The Feasibility of Fish Amino Acid (FAA) as a Probiotic to Enhance the Growth of Lettuce

(Lactuca sativa)

Marlon Anos

Charles Daniel Gura

Liza Mae Alido

Amren Rae A. Badar

Riecca Kris Baris

Jizabelle V. Baque

Francine Antoinette T. Campo

Ma. Karmel Condrada

Carline Fledarose Ameil B. Dayag

May 2022
 Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Lettuce (Lactuca Sativa)

Lettuce is one of the most widely consumed vegetables worldwide (Kim et al. 2016).

An example of a common dish that uses lettuce as a main ingredient is salad. It is a go to

option for those who want to lose weight, as lettuce is low in calories, fat and sodium, as well

as a good source of iron, vitamin C, folate, and fiber (Kim et al. 2016).

Many varieties exist with their own unique flavors and nutritional properties, with

romaine and iceberg as the most common types. Between iceberg and romaine lettuce, the

crisphead (iceberg) lettuce were lower in all nutrients analyzed compared to romaine lettuce

(Kim et al. 2016). As such, romaine lettuce is the most viable option considering its

accessibility, and nutritional value.

However, here in the Philippines, lettuce production in the lowland part is

considered impractical due to its tropical climate (Gonzaga et al. 2018), where the delicate

leafy crop can be damaged by heavy rains (Gonzaga et al. 2017)

Probiotics

There have been several ways humanity has profited from the usage of probiotics.

From providing countless health benefits to humans to enhancing the growth of plants, such

acts were made possible with the use of probiotics. The role of probiotics towards the field of

agriculture, particularly plant growth and quality, is developing, along with the discovery of its

effects on plants.

Probiotics adhere to the root and feed the crop daily with no leaching. By building up

natural resistance in plants, usage of fertilizer and pesticides can be reduced or eliminated

(Goh and Bulawan 2018). Moreover, the production of phytohormones, antibiotics and lytic
enzymes, fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, solubilization of soil mineral nutrients, and

induction of systemic resistance in host plants, are beneficial effects probiotics provide to

plants (Islam and Hossain 2012).

Globally, there is a wide variety of materials used to create probiotics. In the

Philippines, due to the pandemic restricting one’s entertainment, plantita and plantito’s, a

term for those who began to develop a hobby of growing plants, have appeared and spread

amongst the community. As such, common materials that are accessible in one’s home have

been used as an improvisation, a replacement for store-bought fertilizer. Fish amino is one

of those materials which have the potential to be a probiotic, as not only has it been involved

in multiple researchers regarding its capabilities as a probiotic, fish, specifically fish waste,

where fish amino comes from, is easily attained within the town of Llorente.

FISH AMINO ACID (FAA) AS A PROBIOTIC

One of the organic preparations used to improve crop plant development is fish

amino acid (FAA) (Priyanka et al. 2019). FAA is used as a nitrogen source to improve growth

and size, during the early or vegetative stage of development (Weinert et al. 2014). Foliar

application or soil drenching of fish amino acids may also boost uptake and prevent runoff or

leaching, giving the plant enough nitrogen for chlorophyll output to sustain plant health

(Priyanka et al. 2019).

To further support one’s earlier claims, an experiment was conducted to determine

the effects of fish amino acid (FAA) application on growth and development of okra

(Abelmoschus esculentus) with different sampling times. The number of weeks and the

volume of FAA as a single factor were found to have a substantial impact on shoot length

(Johari et al 2020).

The main problem of this study is to test the feasibility of Fish Amino as a probiotic to

enhance the growth of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Specifically, this research aims to answer

the following questions:

1. How feasible is Fish Amino Acid (FAA) in enhancing the growth of lettuce (Lactuca

sativa)?

2. What amount of Fish Amino Acid is the most effective in enhancing the growth?

i. 1 tablespoon

ii. 3 tablespoons

iii. 5 tablespoons

3. Are there effects that can be observed between the lettuce with the FAA probiotic and the

lettuce without probiotic in terms of:

i. Height

ii. Width

iii. Rate of growth

The following hypotheses are formulated by the researchers:

1. Fish Amino Acid as a probiotic can enhance the growth of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

2. 3 tablespoon of FAA is the most effective in enhancing the growth of lettuce.

3. The FAA probiotic has better effects on the growth of the lettuce than the lettuce that is

grown normally without any growth enhancer.

The purpose of the study is to:

1. Determine if applying FAA on lettuce can enhance the growth of the lettuce.

2. Determine what amount in tablespoon is the most effective in enhancing the growth of

lettuce.

3. Compare the lettuce applied with FAA and the lettuce grown normally in terms of size

and rate of growth.

 Once proven, this research is deemed beneficial because the materials that the

researchers will use are affordable and easily accessible. By determining the effect of FAA

on the growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) in comparison to normally grown lettuce, it is

expected that people would have a greater production and better quality of lettuce. Fish

Amino Acid (FAA) probiotic is organic, therefore, it is environmentally friendly, as it is created

with materials that do not contain hazardous substances. The researchers will create the

FAA probiotic, to prove that it has a significant effect on the growth of lettuce. Those who

wish to have a quicker production and better quality of lettuce will largely benefit from this

study.

