OA-NCT II ASSESSMENT GUIDE

Unit of Competency: PRODUCE ORGANIC FERTILIZER

1. Characteristics of composting sites-x

2. Raw materials for compost
3. Raw materials for foliar fertilizer
4. Procedures in making foliar fertilizer
5. Safety factors in the production of organic fertilizers
6. Production of vermicast and vermicompost
7. Similarities and differences between foliar fertilizer and solid organic
fertilizers
8. Proper application of organic fertilizer in the soil and in the plant
9. Relevance of the application of C:N ratio
10. Important elements in organic fertilizers
11. Key elements that make fertilizers organic
12. Contribution of organic fertilizer in the environment
13. How to preserve potency of organic fertilizers
14. Requirements for establishing organic fertilizer projects
15. Maintenance of records in organic fertilizer production-x
16. Implement PNS in organic fertilizer production

ANSWERS:

1. What are the desirable characteristics for composting sites?

2. What are the basic raw materials for composting?

 Crop residues like rice straw, corn cob and husk, sugarcane bagasse, etc.
 Animal manure (goat, cattle, carabao, pigs, etc)
 Leguminous plants
 Inoculants to hasten decomposition (EM, IMO, LABS)

3. What are the basic raw materials for foliar fertilizer?

 60-liter container, aerator, vermicast/compost, molasses, IMO, and

unchlorinated water

4. How to Make Foliar Fertilizer (ACES experience)

a. prepare a 60-liter capacity container with aeration facility

b. Put 50 liters of unchlorinated clean water in the container
c. Aerate the water for 30 minutes
d. Put 3 kg of vermicast inside a tea bag and place inside the container
e. Pour 500 ml of molasses in the aerated container
f. Add 50 ml IMO after 30 minutes
g. Cover
h. Harvest after 24 hours of continuous aeration
i. Ready for use (use the liquid extract within 24 hours)

5. What are the safety factors in the preparation of organic fertilizers?

 Use PPE like gas mask, gloves, goggles, hairnet, apron, boots and appropriate
clothing
  Practice TLC (tender-loving-care) policy
a. ABC –always be carful
b. SBS – slow but sure
c. MS – move slowly

6. How to produce vermicompost? (change answer to procedures in

preparation)

 Worm composting is the process for recycling food waste into a dark, earth-
smelling soil conditioner
 Vermicompost (also called worm compost, vermicast, worm castings, worm
humus or worm manure) is the end-product of the breakdown of organic
matter by some species of earthworm.
 Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich natural fertilizer
 The process of producing vermicompost is called vermicomposting
 One of the advantages is that it can be done indoors and outdoors, allowing
year-round composting
 Worm composts can be made in containers filled with moistened beddings

7. What are the similarities and differences between foliar and solid organic
fertilizers?

8. How do you apply organic fertilizer in the soil and in the plant?

Organic fertilizers may be in the form of liquid (foliar) and solid (composted
materials from plant or animal waste), these are used in the following manner:

 Solid fertilizer is applied in the soil by digging a hole, placing the fertilizer at
the bottom of the hole about one-half of its depth, covering it with garden soil
and then plant or by mixing the fertilizer into the soil of prepared bed before
planting the seedling.
 Liquid fertilizer is applied by drenching into the base of the plant or by
spraying directly into the plant leaves and body when ambient temperature
is lower than the temperature of the plant (when the stomata are open).

9. WHAT IS THE RELEVANCE OF THE APPLICATION OF C:N RATIO

 Plant and plant residues contain some amount of carbon (C) and nitrogen
(N).
 The proportion of these two elements relative to each other is called C/N
ratio.
 The higher the carbon content of a material as compared to its nitrogen
content the higher the C/N ratio.
 High C/N ratio means that the material require longer period to decompose .
 This happens because the decomposers (microorganisms) need nitrogen for
normal functioning.
 Microorganism activity is slow with limited nitrogen and results to slow
decomposition process.

10. What are the important elements in organic fertilizers?

 Macro-nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium

  Micro-nutrients like calcium, zinc, boron, molybdenum, copper, iron, sulfur,
sodium, silicon
 Plant hormones like auxins, cytokinins and giberrelins

11. What are the key elements that make a fertilizer organic?

 The substrates used are among the list of allowed raw materials as input for
organic fertilizer production (as found in Annex 1 of the PNS for Organic
Fertilizer)
 Contains allowable level of heavy metals for organic fertilizers (Table 5.3 of
the PNS for Organic Fertilizers)
 It had undergone substantial decomposition that can supply available
nutrient to plants with total NPK of 5-7%
 Secondary and micronutrient contents should not exceed levels that will be
toxic to plants and humans

12. What is the contribution of organic fertilizer to the environment?

1. Biodiversity Conservation

 Conserve soil biodiversity and maintain healthy soil fauna, such as

earthworms
 Preserve seed and crop diversity, which increases crop resistance to pests
and disease.
 Maintenance of diversity also helps farmers evolve new cropping systems to
adapt to climatic changes.

2. Climate Change Mitigation

 Reduce greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide

 Stores plant biomass and carbon in the soil by building organic matter
 Minimize energy consumption by 30-70% of land by eliminating energy
required in the manufacture of synthetic fertilizers

3. Climate Change Adaptation

 Prevent nutrient and water loss through high organic matter content and soil
covers, thus making soils more resilient to floods, droughts and land
degradation processes.
 Minimizes risk as a result of stable agro-ecosystems and yields, and lower
production costs.

13. How do you preserve the potency of your organic fertilizer?

 Appropriate packaging
 Store in a dry, dark and cool place
 Add molasses….

14. What to comply in the establishment of commercial organic fertilizer?

 LGU permit (barangay and municipal)

  Environment Compliance Certificate (DENR)
 Business name (DTI)
 Organic Input Registration (BAFPS)
 Third Party Certification (NICERT/OCCP)

15. What are the records that are maintained in organic fertilizer production?

16. How do you implement the PNS in organic fertilizer production?

Prepare an “operations manual” to guide personnel involved. The manual would

include, among others, the minimum requirements expected for input materials and
the finished product, like:

 Allowable raw materials to be used in production

 Allowable level of heavy metals in the finished product
 Allowable and desired nutrient contents of finished product
 Absence of foreign materials, plastics, aluminum wrappers, stones and other
inert materials in the finished product