MATERIALS AND METHODS

Materials

The materials used in the study are the following; (1) for the drip and improvised

fertigation systems; (a) Drum- it served as the container mainly to supply water and

fertilizer in the drip irrigation system; (b) Gate valve –controlled the opening and closing

of the supply of water; (c) Filter- sieved the fertilizer and other matter to prevent

clogging; and (d) Black polyethylene (PE) pipes –served as a main medium in irrigation

system; and (e) Empty gallon and dextrose tubing - served as another materials for

fertigating and irrigating other treatments. (2) For tunnel greenhouse; (a) Net - served as

the covering; and (b) Reinforcement bars- served as the arches; (3) Cellophane - served

as the roof of the greenhouse. and (4) Lettuce seeds – the crop that grown for the study.

Location and Duration of the Study

This study was conducted at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP),

Tagum-Mabini Campus, Barangay Apokon, Tagum City. The duration of the study was

from May to October 2013.

Description of the Study Area

This study was conducted in a tunnel greenhouse with a plot dimension of 1m x

2m. The tunnel greenhouses was provided and placed in the open field between the

Annex Building and the PAG-ASA Office. Drip irrigation was also provided in the area.

The total land area was 150 square meters.

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Description of the Drip Fertigation System Design

The system design consists of three component parts; (1) A water delivery plastic

drum, which can hold 200 Liters of water to be delivered to the lettuce plants , and is

elevated 1.5 m above ground level so that the system had enough gravity for water

pressure since; (2) A simple control head, which consists of a control plastic shut off

valve to regulate the pressure and flow of water into the system, and a clean cloth which

will serve as a filter to ensure that clean water enters into the system and to prevent

clogging; (3) Water distribution pipelines, which consist of a 32-mm polyethylene (PE)

pipe for the mainline to convey water from the source to the sub main , a 22-mm PE pipe

for the submain PE pipe to supply water to the manifold which are connected to the sub-

main at regular intervals in which lateral lines are connected directly, and the irrigation

dripper lines which consist of lateral pipes (PE) 12 mm in diameter in which water is at

the root zone of the plant with required discharge. The lateral pipes will be pinned with

holes at 40 cm regular intervals to allow water to pass through. Additional components

are joints (connectors) Figures 1a and 1b show the drum, containers and piping.

Fig. 1a. Drip Fertigation Design (Drum, Fig. 1b. Drip Fertigation Design
Container And Piping) (Distribution Lines/Piping)
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Description of the Improvised Fertigation System Design

The system design consist of three component parts; (1) A plastic container

which can hold 4 Liters of water to be delivered to the lettuce crops, and is elevated 1 m

above ground level in order to have enough gravity for water pressure; (2) A regulator,

which will serve as the control for the passage of water to the tube; and (3) Dextrose

tubing, which is 0.5 mm that will convey water to the crops directly (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Improvised Dextrose System Design

Description of a Tunnel Greenhouse Design

The tunnel greenhouse roof shape was a Quonset type and the arches are

reinforcement bars (7mm) and the sides are covered with a nylon type net while the roof

was covered by cellophane. This structure has dimensions, with a height of 1 meter,

length of 2 meter and a width of 1 meter, with a total floor area of 2 square meters and

was replicated 24 times (Figures 3a and 3b).

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Fig. 3a. Tunnel Greenhouse Design Fig. 3b. Tunnel Greenhouse Design
(Front View) (Side View)

Soil analysis

Soil sampling was collected randomly from the area using shovel at a depth of 16

cm to 18cm. It was air dried, pulverized and was brought to the Bureau of Soils in

Agdao, Davao City. The result of the analysis was used as a basis of the application of

exact amount of organic and inorganic fertilizer. The result is presented in the Appendix

Table 11.

Seedbox Preparation, Sowing, Thinning and Hardening

Seeds were sown in individual seed pot placed in seed boxes. Thinning

was done 1 week after transplanting allowing 1 seedling per pot. Seedlings were

hardened to prepare the seedling under field condition (Figures 4a and 4b).
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Fig. 4a. Lettuce Seedlings Before Thinning Fig. 4b. Lettuce Seedlings 3 Days Before
Transplanting

Land Preparation

The field was plowed and harrowed until the soil is reduced to a very fine tilt. The

land area was divided into 3 big plots to represent the replication. Each replication was

divided into 8 small plots, 1 meter wide and 2 meters length (Fig. 5a). A working path

and canal were provided. Liming was done 3 weeks before transplanting (Fig. 5b). The

required amount of organic fertilizer was applied by basal application (Fig. 5c). The

space between the block or replication was 1.5 m, 0.60 m alley of each block and 30 cm

for the canal ( Fig. 5d).

