Rizal Memorial Colleges

Torres St., Davao City

College of Agriculture
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE

SS2 : Soil Fertility, Conservation and Management

METHOD OF SOIL FERTILITY EVALUATION

LABORATORY N0.2

Submitted by: Romnick B. Atchecoso

Submitted to:Jerome Jorolan

Professor
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

Introduction……………………………………………………………...3

Objective of the Study …………………………………………………3

CHAPTER II

Methodology………………………………………………………….5-9

Cultural Practices
  Land Preparation………………………………………………
 Seed Germination……………………………………………..
 Planting/Thinning………………………………………………
 Watering the Crop……………………………………………..
 Weed Control…………………………………………………..
 Crop Fertilization……………………………………………….
 Insect and Disease Control…………………………………...
 Harvesting of Crops……………………………………………

CHAPTER III

Review of Related Literature……………………………………..9-14

CHAPTER IV

Result and Discussion……………………………………………14-17

CHAPTER V

Conclusion……………………………………………………………..18
 I. Introduction

Since feeding the world's growing population is the primary goal of the present
development agenda, many studies have shown that the agriculture industry is
unsustainable. It fails to consider the detrimental effects it has on the environment,
especially on the condition of the soil. Technologies and management strategies that don't
meet sustainability standards are used to maximize land utilization.

Pechay (Brassica rapa) is one of the most known vegetables in the Philippines and one of
the oldest green vegetables in Asia grown for its tender and succulent leaves. It is an
excellent source of vitamins and minerals essential to human health, hence an important
ingredient in several Filipino and Chinese dishes. Pechay production has a very high
potential, a market-driven commodity that provides income even during abundant supply.

Pechay, also known as Brassica rapa, is a popular vegetable in the nation and a member of
the Brassiceae family. It's one of those leafy vegetables that grows well in containers, in the
ground, or even in hydroponics.
Objectives of the Study

1. To determine the growth and development of petchay vegetable

2. To determine the rate of germination

3. To determine the cultural practices of petchay that affects

the growth and development

4. To determine the growth performance of pechay adopting the

different cultural practices of growing crops

II. Methodology
The experiment was conducted on October 16, 2023 and 100 seeds were planted 10
mm deep into the soil of each plot. This fertilizer was applied 3 times, the first application
was Ammonium Phosphate (16-20-0) to prevent nutrient segregation and insure even and
uniform distribution of the fertilizer (no streaking). Contains 13% sulfur to enhance plant color
and density. The second application was Ammonium Sulfate (21-0-0-24s) it is ideal for crop
fields with soil deficient in Sulphur. And the last fertilizer we applied is the Urea (46-0-0) It
has Superior Nitrogen content to promote green leafy growth and make the Pechay look
lush. The duration of this experiment was in a span of 2 months and 3 days.The researchers
used loam soil and also made sure that the pechay got an equal amount of sunlight. This
experiment conducted was set up in the campus garden of Rizal Memorial College, Torres
St., Davao City.

TIMELINE

Days of Planting October 16, 2023 (1 day)

 Germination October 19, 2023 (day 3)

Days of weeding October 27, 2023 (day 8)

Days of Harvesting November 24, 2023 (day

40)

Cultural Requirements of Pechay

Land Preparation. The plot was prepared by tilling the soil or pulverized using spade to a
depth of 12 cm. There were three (3) plots prepared for planting crops with an alley of 10cm
between plots (attached one picture here)

Seed Germination. The seeds of pechay ( Brassica rapa) were soaked for 12 hours before
sowing it into the furrow/bed The pregerminated seeds were directly sown in rows in the
plot bed.
Planting/Thinning . The pechay ( Brassica rapa) plants that germinated after 7 days sown
in the plot bed were thinned out to 2 to 3 plants/hill. The distance /hill of planting of pechay
was 10 cm to provide space for watering, application of fertilizer and weeding for better
growth and also free from competition. (attached one picture here)

Watering the Crop . The plot plated with pechay, camote and spring onion begun as the
plants sprouts or germinated until maturation . Proper watering was done to prevent
disease and weed problems. The watering of the plot was done as the need arises.
Practically it was done once a week where the soil is almost dry due dry weather and during
during early morning fro 7 A.M. to 9 A, M .

