Growth and Yield of Selected Vegetables Sprayed with Mature Coconut Water

Transcription

1 Growth and Yield of Selected Vegetables Sprayed with Mature Coconut Water ABSTRACT Genaro D. Omo Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines Most soils planted with vegetables nowadays have limited or deficient nutrients resulting to stunted growth and low yield. The application of inorganic fertilizer can provide some of the nutrients needed by the plants while foliar feeding is an effective method too for supplementing the micronutrient deficiencies. The coconut water has the potential as a growth enhancer and yield booster because it is rich with different nutrients, phytohormones, enzymes, and minerals. Moreover, it is locally available, free and abundant in the public market. Hence, the study was conducted 1) to evaluate the growth and yield of selected vegetables sprayed with different concentrations of coconut water, 2) to identify the most effective concentration of mature coconut water, and 3) to determine the cost and return analysis. The vegetables used in the study were the finger pepper, tomato, bittergourd, squash and bottlegourd and the treatments are as follows: 0 fertilizer + 0 coconut water (Control); Sprayed with 100% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water; Applied with 100% Recommended Rate (RR) Inorganic Fertilizer; Applied with Sprayed with 25% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water; Applied with Sprayed with 50% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water; Applied with 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizer + Sprayed with 75% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water; Applied with 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizer + Sprayed with 100% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water. All the vegetables (finger pepper, tomato, bittergourd and squash) applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 50% concentration of mature coconut water produced the highest fruit yield, highest value of fruit yield, highest value of fruit yield increased over the control, and highest benefit cost ratio (BCR). Similarly, the bottlegourd plants applied with the same amount of inorganic fertilizer but sprayed with higher concentration of mature coconut water (75%) also produced the highest yield, highest value of fruit yield, highest value of fruit yield increase and BCR too. INTRODUCTION It is known worldwide that the consumption of vegetables will decrease the risk of most fatal diseases such as cancer, heart disease and also malnutrition. The WHO attributed the 1.7 million deaths every year on low vegetable intake. In Asia, the Philippines are one of the lowest 96

2 vegetable consumers with only 40 kg per capita annual consumption which is far below the 69 kg recommendation of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (Mabutas, 2011). The country s vegetable per capita consumption of 40 kilograms is equivalent to an annual requirement of 3.8 million metric tons of vegetables for roughly 95 million Filipinos. The current consumption level is just one-fourth of the recommended dietary requirement of 146 kg per year, according to the World Health Organization (Cabrera, August 2012). One of the factors that affect the low consumption of vegetables in the Philippine was due to the limited or fluctuating supply in the market. This is usually due to low production because most of the soils planted with vegetables nowadays are already depleted with nutrients. Application of fertilizers in the soil is not always an assurance to attain optimum growth and higher crop yield because it could be affected by several factors such as soil ph, CEC, organic matter, moisture content, etc., because the fertilizers that will be applied have the possibility to be fixed or bind with other elements present in the soil and become unavailable in form that could not be absorbed or utilized by the plants. To minimize the cost of crop production, the use of locally available inputs or other growth enhancing product should be given with importance like the coconut water that can be taken from mature coconut which has the potential as growth enhancer because it is rich with different nutrients, phytohormones, enzymes, and minerals. Moreover, its availability is not a problem because the Philippines is one of the prime producer of coconut in the world and the water from it was just thrown away by the coconut farmers or workers in the production of copra and by the vendors at the public markets that may contribute pollution in our environment. The water is free from the market and can be use directly to the plants without any complicated and highly technical process using a very expensive laboratory facility. Similarly, it is very easy to use by anyone even the marginal or poor and uneducated farmers. In addition, it is safe to the plants and to the consumer or the end user. Hence, the study aims to evaluate the growth and yield of selected vegetables sprayed with different concentrations of coconut water; to identify the most effective concentration of coconut water that may increase the yield of the vegetables, and; to determine the cost and return analysis of spraying coconut water to the vegetables. METHODOLOGY The research on selected vegetables sprayed with different concentrations of coconut water was conducted at DMMMSU Farm, Sapilang, Bacnotan, La Union. The study on finger pepper was conducted from September 4, 2012 to April 15, 2013 using Django F1 variety, the tomato was conducted from September 18, 2012 to January 31, 2013 using Diamante max F1 variety, the bittergourd was conducted from October 25, 2012 to March 21, 2013 using Galaxy F1 variety, the squash was conducted from October 29, 2012 to April 4, 2013 using Suprema F1 variety while the bottlegourd was conducted from October 29, 2012 to February 28, 2013 using the Tambuli variety. 97

