TALISAY CITY SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL

J.P. Rizal St., Poblacion, Talisay City, Cebu

Impacts of Organic Fertilizer on the growth and Crop Yield

of Solanum Melongena (Eggplant)

2023

Acebron, Fippasimoune D.

Hermoso, Abegail U.

Jimenez, Prince Roman O.

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement in Research 10

Research Adviser:

Ms. Amabelle O. Romo

Chapter I

Introduction

I. Background of the Study

Fertilizers are essential components of modern agricultural production since they

provide essential mineral elements for healthy crop growth and abundant (Abbas,

Alamri , Khan, & Mobin, 2018). The application of fertilizer has a significant impact on

plant growth rate, yield quality, and fertility. Fertilizer inputs must be added to the soils

of the planted crop in order to achieve good continuous crop yields. These

applications/inputs can be Organic such as farm yard manure, bone meal, compost and

green manure or Inorganic, which include nitrogenous, phosphatic, potassic, and

chemical fertilizers (Abbas , Alamri , Khan , & Mobin , 2018)

The growing population compelled agricultural intensification, as well as

increased fertilizer use, which has played an important role in meeting global food

demand. Thus, proper management of fertilizers has a direct impact on crop efficiency

and productivity. Chemical fertilizers utilization is the most conventional agricultural

practice to optimize crop yield. Chemical fertilizers have been used increasingly in recent

decades to manage pests and boost agricultural production. They are relatively cheap,

have high nutrient contents, and are quickly absorbed by plants (Dhir, 2017). However,

excess usage of it results several problems, such as nutrient loss, surface water and

groundwater contamination, soil acidification or basification, reductions in useful

microbial communities, and increased sensitivity to harmful insects (Amri, Azmi,

Shahari, & Tajudin, 2019).

 Long-term application of nitrogen fertilizer or nitrogen fertilizer in combination

with other mineral fertilizers affects the nitrogen cycle and related bacterial populations.

Overuse of chemical fertilizers can significantly reduce soil pH, which is linked to

decreased bacterial diversity and significant changes in bacterial community composition

(Gupta & Singh, 2018). The toxic chemicals influence the life of beneficial soil

microorganisms, which are indeed responsible for maintaining soil fertility. Moreover,

groundwater, air, and human and animal health have also been adversely affected by

these chemicals directly and indirectly (Ahmad, et al., 2016).

In recent years, many issues have emphasized the need for fundamental reforms

to the agricultural sector to address the task of feeding the rising population while

reducing environmental damage. Organic farming, which depends heavily on organic

materials, has been used to combat environmental contamination and plant productivity

losses caused by the frequent use of chemical fertilizers.

When compared to chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizer has a number of

disadvantages, including poor nutrient concentration, slow decomposition, and different

nutritional compositions depending on organic materials. However, it has numerous

benefits and contributions. Many studies have shown that organic fertilizers with high

efficiency can boost crop yield without decreasing soil quality, making their use a means

of supporting both long-term food security and environmental sustainability (Kebli ,

Maltas , Oberholzer, Sinaj, & Weisskopf , 2018). Previous studies have also shown that

periodic application of organic amendments in an organic farming system can increase

soil, macroaggregate proportions, soil organic matter, soil nutrients, earthworm density,

microbial biomass carbon levels, microbial nitrogen levels, soil water availability, and
enzymatic activities which help to maintain crop yield and food quality (Ding , et al.,

2018).

Although, the use of organic fertilizer is being advocated for due to its soil

conservation properties and eco-friendliness over inorganic fertilizer, and it is primarily

the source adopted by farmers to supply nutrients for their crops to enhance growth and

yield, there has not been an increase in crop yield or food supply to the populace.

Therefore, there is a need to assess the effectiveness of organic fertilizer as it directly

affects the yield of crops and helps to conserve the soil. Using Solanum Melongena

(Eggplant) as the test subject, this study will highlight the need of providing crops/plants

with organic fertilizer. It will show the advantages and benefits of utilizing organic

amendments. The purpose of this study is not only to determine the effects of organic

fertilizer on Solanum Melongena (Eggplant), but also to assist our country's farms by

increasing crop production rates with organic matter, thereby reducing the budget for

chemical fertilizers.

References
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