CAAFFS JOURNAL

COTABATO FOUNDATION COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, AGRIBUSINESS, FORESTRY AND FOOD SCIENCE

EFFECT OF SOIL AMENDMENTS ON THE FROWTH AND YIELD OF

RADISH (Raphanus sativus L.)

MARJORIE W. JAQUIAS, JUDY ROSE C. ALAMADA MS.

Department of Agriculture, College of Agriculture, Agribusiness, Forestry and Food Sciences, Cotabato Foundation College of
Science and Technology, Antipas Extension Unit, Masaysay, Antipas, Cotabato, Philippines 9417
Phone No.: +62-817-237-814, email: jaquiasmarjorie24@gmail.com

Abstract. This study investigated the effect of soil amendments on the growth and yield of radish plants.
Specifically, it evaluated the effect of five different soil amendments on radish growth and yield, assessed the
pest and disease occurrence, and analyzed the cost and return of radish production with soil amendments. The
experiment was conducted at the Cotabato Foundation Colleges of Science and Technology Antipas
Extension Unit in Barangay Magsaysay, Antipas, Cotabato. The findings of the study revealed that the use of
inorganic fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) significantly improved plant growth and yield, including marketable yield,
plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, and tuber circumference. Pest incidence was low across
all treatments, and the Garden Soil + Inorganic Fertilizer treatment showed the highest net return. The study
recommends incorporating inorganic fertilizer and exploring different combinations of growing media and
amendments. Pest monitoring, further research on soil amendment practices and factors affecting tuber length,
and economic analysis of different strategies are also recommended.

Keywords: Growth of Radish, Inorganic Fertilizer, Soil amendments, Radish.

INTRODUCTION
Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is a well-known
edible root vegetable from the Brassicaceae
family. It is commonly referred to as "labanos"
locally and can be grown in both tropical and
sub-tropical climates. The young and delicate
tuberous root of the radish can be enjoyed
either raw in salads or cooked. It is rich in
vitamin C and minerals such as phosphorus,
calcium, and potassium. Interestingly, radish
can also be used in homeopathy to address
neurological issues like headaches, insomnia,
and persistent diarrhea. Radishes are cultivated
and consumed worldwide, although their
consumption is limited in some populations. The
roots of the tubers can be consumed raw in
salads or cooked as a vegetable. They have a
spicy taste and are considered a delicacy.
Additionally, the young leaves can be cooked
and eaten as a vegetable. Radishes are
beneficial for liver and gallbladder problems.
The roots, leaves, flowers, and bark possess
powerful properties against gram-positive
bacteria, urinary tract infections, hemorrhoids,
and stomach aches.
white ash, which is known to alleviate
stomachaches. In the context of radish
cultivation, soil amendments play a crucial role
in enhancing the plant's growth and yield.
These amendments are substances added to
the soil to improve its physical properties,
including water retention, water absorption,
drainage, and overall structure. By creating a
favorable environment for the roots, soil
amendments contribute to the optimal growth
and productivity of radish plants the objective
of this study was to assess the impact of
different soil amendments on the growth and
yield of radish.
Soil conditioners are materials, whether organic
or inorganic, that are added to the soil to
improve its quality. These conditioners play a
vital role in creating a better environment for
root development and overall plant growth.
They enhance soil structure, water retention,
nutrient availability, and the living conditions of
soil organisms that are crucial for optimal plant
growth.

Furthermore, the salt extracted from the radish Plants grown with carbonized rice hulls have
root can be dried and burned to produce shown increased below-ground biomass and

MARCH 2024 (M-BSA-HORTI-2024-099) (Jaquias & Alamada., 2024)

 higher levels of soil organic carbon (OC) and
accessible potassium (K) (Abrishamkesh et al.,
2015).
Biochar has been found to have a positive
impact on plant development and soil quality
by addressing nutrient deficiencies. It can help
improve nutrient cycles on a farm scale,
making it a valuable option for enhancing soil
fertility (Placek et al., 2015). In gardening, coco
peat offers numerous benefits, as highlighted
by Depot (2021). It helps garden soil retain
moisture, allows for oxygenation, and improves
the composting rates of organic matter.
Additionally, biochar has been recognized as a
potential tool for improving soil fertility, as it can
absorb potentially toxic elements and
contribute to climate change mitigation (Ennis
et al., 2012).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The materials used in this study were as follows: Radish seeds (Speedy F1), garden soil, charcoal, rice
hull, coco peat, empty cement bags, a shovel, a meter stick, a tape measure, a weighing scale, a
ruler, a marker, a record book, a cellphone, and a laptop. A Randomized Complete Block Design
(RCBD) was used in this study with five (5) treatments and four (4) replications. The treatments were
as follows: T1- Garden soil (Control) (1:1), T2-Charcoal + Garden soil (1:1), T3-Coco peat + Garden soil
(1:1), T4- Carbonized rice hull + Garden soil (1:1), T5- Inorganic fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) + Garden soil
(1:1)