3 Treatments and Statistical Design The treatments of the study were replicated thrice, randomly arranged and analyzed using the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The Duncan s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was also used to test further the significant difference between the treatments. The treatments are as follows; T 0 Control (Not sprayed with coconut water and not applied with fertilizer), T 1 Sprayed with 100% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water, T₂ Applied with 100% Recommended Rate (RR) Inorganic Fertilizers, T 3 Applied with 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizers and Sprayed with 25% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water, T 4 Applied with 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizers and Sprayed with 50% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water, T 5 Applied with 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizers and Sprayed with 75% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water, T 6 Applied with 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizers and Sprayed with 100% Concentration of Mature Coconut Water. Transplanting Before planting, the experimental area was thoroughly prepared. Transplanting was done on October 22, 2012 for the finger pepper and tomato, on November 23, 2012 for the bittergourd while the squash and the bottlegourd were transplanted on November 26, There were 15 seedlings planted per plot at a distance of 0.50 m between hills and 1.0 m between rows for the finger pepper and tomato plants and nine seedlings per plot at a distance of 1.0m x 1.5m for the bittergourd, squash and bottlegourd. Only one seedling was planted per hill. Cultural Management Two weeks after transplanting, the plants were drenched with 1L Urea solution/hill (5g Urea/liter of water) and side dressed with 5g Urea per hill every three weeks interval from the vegetative stage until the fruiting period of the plants or until the whole amount of the recommended rate were fully applied for the respective treatments of the selected vegetables based on the soil analysis of the experimental area. The plants were irrigated immediately after transplanting and every week thereafter. All the treatments were alternately sprayed with different kinds of insecticides every two or three week s interval during their early vegetative stage to flowering stage. Spraying during the fruiting period was done at a longer interval or every month schedule using a less toxic or green label insecticide. Weeding was done occasionally. Trellising of the tomato was done before their branches began to droop, while the trellising of the bittergourd plants was done before their vines began to climb. The coconut water used in the study was collected from the vendors of mature coconut (with black shells) at the public market of Bacnotan, La Union. Collection was done on the schedule day of spraying. Mixing of the necessary concentration of the solution for the respective treatment was done immediately upon arrival at the experimental site. After mixing, spraying was done immediately with the required concentration of the solution for the respective treatments until the leaves of the plants were totally covered with spray mist during 98

