer, inorganic fertilizer,

compost pit, loam soil in each pot. The mung seed was tested before it was planted. 80

milliliter of water was poured in each pot everyday and after three days, 150 milliliter of

water was poured. Barbeque sticks were used to support and guide the plant's growth
Four plastic pots containing
straight. a mung seed and the ff:
Pot 1-organic fertilizer
Pot 2-inorganic fertilizer
Pot 3-compost pit
Pot 4-loam soil

Y
Is it 3 days 150 millimeter is
after? poured in each pot.

N
80 millimeter is
poured in each pot.
N
Is it
finish?
Y

Procedure: Finished
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 REFERENCES

Carrodus, Susan (2002) Effect of a Microbial Inoculent on Growth and

Chlorophyll Level of Lettuce and Radish Seedlings. Retrieved

November 21, 2010, from http://www.bokashi.co.nz/em-research.html

Angeli, E., Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K., Anderson, M., Soderland, L., &

Brizee, A. (2010, May 5). General format. Retrieved November 21, 2010,

from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

The online Indoor Gardening center (2005). Indoor Gardening Guide. Retrieved

November 21, 2010, from http://www.indoor-gardening-guide.com/articles/

plant-care/Inorganic-fertilizers.html

International Rice Research Institute,Cereal Knowledge Bank. (2007).

Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers. Retrieved November 21, 2010, from

http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/ckb/index.php/agronomy/organic-and-

inorganic-fertilizers

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