Study Area
This study was conducted from August to October 2023 at the Cotabato Foundation College
of Science and Technology Antipas Extension Unit, Barangay Magsaysay, Antipas Cotabato as
shown in Figure 1.

EXPERIMENTAL SITE

Figure 1. Location of study site in the Province of Bukidnon, Philippines indicating the sampling sites
(24º16’58.96”S, 50º35’00.04”W), point 2 (24º17’04.49”S, 50º34’58.71”W); and the detected sites

Procedures
Bags filled with soil amendments were arranged according to the lay-out. The radish seeds, empty
cement bags, and different soil amendments were procured at Poblacion, Antipas, North Cotabato.
A total land area of 38.5m2 was cleared and leveled using hand tools. The garden soil and the soil
amendments were mixed at a ratio of 1:1 according to treatments. Growing media samples were
collected prior to planting, air-dried, and sent to the laboratory for analysis. Di-ammophos and
ammosul fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) was applied basally to treatment five (5) following a
recommended rate. Each bag was sown with two (2) seeds per hill then lightly covered with soil.
Watering was done twice a day to maintain the soil moisture. Weeding was done to prevent
competition for space, nutrients, and water. Meanwhile, pests and diseases were monitored and
recorded regularly and Harvesting was done forty-five (45) days after sowing by carefully uprooting
the tubers.

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 Data Analysis
The data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Tool for Agricultural Research (STAR) 2.0. A
comparison of treatment means was made using the Least Significance Difference Test. A rating
scale was analyzed for the pest occurrence/infestation on the degree of plant damage.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION influenced by the presence of soil

Survival Rate (%) - The statistical results
reveal a 100% survival rate for the radish plants.
The growth and yield of radish might have been
affected by soil and climate factors. According
to Mativan (2022), different cultivars of radish
require specific types of soil and climate for
optimal results.
amendments, but rather by the addition of
fertilizer.
This finding is consistent with a study
conducted by Li et al. (2018), which
demonstrated that the use of nitrogen fertilizers
such as ammonia or urea was associated with
increased plant height in radishes, compared to
control groups.

Table 1. Survival Rate (%) of Radish as Affected
by Soil Amendments.
Treatments
T1- Garden soil (Control)
T2 - Garden soil + charcoal
T3 - Garden soil + coco peat
T4 - Garden soil + carbonized rice hull
T5 - Inorganic Fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0)
Plant Height (cm) - Table 2 shows the
plant height of radish as affected by soil
amendments. The analysis of variance (ANOVA)
revealed significant differences in plant height
among the treatments. Further analysis using
the Least Significance Difference test indicated
that the application of the inorganic
fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) resulted in the highest
average plant height, which was significantly
different from the plants grown in media with
various mixed soil amendments. This suggests
that the plant height of radish was not solely
Number of Leaves - Table 2 shows the
number of leaves of radish as affected by soil
Mean amendments. The analysis of variance (ANOVA)
revealed significant differences among the
100
treatments in terms of leaf count. The Least
100 Significance Difference test further indicated
100 that inorganic Fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) resulted
100 in the highest mean number of leaves,
100 significantly different from the plants grown in
media with various mixed soil amendments.
This suggests that while the combination
of growing media with soil amendments can
enhance leaf production compared to no
treatment, the use of inorganic fertilizer may
lead to even greater leaf production. In
particular, the application of nitrogen-based
fertilizers has been observed to boost
vegetative growth in radish plants, which
typically includes an increase in the number of
leaves (Sharma et al., 2016).

Table 2. Data on Plant Height (cm), Number of Leaves, Length of Leaves (cm), Width of Leaves(cm),
Length of Tubers (cm), Circumference of Tuber (cm) of Radish as Affected by Soil Amendments.