Theoretical Framework
Fish Waste
Fish Waste
Fish Amino Acid
(FAA) is a liquid made
from fish waste. FAA is
a great fertilizer for soil
and plant leaves
because it is rich in
nitrogen which helps
improve the growth of
the crops during their
vegetationFish
periodwaste and
Fish Amino
(Hubilla 2020)Molasses
Acid as together, is
Probiotic toexpected to
Enhance thecreate an
effective
Growth of probiotic to
Lettuce enhance the
(Lactuca growth of
sativa) Lettuce (Lactuca
Molasses
According to asativa)
master
gardener, molasses is high
in calcium, magnesium, iron,
and Fish Waste It also
potassium.
contains sulfur and a host of
micronutrients. Using
molasses as a fertilizer
provides plants with a quick
source of energy and
encourages the growth of
beneficial microorganisms
(Patterson 2021).
 Chapter II

METHODOLOGY

The Feasibility of Fish Amino as a Probiotic to Enhance the Growth of Lettuce

(Lactuca sativa)

Sub-Problems:

1. How feasible is Fish Amino Acid (FAA) in enhancing the growth of lettuce (Lactuca

sativa)?

2. What amount of Fish Amino Acid is the most effective in enhancing the growth?

i. 1 tablespoon

ii. 3 tablespoons

iii. 5 tablespoons

3. Are there effects that can be observed between the Lettuce applied with the treatment

and the Lettuce without treatment in terms of:

i. Height

ii. Width

ii. Rate of growth

Hypotheses:

1. Fish Amino Acid as a probiotic can enhance the growth of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

2. 3 tablespoon of FAA is the most effective in enhancing the growth of lettuce.

3. The FAA probiotic has better effects on the growth of the lettuce than the lettuce that is

grown normally without any growth enhancer.

Objectives:

1. To determine if applying FAA on lettuce can enhance the growth of the lettuce.

2. To determine what amount in tablespoon is the most effective in enhancing the growth of

lettuce.

3. To compare the lettuce applied with FAA and the lettuce grown normally in terms of size

and rate of growth.

Variables

1. Fish Amino Acid

2. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

3. Lettuce grown normally with only water

What Do You Want to Measure?

The researchers want to measure the growth of the lettuce.

Procedures to be Followed in Conducting the Experiment

The first thing the researchers will do is plant the seeds on planting boxes for the

seeds to grow into seedlings. The second thing that the researcher’s will do is prepare the

Fish Amino Acid (FAA). In making the FAA probiotic, the researchers will need fish waste

and molasses. The researchers will go to the market to gather the fish waste and then they

will wash it to drain the blood. Then, they will measure the fish waste’s weight and mix it with

equal parts of molasses. After preparing the mixture, they will put it in a container with a tight

lid to be fermented for 28 days. By the time the fermentation of the FAA probiotic is finished,

they will prepare the different amounts of FAA in separate containers to be mixed with 1.5

liters of water. But for the researchers to conserve time, they will prepare the plots that will

be soon filled with the seedlings after they grow.

 As soon as the lettuce seedlings grow, the researchers will select 40 random

seedlings and divide it into 4, making each group consist of 10 plants. 1 group will be the

control; 1 group will have the 1 tbsp FAA and 1.5 L water mixture; 1 group will have 3 tbsp

and 1.5 L mixture; and 1 group will have the 5 tbsp and 1.5 L water mixture. The lettuce

seedlings will be then planted in the plots that were prepared with each group being 1 foot

away from another. Then, the researchers will apply 4 full sprays of FAA probiotic once a

day every after 2 days for 4 weeks. In recording the results of the experiment, the

researchers will make an observation on the plants weekly by taking pictures and measuring

the height and width of the lettuce. This will be done in order for the researchers to make an

analysis on the effects of the FAA probiotic on the lettuce in terms of size and rate of growth.

In analyzing the results, the researchers will take all of the measurements of each plant on

each group then take the average growth of the lettuce on each group and accept it as the

result.

This process will be done 3 times to ensure the effectiveness of the FAA probiotic in

enhancing the growth of lettuce.

Expected Output and Potential Impact

The expected outcome of this study is that Fish Amino Acid as a probiotic will

enhance the growth of lettuce than the lettuce grown normally with only water. The 3

tablespoons of FAA combined with 1.5 liters of water is expected to be the most effective

growth enhancer compared to the other amount of FAA combined with water. It is also

anticipated that the size and rate of the lettuce will increase.

The people who will mostly benefit from this study are the people who want to gr\ow

lettuce quickly. And it will also be beneficial to those people who demands an organic growth

enhancer.

The FAA probiotic is expected to improve the size and rate of growth of the lettuce.

And, if these results are met, the production rate will be higher. Also, the FAA probiotic is

organic which makes it not harmful to the people and the environment. It is cheap and easy

to make; therefore, people won’t be having problems with the possible complexity of the

process. In addition, the materials needed to make the FAA probiotic is cheap and easily

accessible. And with these, people don’t have to worry about the money they’re going to

spend, and the accessibility of the materials needed.

Workplan and Target Deliverables

Workplan Activities/ Time Persons Expected Remarks

Strategies Frame Involved Outcomes

A. Pre-Implementation Stage
1) Gathering the 1 Day Researchers Completely
materials gathered the
needed to materials
create the
Feasibility FAA probiotic
of Fish 2) Creating the 1 Day Researchers Finished
FAA probiotic creating the
Amino as
FAA probiotic
Probiotic to
3) Fermentation 28 Days Researchers Finished
Enhance the of the fermenting
probiotic the probiotic
Growth of
B. Implementation Stage
Lettuce
1) Start the first Four Researchers Completed
(Lactuca trial weeks the first trial

sativa)

2) Start the Four Researchers Completed

second trial weeks the second
trial

3) Start the third Four Researchers Completed

trial weeks the third trial