In watering the garden, the water was collected in big pail

from the water faucet and brought closer to the plot bed .
The water was then poured or sprinkled slowly to wet the
plant foliage of growing plants.. The watering was done in
the morning to prevent the rapid drying of plant foliage
and also to soak deeply the soil with to prevent rapid
evaporation.
Weed Control . Weeds are the unwanted plants in crop fields
which grow along with the main crop. It is considered a strong
and dominating competitors for crops, thus must be pulled in
the field. This type of land preparation helps in the removal of
seeds and uprooting of weeds before sowing seeds of the
main crop. Weeding of these unwanted plants was done
as the need arises. The weeds were uprooted by hand weeding to
prevent the occurrence of obnoxious weeds, pest and
diseases.

Crop Fertilization. Fertilizer is needed to

support plant growth for it is made up of macronutrients
that all plants require to survive such as the nitrogen,
phosphorus, and potassium. The basal application of
nitrogen fertilizer (urea) was done or before the planting and
15 days after transplanting or thinning , the complete
fertilizer was applied (NPK) to enhance growth development. The 10 g of fertilizer was done
by placement or applied near the base of the crops. Placement application means to only
apply the fertilizer near plant rows within a field.
Insect and Disease Control . There is a need to prevent insects and diseases affecting
gardening vegetable because the vegetable gardens are
vulnerable to a wide range of pests and diseases that can
cause damage if left unchecked. The crops were protected by
adapting preventative measures such as the
application of small amount of insecticide/fungicide chemicals
to get rid of the occurrence of pest and diseases.

Harvesting of Crops. Vegetable harvesting was done at

their peak of growth. The timing for harvesting these vegetables
was observed by the length of time they have been growing
or at maturity . there were 10 plants harvested to get the data required and after fice days all
the remaining vegetable were harvested.

III. Review of Literature

 Physiological characteristics of pechay vegetable
In the Philippines, it is popularly known as Pechay or Petsay. It was one of the most
often used vegetable in many Filipino dishes. Petsay is added to Filipino stews such
as nilagang baka (boiled beef) or bulalo (boiled beef shank). People who choose to
eat it raw can enjoy it tossed in a salad mixed with other greens, (Pinoy-Entrepreneur,
2010).

The optimum temperatures for growth and development of pechay are from 18– 20
°C. Pechay thrives in well-drained, moisture-retentive, loamy soils well supplied with
organic matter. It does not grow well in highly acidic soil. The ideal soil pH ranges
from 5.5 to 6.5 and it should not be allowed to drop below 4.5., (East West, 2017).
Pechay can be grown in any type of soil. The plants become more healthy to light,
sandy-loam and well-drained soil with pH level of 5-4-6.7. Pechay needs climate with
limited rainy season and short dry season not to exceed for 2 months, (Cresastre,
2010).

 Pest Management of Weeds, Insects and Diseases

Common pest in pechay are the diamond back moth, caterpillars, flea beetle, silver
leaf whitefly and aphids. And the possible diseases are white leaf spot,white blister,
downy mildew, alternaria leaf spots, damping-off,black leg, phoma leaf spot, clubroot,
root rot, mosaic virus, bacterial leaf spots, bacterial soft rot and black rot, (East-West,
2017). Damping-off, soft rot and clubroot are the most important diseases of pechay,
while diamondback month and aphids are the major insect pests. Spraying hot pepper
extract can control these pests. When seedlings begin to wilt, reduce watering
immediately. Uproot and burn disease-infected plants to prevent spread of diseases.
Cultivation is also necessary to minimize weeds, (Pechay Production Guide, 2018).

 Cultural Practices adopted of growing of Vegetables

Pechay is an annual biennial herb. Its leaves are smooth, 30 cm long, broad at the tip
narrowing gradually at the base extending downward to the upper end of its
elongated, thick and whitish stalks. The leaves are erect, flowers are pale yellow. In
selecting an ideal sites, consider the following: good water supply near the area, the
fertility of the soil, good drainage system during wet season, windbreak and shade are
available to prevent direct exposure to sunlight, favorable climate for growth, and
sufficient protection against farm animals. It can be grown by seeds. For land
preparation, plow the field thoroughly. Harrow it lengthwise and crosswise to make the
soil loosen, friable and soft. To keep the soil fertile in the field, mix manure, compost,
organic matter and soil before plowing it.

