Fertilizer and Mung Beans

The study aims to determine the effect of vermicompost on the growth of mung beans. It specifically aims to determine its effect on the height of mung beans in centimetres and on the number of leaves using four treatments in triplicates namely; Treatment A: 75% vermicompost + 25% common soil; Treatment B: 50% vermicompost + 50% common soil; Treatment C: 25% vermicompost + 75% common soil, and a control set-up using 100% common soil.

The mean was computed to determine the effect of the different treatments on the growth of mung beans in terms of height in centimetres and in the number of leaves. The results include that Treatment A using 75% vermicompost + 25% common soil got the highest mean in terms of height (in cm) and has the most number of leaves. Therefore, the researchers concluded that vermicompost greatly affect the growth of mung beans. The pure vermicompost offers an array of nutrients for the growing plants. Furthermore, it is recommended that vermicompost be used as organic fertilizer to plants.

Background of the Study Population in the Philippines has been increasing steadily. Thus, the demand for food is also increasing. In order to boost crop production, farmers use inorganic fertilizers because they believe that they offer fast and greater crop yield. However, heavy dependence on inorganic fertilizers can cause soil barrenness and infertility. According to some studies of “Basics of Gardening”, inorganic fertilizers are not entirely composed of the nutrients needed by plants. It also contains salts and other compounds.

These are not absorbed by the plants so they are left behind in the soil and build up overtime. When found in large amounts in the soil, these compounds can alter the chemistry of the soil that makes it less ideal for planting. Furthermore, the cost of inorganic fertilizers is not affordable to some poor farmers because it soars steadily in the market. So the use of organic fertilizers is on the rise because people are becoming aware the organic fertilizers are environment-friendly, low cost, low technology, and increase the fertility of the land. Vermicompost is an organic fertilizer. It is similar to plain compost except that it uses worms in addition to microbes and bacteria to turn organic waste into a nutrient fertilizer.

Statements of the Problem Generally, this study aims to determine the effect of vermicompost on the growth of mung beans. Specifically, this study also aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is the effect of vermicompost using different treatments in terms of height of mung beans in centimeters?

2. What is the effect of vermicompost using different treatments in terms of the number of leaves of mung beans? Statement of Hypothesis

1. Vermicompost has no effect on the growth of mung beans in terms of height of mung beans in centimetres.

2. Using vermicompost has no effect on the number of leaves of mung beans. Significance of the Study

The result of this study will benefit mainly the farmers who are struggling from the high cost of inorganic fertilizers. The farmers will have a greater chance of using organic fertilizers like vermicompost which is readily available and inexpensive thus increasing their crop yield while at the same time preserving the soil from further soil pollution and damage. It will be beneficial to the environment in general because vermicomposting helps in the decomposition of biodegradable wastes, thus preventing land, water, and air pollution. This study will also be beneficial to the students/pupils with TLE/EPP (Agriculture) subjects Scope and Limitations

This study is limited only to the use of vermicompost and mung bean plants. The height and the number of leaves are only the concern of the said study. The study was concluded on March 3 to March 12, 2012 at the Colegio del Sagrado Corazon De Jesus. This study utilized four treatments with three triplicates as follows: Treatment A: 75% vermicompost+ 25% common soil

Treatment B: 50% vermicompost+ 50% common soil Treatment C: 25%vermicompost+ 75% common soil Control set-up 100%common soil The mean will be computed in order to determine the effect of the different treatments on the mung bean plants.

Definition of Terms Common soil- ordinary/usual soil (Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2005) In this study, common soil was used as a control set-up and mixed with vermicompost. Effect- the result (Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2005) In this study, the effect of vermicompost on the growth of mung bean plant was determined in terms of height and the number of leaves. Growth- growing, change, development (Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus, 2005) In this study, the growth of mung beans was observed using different treatments of soil. Mung beans (Vigua radiate) – is one of the many species recently moved from the genus Phaseolus to Vigna Mung beans are used as the test plants in this study. Vermicompost - known also as worm compost, vermicast, worm castings, worm humus, or worm manure. In this study, vermicompost is used in different treatments to determine its effect on the growth of bean plants.

Review of Related Literature Compost Compost is a nutrient-rich mixture of decaying organic matter ideally suited for fertilizing soil. A rich, earthly compost is a combination of worm droppings and decayed matter that is ideal for fertilizing plants and lawns. (The New Book of Knowledge, 2007) Vermicomposting.