4 their early vegetative stage but not to exceed 400 Lha -1 during their mid-vegetative stage to fruiting period. Spraying was done every two weeks interval from planting and throughout their vegetative to fruiting period. Harvesting The harvesting of the finger pepper fruits was done from December 3, 2012 to April 13, 2013, the fruits of the tomato were harvested from December 27, 2012 to January 31, 2013, the bittergourd fruits were harvested from January 2 to March 21, 2013, the harvesting of squash fruits was done from January 31 to April 4, 2013 and the fruits of the bottlegourd were harvested from January 2 to February 28, Data Gathered The data gathered were the plant height at 30 DAT of the finger pepper and tomato plants, fruit yield (tha -1 ) and the cost and return analysis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION One of the factors that affect the growth and productivity of crops usually depends on the amount and kinds of nutrients taken by the plants through their roots and leaves. The commercial inorganic fertilizer available in the market usually not contained all the necessary essential elements needed by the plants. A possible source of some of the essential elements is from the mature coconut water because it has several micronutrients, vitamins, amino acids and pythohormones which have a vital effect on plant growth and development. Plant Height at 30 DAT (cm) Table 1 shows that the finger pepper plants applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 25% concentration of mature coconut water attained the tallest height (41.21 cm) at 30 DAT, but comparable with all the plants both applied with inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with any concentration of mature coconut water. However, the plants not applied with fertilizer and not sprayed with coconut water was the shortest (35.69 cm) but comparable to the plants sprayed with 100% concentration of coconut water only (37.19 cm. Table 1. Growth of the solanaceous vegetables at 30 days after transplanting. Plant height, cm Treatments Finger Pepper Tomato 0 Fertilizer and 0 Coconut Water (Control) c c 100% Coconut Water bc bc 100% RR Inorganic Fertilizer ab ab 25% Coconut Water a abc 50% Coconut Water ab a 99

5 75% Coconut Water ab a 100% Coconut Water ab abc *All means followed by the same letter are not significantly different at 0.05 level DMRT. On the other hand, the tomato plants applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 50% concentration of mature coconut water had attained the tallest height (44.54 cm) but have no significant difference against the height of the plants applied with full amount of inorganic fertilizer (42.47 cm) as well as to the plants applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 25% concentration of mature coconut water (42.02 cm), and to the plants applied with the same amount of inorganic fertilizer but sprayed with 75% concentration of coconut water (44.11 cm) and to the plants applied with the same amount of inorganic fertilizer but sprayed with 100% concentration of mature coconut water (41.28 cm). While the tomato plants not applied with fertilizer and not sprayed with coconut water was the shortest (38.50 cm) but comparable to the treatment sprayed with 100% mature coconut water only with cm height as shown in Table 1. Fruit Yield (tha -1 ) Result in Table 2 shows the effects of applying inorganic fertilizer and spraying with mature coconut water on the fruit yield of solanaceous and cucurbit vegetables. It revealed that all the solanaceous and cucurbit vegetables applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 50% concentration of mature coconut water were significantly produced the highest fruit yield in which the finger pepper plants recorded tha -1, the tomato plants had tha -1, the bittergourd plants had tha -1, and the squash plants had tha -1. Similarly, the bottlegourd plants applied with the same amount of inorganic fertilizer but at higher concentration (75%) of mature coconut water was sprayed also produced the highest yield (25.84 tha -1 ) and % more yield than the plants singly applied with full amount of inorganic fertilizer. Table 2. Fruit yield of one hectare solanaceous and cucurbit vegetables sprayed with mature coconut water. Solanaceous, tha -1 Cucurbits, tha -1 Treatments Finger Pepper Tomato Bittergourd Squash Bottlegour d 0 Fertilizer and 0 Coconut Water (Control) c d f c 4.58 d 100% Coconut Water b cd ef bc 8.60 cd 100% RR Inorganic Fertilizer b d cd ab b 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizer + 25% Coconut Water b ab bc ab b 100