Plant Height Number of Leaf Width Length of Circumference

Treatments
(cm) Leaves (cm) Tuber (cm of Tuber (cm)

53.42b 1.88bc 23.20b 21.42 9.85b

T1- Garden soil (Control)
T2 - Garden soil +
44.95d 8.70c 20.26c 21.60 8.10c
charcoal
T3 - Garden soil + coco
47.60c 10.12bc 18.69d 26.60 9.03bc
peat
T4 - Garden soil +
52.60b 10.62b 22.71b 29.37 12.26a
carbonized rice hull
T5 - Inorganic Fertilizer (18-
59.60a 12.43a 25.15a 32.52 12.56a
46-0, 21-0-0)
10.35
Mean 51.64 22.00 26.31 10.36

F Value 47.91** 6.34* 29.5** 2.62 ns 27.12**

CV 3.17 10.42 4.25 22.79 7.33

Means with the same letter are not significantly different. Ns-not significant *Significant **Highly Significant

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 Leaf Length (cm) Table 2 showed the
leaf length of radish as affected by soil
amendments. The analysis of variance (ANOVA)
revealed significant differences in leaf length
among the treatments. The Least Significance
Difference test further indicated that inorganic
fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) resulted in the longest
leaves, significantly different from the plants
grown in media with various mixed soil
amendments.
This suggests that while the combination
of growing media with soil amendments can
increase leaf length, the use of inorganic
fertilizer may lead to even longer leaves. This
finding aligns with the observation made by
Ahmed et al. (2019), which noted that
increased application of fertilizers, particularly
nitrogen-based ones, had a positive impact on
leaf length in radishes. Higher levels of nitrogen
led to enhanced leaf growth and expansion in
radish plants.
Leaf Width (cm) - Table 2 present the
effect of soil amendments on the leaf width of
radish plants. The analysis of variance (ANOVA)
revealed significant differences in leaf width
among the treatments. The Least Significance
Difference test further indicated that inorganic
fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) resulted in the widest
leaves, significantly different from the plants
grown in media with various mixed soil
amendments.
This suggests that while the combination
of growing media with soil amendments can
widen leaf, the use of inorganic fertilizer may
lead to even wider leaves. This aligns with the
findings of Kiran et al. (2016), which noted that
inorganic fertilizer had a significant impact on
the weight and number of radish leaves.
Length of Tuber (cm) - Table 2 and
appendix figure 16 show the length of radish as
affected by soil amendments. The analysis of
variance (ANOVA) for tuber length showed that
the differences among the treatments were not
statistically significant, suggesting that the type
of treatment did not have a significant effect
on tuber length.
Circumference of Tuber (cm) - Table 2
shows the circumference of radish as affected
by soil amendments. The analysis of variance
(ANOVA) revealed significant differences in
tuber circumference among the treatments.
The Least Significance Difference test further
indicated that Garden soil + Carbonized Rice
hull and Inorganic fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0)
resulted in the largest tuber, significantly
different from the other treatments.
This suggests that Garden soil +
Carbonized rice hull and Inorganic fertilizer (18-
46-0, 21-0-0) have a significant influence on the
circumference of radish tubers. According to
Imthiyas and Seran (2017), an adequate
amount of fertilizers should be applied to fulfill
the tuberous requirements of a plant.
Furthermore, Watthier et al. (2012) reported that
carbonized rice hull has great potential as a
substrate due to its physical features. It provides
quick and efficient drainage and ample
aeration area, ensuring that roots receive
enough oxygen.

Table 3. Data on the Marketable Yield (Kg), Total Yield (kg) of Radish as Affected by Soil Amendments.
Marketable Yield Non-Marketable Yield
Treatments Total Yield
(kg) (kg
1.15b 0.58b 1.73c
T1- Garden soil (Control)
T2 - Garden soil + charcoal 1.25b 0.53b 1.77c
T3 - Garden soil + coco peat 1.38b 0.43b 1.80c
T4 - Garden soil + carbonized rice hull 2.08a 0.70b 2.77b
T5 - Inorganic Fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) 2.45a 0.99a 3.44a
Mean 1.66 0.64 2.30
F Value 17.47* 5.67* 16.36*
CV 16.47 28.35 16.55
Means with the same letter are not significantly different. Ns-not significant *Significant **Highly Significant

Marketable Yield (kg) Table 3 present the effect of soil amendments on the marketable yield
of radish plants. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences in marketable
yield among the treatments. The Least Significance Difference test further indicated that inorganic
fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) and Garden soil + carbonized rice hull resulted in the highest marketable
yield, significantly different from the other treatments.