The vermicomposting technology is most appropriate for the Philippines because it uses materials that are readily available in the farm and the countryside. Best of all, it is low cost, low technology, but scientifically based. This technology is simple and easily understood even by people with no formal schooling. (Vermicomposting Manual: Buro-Buro Springs Farms, Brgy. Concepcion, Talisay City).

Farmers use fertilizers to make crops grow and the usual choice is between organic or inorganic fertilizers. Inorganic fertilizers are factory-produced and store-brought while organic fertilizers are produced through composting. While it is true that organic fertilizers have low amounts of major plant nutrients, namely nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, they also have high organic matter content and trace elements that become included as a by-product in the process. (Vermicomposting Manual: Buro-Buro Springs Farm, Brgy. Concepcion, Talisay City).

How does vermicompost work? It works like this; after procuring a container and setting it up (more on that in a sec), feed your worms the same organic waste you’d toss in a compost pile – which includes just about all of your food waste, save the animal leftovers – and let them have at it. They chew on it for awhile, and when they’re all done eating they poop (hey, everybody does it) and there you go: vermicompost. Mung Beans.

Common name: Mung bean, Mung beans, Green gram, Golden gram Scientific name: Vigna radiate Family: Fabaceae The Mung beans are small, ovoid in shape and green in color. (Wikipedia) Organic fertilizer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Organic fertilizers are naturally-occurring fertilizers (e.g peat moss or green manure), or naturally-occurring mineral deposits (e.g saltpetre).

Naturally-occurring organic fertilizers include manure, slurry, worm castings, peat, seaweed, human acid brassin and guano, Sewage sludge use in organic agricultural operations in the U.S has been extremely limited and rare due to USDA prohibition of the practice (due to toxic metal accumulation, among other factors). Processed organic fertilizers include compost, blood metal, bone meal, humic acid, amino acids, brassin, and seaweed extracts. Other examples are natural enzyme digested proteins, fish meal, and feather meal. Decomposing crop residue from prior years is another source of fertility.

The Advantages of Organic Fertilizers Although density of nutrients in organic material is comparatively modest, they have many advantages. The majority of nitrogen supplying organic fertilizers contains insoluble nitrogen and acts as a slow-release fertilizer. By their nature, organic fertilizers increase physical and biological nutrient storage mechanism in soils, mitigating risks of over-fertilization. Organic fertilizer nutrient content, solubility, and nutrient release rates are typically much lower than mineral (inorganic) fertilizers.

Inorganic fertilizers

Unlike organic, inorganic fertilizers are usually quick-release formulas making nutrients rapidly available to plants. Inorganic fertilizers are safe to use, however, because, it is quick-releasing salts can build up fast, damaging soil (soil application), pumps, and air stones used in hydroponics application. The advantages of using inorganic fertilizers are nutrients immediately available to plants and exact amount of a given element can be measured before feeding plants. However, commercial fertilizer, particularly nitrogen, is easily leeched out by rain or irrigation. Regardless if you are organic, inorganic or a combination of the two, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines regarding timing of application, placement of the fertilizer, and the proper amount of fertilizers to be used. If you are cultivating edible plants, organic fertilizers are recommended because they give crops a better flavour (taste). For ornamentals, for example, chemical fertilizers might give better results. The concentration of minerals allows plants to grow.

The Disadvantages of using Inorganic Fertilizers

Leeching happens Inorganic fertilizers contain nutrients that have been broken down already into the most basic of its components for easy absorption by the plants. Yet, it can also be washed away easily when watering or irrigating the plants. This is called leeching. Leeching happens very often as you water your plants. Hence, a lot of fertilizer goes to waste. Nitrogen is one of the elements that easily get washed away since it usually settles below the roots of the plants quickly. When you are using inorganic fertilizers you need to pay special attention to the roots of the plant when you are watering it and not over-water the area so that you are not encouraging the leeching of the nutrients in the soil. Some are not affordable.

Generally, inorganic fertilizers are inexpensive. Yet, some specially formulated inorganic fertilizers come at a cost that are considerably higher than most. Accumulation of toxic wastes Inorganic fertilizers are not entirely composed of the nutrients needed by the plants. Oftentimes, the soil needs to be neutralized using other substance to return it to a normal state that is suitable for planting. Furthermore, these toxic compounds may also get washed away when you water your plants and seep into groundwater. It has been reported that the toxic wastes from fertilizers contaminating the water we drink is bad for the health. Too much is not a good thing.