6 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizer + 50% Coconut Water 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizer + 75% Coconut Water a a a a b b ab ab ab a 75% RR Inorganic Fertilizer + 100% Coconut Water b a de abc bc *All means followed by the same letter are not significantly different at 0.05 level DMRT. Moreover, the combined application of 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and spraying with 50% concentration of mature coconut water have a tremendous effect in increasing the yield of the vegetables, because the finger pepper produced 29.22% more fruits, the tomato plants had 21.52%, the bittergourd plants had 67.82% and the squash plants had 21.46% more fruits than the plants in the treatment singly applied with full amount (100% RR) of inorganic fertilizer. On the other hand, all the vegetables plants not applied with inorganic fertilizer and not sprayed with mature coconut water registered the lowest fruit yield among the treatments wherein the finger pepper plants had tha -1, tomato had tha -1, the bittergourd plants had tha -1, the squash plants had tha -1 and the bottlegourd plants with 4.58 tha -1. This means that the combined application of inorganic fertilizer and spraying with mature coconut water has complementary effect in increasing the yield of the vegetables due to the presence of macro nutrient particularly nitrogen element in the inorganic fertilizer and various micro nutrients and phytohormones from the mature coconut water which coincides to the statement of Molnar, Z., E. Virog, and V. Ordog (2011) that the liquid endosperm contains a number of amino acids, organic acids, nucleic acids, several vitamins, sugars, plant hormones, minerals and unidentified substances that supplemented the lacking nutrients taken by the plants from the soil for better fruiting. Moreover, the foliar fertilization is efficient way to increase yield from 12% to 25% because foliar feeding is an effective method for correcting soil deficiencies and overcoming the soil s inability to transfer nutrients to the plant under low moisture conditions ( 2013). The advantages to foliar absorbed nutrients include the fact that they can be rapid and effective, with quick plant response. Because they are so effective they require less fertilizer input by avoiding soil fixation, leaching and runoff. It is important to remember that the foliar fertilizer actually increases the total uptake of nutrients by several folds over the small amount of foliar fertilizer applied. The application of foliar fertilizers does not replace the soil applied fertilizer, but increases their uptake ( nutritional-ipm/62-documentation/technicalbulletins/nutritional-ipm/208- fertilization-with-foliar -absorbed-nutrients). The other great thing in foliar spraying is that it stimulates the plants to create exudates in the roots which excite microbes to work harder and thus increases nutrient uptake from the soil (Capewell, 2011). 101

7 Value of Fruits (PhP 000) The total value of fruits produced by the vegetables applied with inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with different concentration of mature coconut water in one hectare farm is shown in Table 3. The application of 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and spraying with 50% concentration of mature coconut water to the finger pepper, tomato, bittergourd and the squash plants resulted to the attainment of the highest value of fruits they produced amounting to PhP1,236,400.00, PhP903,000.00, PhP1,220, and PhP696, respectively. Likewise, the bottlegourd plants applied with the same rate of inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 75% concentration of mature coconut water was the highest too with PhP516, value of fruits. However, all the vegetable plants not applied with fertilizer and not sprayed with mature coconut water achieved the lowest value of fruits, wherein the finger pepper plants gained PhP734,400.00, the tomato plants had PhP618,400.00, the bittergourd plants had PhP418,400.00, the squash plant had 321, and the bottlegourd plants had PhP91, only. This matter could be attributed to the application of inorganic fertilizer and the supplementation with nutrients from the mature coconut water resulting to more fruits harvested. Table 3. Value of fruits produced in one hectare farm of solanaceous and cucurbit vegetables sprayed with coconut water. Solanaceous, PhP 000 Cucurbits, PhP 000 Treatments Finger Pepper Tomato Bittergourd Squash Bottlegour d 0 Fertilizer and 0 Coconut Water (Control) % Coconut Water % RR Inorganic Fertilizer % Coconut Water 50% Coconut Water 75% Coconut Water 100% Coconut Water , , ,