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 This suggests that the Inorganic fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) and Garden soil + carbonized rice
hull has a significant influence on the marketable yield of radish plants. This aligns with the findings of
Kiran et al. (2016), which noted that inorganic fertilizer had a significant effect on the weight and
number of radish leaves. Similarly, plants grown with carbonized rice hulls have shown increased
below-ground biomass (Abrishamkesh et al., 2015).

Non-Marketable Yield (kg) - Table 3 show the non-marketable yield of radish as affected by
soil amendments. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences in non-
marketable yield (NMY) among the treatments. The Least Significance Difference test further
indicated that Garden soil (Control), Garden soil + Charcoal, and Garden soil + Coco peat resulted
in a lower non-marketable yield compared to inorganic fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0). This suggests that
these treatments significantly reduced the non-marketable yield of radish plants. This might be due
to the fact that these treatments produced a lower marketable yield, which could naturally result in
a lower non-marketable yield.

Total Yield - Table 3 shows the total yield of radish as affected by soil amendments. The
analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences in total yield among the treatments.
The Least Significance Difference test further indicated that inorganic fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0)
resulted in the highest total yield, significantly different from the plants grown in media with various
mixed soil amendments. This suggests that while the combination of growing media with soil
amendments can increase total yield, the use of inorganic fertilizer may lead to even higher yield

Return of Investment (ROI) - Table 4 shows the incidence of insect pests on radish plants in
relation to various soil amendments. All treatments resulted in slight pest incidence. This suggests that
the different soil amendments did affect the occurrence of pests and diseases in the radish plants.

Table 4. Data on Return of Investment (ROI) of Radish as Affected by Soil Amendments.

Marketable Gross Total Net ROI

Treatments Rank
Yield (kg) Sales Expenses Income %

T1- Garden soil (Control) 4.60 230.00 39.80 55.20 31.58 3

T2 - Garden soil + charcoal 5.00 250.00 39.80 75.20 43.02 2

T3 - Garden soil + coco peat 5.52 276.00 639.80 -498.80 -64.38 5

T4 - Garden soil + carbonized rice hull 8.32 416.00 39.80 241.20 137.99 1
T5 - Inorganic Fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) 5.50 275.00 89.80 50.20 22.33 4
*The selling price is Php 75.00/kg in the month of October 2023.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Based on the results of the study, it can be
concluded that the application of soil
amendments had a significant effect on the
growth and yield of radish plants. The use of
inorganic fertilizer (18-46-0, 21-0-0) consistently
resulted in the highest values for plant height,
number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, tuber
circumference, marketable yield, and total
yield. The Garden soil + Carbonized Rice hull
treatment also showed positive effects on
tuber circumference and marketable yield.
Additionally, all treatments exhibited a high
survival rate and low pest incidence.
Furthermore, both treatments showed a
positive net return. Farmers and gardeners
may consider using inorganic fertilizer for radish
cultivation to enhance growth and yield. The
use of garden soil + carbonized rice hull as a
soil amendment also showed promising results
in terms of tuber circumference and
marketable yield. This organic amendment
can be a sustainable alternative for enhancing
radish growth and yield. Further research can
be conducted to investigate the long-term
effects of different soil amendments on radish
plants, including their effect on soil health and
nutrient retention. It is recommended to
continue monitoring and managing pest and
disease occurrences in radish production.
Although the incidence was generally low in
this study, regular monitoring and appropriate

MARCH 2024 (M-BSA-HORTI-2024-099) (Jaquias & Alamada., 2024)

 pest management practices should
implemented to ensure pest-free crops.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This study was made succesfull and possible
due to the great people who have been part
of the preparation of this paper; those who
have extended their unending guidance,
kindness, inspiration and encouragement for
the realization of this study. Foremost, the
researcher would like to express its grateful
appreciation to her adviser, Ms. Judy Rose C.
Alamada for the continuous support,
guidance, patience, motivation and
be encouragement. Besides her adviser, the
researcher would like also to thank the rest of
the thesis committee; Ms. Deona Jean Antonio,
Mr. Mark Gil Mitano, Mr. Jefry Nazareno, and
Ms. Crestine Mae Sarse for assistance through
constructive criticism for the completion of this
study. Special thanks are expressed to her
family for their love and support financially,
spiritually, and materially. Above all the
researcher would like to extend her humblest
gratitude to almighty God for giving the
strength, hope and make the extraordinary
things happen to her life to overcome all the
trials from the start until to the next journey.

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