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Fig. 5a. Experimental Area after Second Fig. 5b. Liming the Area (100g/2 sq. m.)
Harrowing

Fig. 5c. Application of Organic Fertilizer Fig. 5d. Experimental Area Ready for
(150g/2 sq. m. Vermicast) Transplanting

Fertigation was done following the recommended rate of fertilizer and done 3

days before transplanting.

Transplanting

The seedlings were transplanted 1 month after sowing using 30 x 30 cm

distance. Transplanting was done during cloudy days (Fig. 6a). After transplanting it was

irrigated immediately (Fig. 6b) and everyday thereafter following the treatments for the

plant's rapid continuous growth. The tunnel greenhouse were also installed (Fig. 6c).
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Fig. 6a. Cloudy Weather Fig. 6a. Irrigating the Plants

Fig. 6c. Installing the Tunnel Greenhouse

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Experimental Design and Treatment Layout

The experiment was laid out using Single Factor arranged in Complete

Randomized Design (CRD) with 8 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments are as

follows:

T1= 1 day irrigation interval using a drip irrigation system in a tunnel

greenhouse

T2= twice a day irrigation interval using a drip irrigation system in a

tunnel greenhouse

T3= thrice a day irrigation interval using a drip irrigation system in a

tunnel greenhouse

T4= continuous irrigation using a drip irrigation system in a tunnel

greenhouse

T5= 1 day irrigation interval using a dextrose system in a tunnel

greenhouse

T6= twice a day irrigation interval using a dextrose system in a tunnel

greenhouse

T7= thrice a day irrigation interval using a dextrose system in a tunnel

greenhouse

T8= continuous irrigation using a dextrose tubing in a system greenhouse

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Table A. Treatments and Replications

Treatments Replications

R1 R2 R3

FACTOR A

T1 T1R1 T1R2 T1R3

T2 T2R1 T2R2 T2R3

T3 T3R1 T3R2 T3R3

T4 T4R1 T4R2 T4R3

FACTOR B

T5 T5R1 T5R2 T5R3

T6 T6R1 T6R2 T6R3

T7 T7R1 T7R2 T7R3

T8 T8R1 T8R2 T8R3

Fertigation Management

Lettuce plants was irrigated for once a day interval, twice a day interval, thrice a

day interval, and a continuous irrigation for a day. The crop water requirement in lettuce

was 4.64 mm/day. Hence, for treatments that are irrigated once a day it was done in the

morning for 94 minutes. For treatments that are irrigated twice a day it was done in the
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morning and in the afternoon for 62 minutes. For treatments that are irrigated thrice a

day it was done in the morning, in the noontime and in the afternoon for 25 minutes.

Lettuce is quite sensitive to stress, thus, irrigation is necessary. Fertigation was

scheduled using the amount of fertilizer, 3 days before and 1 week after transplanting.

Ammophos (20 g/plot), Solophos (8.75 g/plot) and Urea (7.2g/plot) were the fertilizers

required in the soil test results.

Water Use Efficiency

The water use efficiency was determined it terms of the plant height increase and

the total water irrigated. It is defined by the following formula:

∆ PH
WUE=
WT

Where: WUE = water use efficiency (cm/L)

∆ PH = increase in plant height (cm)

W T = total water irrigated (L)

Harvesting

Head lettuce was supposed to be harvested when the heads are fully grown and

firm. In most instances, the head lettuce was ready for harvesting in 70 to 80 days after

seeding or 60 to 70 days after transplanting. However, the development of head was not
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realized due to maybe environmental condition and based on lettuce planters lettuce

harvested more than one month after transplanting, the bitter taste is observed. Because

of the above conditions, the lettuce plants were harvested 1 month after transplanting,

even though heads were not fully developed.

Fig. 7a. Harvesting of Lettuce. Fig. 7b. Cutting of stem.

Fig. 7c. Segregating the unmarketable Fig. 7d. Segregating the marketable
leaves leaves
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Fig. 7e. Weighing of marketable leaves

Growth Performance

Lettuce was evaluated in terms of its number of leaves, plant height, and weight

per individual plant or yield per hectare.

Number of leaves. The average number of leaves was collected by counting the number

of leaves every week using 12 sample lettuce plants, expressed in cm.

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Fig. 8. Counting the Number of Leaves of Lettuce

Plant height. The average plant height was collected and computed by measuring from

soil surface to the highest portion of the 12 sample lettuce plants. This was done every

week and expressed in cm.

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Fig. 9. Measuring the Height of the Lettuce Plant

Yield Evaluation

Weight of plant. The average weight of plant was collected and computed by weighing

the 12 sample lettuce plants 4 weeks after transplanting, expressed in gram.

Statistical Analysis

Data was collected, tabulated, and analyzed using software SAS 9.1.3 and CRD.

Linear comparison among treatment means can be obtained using Tukey’s Studentized

Range Test.