Transplant the seedling anytime of the day. It is better to do the transplanting in the
late afternoon to reduce stress of transplanting. The age of the seedling before
transplanting should be 9-12 days old.Sow thinly the seeds to shallow furrows. Cover
the soil gently pressing them. This is to prevent seed exposure during watering,
(Cresastre, 2010).

Transplanting of seedlings is late in the afternoon or morning if it’s cloudy. Digging of

planting holes must be equal to the depth of the seedling tray and add fertilizer to the
hole and mix it in so that raw fertilizer will not touch the seedling roots, and gently put
seedlings in the hole. Gather the soil around the seedlings and tamp gently to keep
them secure and even with the soil surface. Water immediately to establish good root-
soil contact. Drench around the plants with fungicide as needed. Maintain the field
free of weeds, especially in the seedling stage of the crop. If weed growth occurs, this
can be eradicated by hand weeding and/or application of herbicide. Also apply
mulching materials from farm wastes or plastic mulch to suppress weed growth and to
conserve moisture in the soil. In harvesting, harvest as early as three weeks after
planting or between 30–40 days after sowing. Harvest in the afternoon to minimize
postharvest losses. Wash harvested plants, trim unwanted leaves. Sort harvested
plants according to size and pack the harvested plants in strong rigid containers with
holes at the sides to allow aeration. In postharvest handling, Pechay is very
susceptible to deterioration, so, upon harvesting follow these procedures: harvest in
the cooler part of the day – early morning or late afternoon,store the harvestedit in a
cool place and keep away from the sun as soon as possible after harvest, remove any
damaged, infested and loosed leaves as it affects the freshness of the produce, the
 heads into size grades, keep a premium grade which is the correct size for your
market, grade into small, medium and large, and pack separately,packedit carefully in
perforated cartons and plastic crates if possible, in a way that will minimize damage
and maintain the freshness. Storage could reduce shelf life and quality, and then,
send it to market as soon as possible after harvesting, (East- West, 2017).

 Economics aspect of growing Vegetables

Vegetables are increasingly recognized as essential for food and nutrition security.
Vegetable production provides a promising economic opportunity for reducing rural
poverty and unemployment in developing countries and is a key component of farm
diversification strategies. Vegetables are mankind's most affordable source of
vitamins and minerals needed for good health. Today, neither the economic nor
nutritional power of vegetables is sufficiently realized. To tap the economic power of
vegetables, governments will need to increase their investment in farm productivity
(including improved varieties, alternatives to chemical pesticides, and the use of
protected cultivation), good postharvest management, food safety, and market
access. To tap the nutritional power of vegetables, consumers need to know how
vegetables contribute to health, and find them at affordable prices or be able to grow
them themselves. Vegetable consumption must therefore be nurtured through a
combination of supply-side interventions and behavioral change communication
emphasizing the importance of eating vegetables for good nutrition and health. To
fully tap the economic and nutritional power of vegetables, governments and donors
will need to give vegetables much greater priority than they currently receive. Now is
the time to prioritize investments in vegetables, providing increased economic
opportunities for smallholder farmers and providing healthy diets for all. (Global Food
Security,2018)

 Demand and Usage of vegetables crops

In supply side, vegetable crops recently are considered to be highly-valued

commodities and the demand for variety vegetable crops are continually to increase
both globally and domestically. Farmers consider that vegetable farming is more
 profitable compared to other agriculture commodity such as paddy or other seral
crops. Expansion of vegetables farming area through land market or by forest
clearance are some of the facts to indicate growing in vegetable farming. However,
this increase in productions of major vegetable crops are still met by consistent high
import of vegetable products. Import for major vegetable crops remains high despite
increase in domestic vegetable production. High import indicates that there are
domestic markets that have not been filled by domestic products. Indonesia vegetable
domestic markets are still providing high potential for domestic products to fill the gap
that currently are filled with imports. With Indonesia has more than 250 million people,
it provides potential domestic market for vegetable products, and this should be
treated as opportunities to accelerate production. To be able to compete with imports,
Indonesia’s domestic vegetable farming need not only by increasing production, but
also by increasing its competitiveness. Vegetables sub-sector should be moved
toward intensification and commercialization to be able to increase competitiveness.
Market-oriented vegetable farming not only creates income for smallholder farmers
but also (industries) and helps to build their resilience to external risks. (Idha Widi
Arsanti and Henri Wira Perkasa, 2023).