8 Value of Fruit Yield Increased Over the Control (PhP 000) The combined application of inorganic fertilizer and spraying of mature coconut water exhibited a tremendous effect in increasing the yield of the vegetables due to the presence of the macro and micronutrients needed by the plants which gave complementary effects. It was found out from the result of the experiment that all the plants applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 50% concentration of mature coconut water recorded the highest value of yield increase over the control wherein the amount of fruit yield increased in finger pepper plants was PhP502,000.00, a PhP285, increased in tomato plants, PhP801, in the bittergourd plants, and PhP375, in squash plants. On the other hand, the bottlegourd plants applied with the same amount of inorganic fertilizer but sprayed with higher concentration of mature coconut water (75%) also produced the highest value of fruit yield increase amounting to PhP425, over the Control (Table 4). Among the treatments, the lowest value of fruit yield increase were registered by the plants sprayed with 100% concentration of mature coconut water alone amounting to PhP67, in tomato plants, PhP99, in the bittergourd plants, PhP45, in squash plants and PhP80, in the bottlegourd plants and by the finger pepper plants applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 25% concentration of mature coconut water amounting to PhP74, over the Control. Table 4. Value of fruit yield increased of fruits produced by the solanaceous and cucurbit vegetables sprayed with coconut water over the control in one hectare farm. Solanaceous, PhP 000 Cucurbits, PhP 000 Finger Tomato Bittergourd Squash Bottlegourd Pepper 0 Fertilizer and 0 Coconut Water (Control) % Coconut Water % RR Inorganic Fertilizer % RR Inorganic Fertilizer + 25% Coconut Water 50% Coconut Water 75% Coconut Water 100% Coconut Water

9 Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) The highest benefit cost ratio (BCR) of the fruits produced was recorded by the vegetable plants applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 50% concentration of mature coconut water wherein the finger pepper plants achieved BCR, in tomato plants, in bittergourd plants, in squash plants, while the bottlegourd plants applied with the same amount of fertilizer but sprayed with 75% concentration of mature coconut water recorded the highest BCR too (24.81). On the other hand, the tomato, bittergourd, squash and the bottlegourd plants not applied with fertilizer and not sprayed with mature coconut water have attained the lowest BCR of 0.47, 15.33, 5.14 and 9.03 respectively. Similarly, the finger pepper plants applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 25% concentration of mature coconut water had the lowest BCR (3.95) too. This implies that the highest value of monetary benefits from the increased value of fruits produced in every unit of additional expenditures will be achieved when combined application of 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and spraying of 50% concentration of mature coconut water to the vegetables was done. Table 5. Benefit cost ratio of fruits produced in one hectare solanaceous and cucurbits sprayed with mature coconut water. Benefit Cost Ratio Treatments Solanaceous Cucurbits Finger Pepper Tomato Bittergourd Squas Bottlegour h d 0 Fertilizer and Coconut Water (Control) % Coconut Water % RR Inorganic Fertilizer % Coconut Water 50% Coconut Water 75% Coconut Water 100% Coconut Water

10 CONCLUSIONS The result of the study revealed that 1) the finger pepper, tomato, bittergourd and the squash plants applied with 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and sprayed with 50% concentration of coconut water together with the bottlegourd plants applied with the same amount of inorganic fertilizer but sprayed with higher concentration of mature coconut water (75%) were all attained the highest fruit yield, highest value of fruit yield, highest value of fruit yield increase and highest BCR, 2) the combined application of inorganic fertilizer even at lesser amount (75%) and spraying with mature coconut water ranges from 25% to 100% concentration to the vegetables will gave a higher yield. RECOMMENDATIONS To increase the yield, value of fruit yield, value of fruit yield increase over the control and BCR of the finger pepper, tomato, bittergourd and squash plants at lower cost, the combined application of 75% RR inorganic fertilizer and spraying with 50% concentration of mature coconut water is recommended; and to increase the yield, value of fruit yield, value of fruit yield increase over the control and BCR of the bottlegourd plants, the combined application with the same amount of inorganic fertilizer and spraying with higher concentration of mature coconut water (75%) is recommended too. LITERATURE CITED CABRERA, M DA targets vegetable sufficiency by index.php/business/business-news/9709-da-targets-vegetable-sufficiency-by-2016 CAPEWELL, M FIFE, B Coconut water bulletins/nutritional-ipm/208-fertilization-with-foliar-absorbed-nutrients KRAMER, P. J Plant and soil water relationships: A modern synthesis. Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd. New Delhi, India. Pp MABUTAS, G Philippines one of lowest vegetable consumers in Southeast Asia. MAJEED, M. and V, BADMAEV Coconut water and its method of preparation

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