IV. Result and Discussion

Results:

The conducted study aimed to assess the crop structure and identify prevalent pests and
diseases in a sample of vegetable crops. The crop structure analysis revealed varying
measurements across different parameters. In terms of leaf characteristics, the mean leaf
length was found to be 31.33 cm, with a total leaf weight of 135.33 gm. Additionally, the
mean leaf diameter was measured at 18.17 cm, and the average number of leaves per plant
was 9.67. These findings provide valuable insights into the physical attributes of the crops
under study.

In the examination of pest and disease presence, several factors were identified, including
the occurrence of beetles, leaf hopper, yellow spot disease, grey spot disease, downy
mildew, and millipede. These findings highlight the diverse range of challenges faced by
these vegetable crops, emphasizing the need for effective pest and disease management
strategies.

Discussion:

The observed variations in crop structure parameters suggest potential factors influencing
the growth and development of the vegetable crops. Leaf length and diameter, as well as the
number of leaves per plant, play crucial roles in determining overall plant health and
productivity. Understanding and optimizing these factors could contribute to improved crop
yield.

The identification of pests and diseases in the study is of paramount importance for
sustainable agriculture. Beetles, leaf hoppers, and various diseases can significantly impact
crop health, leading to yield losses. Effective pest and disease management strategies are
imperative to mitigate these risks and ensure a stable and productive harvest. This study
provides a foundation for further research into targeted interventions and preventive
measures for the identified pests and diseases.

Implications:

The results of this study hold practical implications for farmers, agronomists, and
policymakers involved in vegetable crop production. By understanding the crop structure and
prevalent pests and diseases, stakeholders can implement tailored strategies for crop
management. Improved crop structure can be achieved through optimized cultivation
practices, while effective pest and disease control measures can contribute to increased
crop resilience and enhanced overall agricultural sustainability. These findings contribute to
the ongoing efforts to develop more resilient and productive agricultural systems, crucial for
ensuring food security in the face of evolving environmental and biological challenges.
Table 1. The cultural practices of growing Pechay (Brassica rapa) vegetable planted at
the garden of RMC Campus. January 2024.

Replication Total Mean

Crop Structure
I II III

Leaf length (cm) 38 30 26 94 31.33

Leaf diameter (cm) 22 15.5 17 54.5 18.17

Leaf weight (gm) 172 115 119 406 135.33

Number of 10 10 9 29 9.67
leaves /plant (pcs)
 Figure 1. The sample (I)
pechay was
harvested
after 40 days
of planting at
the garden of
RMC
campus

Figure 2. The sample (II) pechay was harvested after 40 days of planting at the garden of
RMC campus

Figure 3.
The sample
(III) pechay
was
harvested
after 40 days
of planting at
the garden of
RMC campus

Table 2: Yield

Total Yield 7.4 Kilos

Total Plants 75 Plants

 V. Conclusion

In conclusion, this study delved into the crop structure and identified prevalent pests and
diseases in a sample of vegetable crops, aiming to provide insights crucial for effective
agricultural management. The analysis of crop structure parameters, including leaf length,
diameter, weight, and the number of leaves per plant, revealed variations that can influence
overall crop health and productivity. Additionally, the identification of pests such as beetles,
leaf hopper, and diseases like yellow spot, grey spot, downy mildew, and millipede
emphasized the multifaceted challenges faced by these crops.

The study found that the mean leaf length was 31.33 cm, the mean leaf diameter was 18.17
cm, and the average leaf weight per plant was 135.33 gm. Furthermore, the crops exhibited
an average of 9.67 leaves per plant. Pests and diseases, including beetles, leaf hopper,
yellow spot disease, grey spot disease, downy mildew, and millipede, were identified as
potential threats to crop health. These findings underscore the importance of tailored
agricultural practices and pest management strategies to enhance crop resilience and
productivity.

This experiment becomes evident that addressing the identified variations in crop structure
and effectively managing pests and diseases are pivotal for sustainable agriculture. Future
research and interventions should focus on optimizing crop structure parameters to
maximize yield potential, and developing targeted strategies for pest and disease control to
ensure the long-term viability of vegetable crop production. The insights gained from this
study contribute to the broader conversation surrounding agricultural sustainability and
underscore the ongoing need for adaptive and proactive approaches in the face of evolving
challenges.

References
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