EFFECTS OF FERMENTED LEGUMINOUS PLANT JUICE

ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD PERFORMANCE OF

LETTUCE (Lactuca sativa)

Submitted by:

NICCA AIRA A. MARQUEZ

Master of Science in Agricultural Extension

Submitted to:

FE B. PERLAS, Ph.D.
Professor-SOIL240

February, 2019

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS

Title Page

Table of Contents

List of Figures

List of Tables

Chapter I

Introduction

Objectives of the Study

Significance of the Study

Hypothesis of the Study

Scope and Delimitation

Definition of Terms

Chapter II

Review of Related Literature and Studies

Conceptual Framework

Chapter III

Methodology

Chapter IV

Presentation and Interpretation of Data

Chapter V

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

References

Documentation

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 LIST OF FIGURES

CONTENT

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

Figure 2. Experimental Layout showing different treatments and replications

Figure 3. The sampling area and spot soil samples

Figure 4. Estimated Marginal Means of Leaf Length at 35DAT across treatments

Figure 5. Estimated Marginal Means of leaf width at 35DAT across treatments

Figure 6. Estimated Marginal Means of Yield (g) at 35DAT across treatments

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 LIST OF TABLES

CONTENT

Table 1. Preparation of 1:500 FPJ Solution

Table 2. Treatment and their experimental codes

Table 3. Average Number of leaves from 7DAT to 35DAT

Table 4. ANOVA on the average number of leaves of lettuce across treatments

Table 5. Average length of leaves (cm) from 7DAT to 35DAT

Table 6. ANOVA on the average leaf length of lettuce across treatments

Table 7. Post Hoc Test on the length of leaves (cm) at 35DAT

Table 8. Average leaf width (cm) from 7DAT to 35DAT

Table 9. ANOVA on the average leaf width of lettuce across treatments

Table 10. Post Hoc Test on the leaf width (cm) at 35DAT

Table 11. Obtained Biomass (g) of the lettuce plant treated with FLPJ

Table 12. ANOVA on the biomass of lettuce across treatments

Table 13. Yield (g) at 35DAT

Table 14. ANOVA on the yield (g) of lettuce across treatments

Table 15. Yield (g) of lettuce plant treated with FLPJ

Table 16. Soil test result before and after the experiment

Table 17. Plant tissue analysis of the lettuce plant treated with FLPJ

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 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

One of the mandate of the Department of Agriculture is to promote organic

agriculture (i.e. RA 10068) among farmers to produce safer foods for Filipinos, this

mandate urged numerous researchers who conducted studies on identifying various

materials that may be utilized as organic fertilizers and recommend alternatives to

chemicals used in conventional farming. In the Philippines, studies on the effectiveness

of Fermented Plant Juice and Fermented Fruit Juices were done, this includes the use of

different plant materials like kangkong, camote, bamboo shoots, pineapple, banana to

fertilize vegetable crops such as tomatoes and bell peper for good vegetative

performance and better reproductive development. However, there were no existing

study comparing the effects of fermented leguminous plant juices on the growth

performance and yield of lettuce (Lactuca sativa), hence the proposal of this study.

Objectives of the Study

Mainly, the focus of the study is to quantify the effect of fermented leguminous

plant juice on the growth and yield performance of lettuce (Lactuca sativa Linn.)

The specific objectives of this study are as follows:

1. To evaluate the growth of lettuce treated with different fermented leguminous

plant juices in terms of: a) number of leaves, b) leaf length, c) leaf width and d)

biomass

2. To evaluate the yield (g) of lettuce plant per treatment;

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 3. To determine the effect of FLPJ on nitrogen content of the soil and plant tissue,

and;

Significance of the Study

The findings of the study may be very helpful and of great importance to the

following people and institutions:

Farmers. The cost of fertilizer may be lessen if the study proved that application

of FLPJ may improve the growth and yield performance of lettuce. This is because FLPJ

used in this study are wastes products that are frequently ignored and are usually

available in the backyard for free.

Soil Conservationists. This study may help soil conservationists combat soil

health deterioration due to conventional farming or the continuous application of

synthetic fertilizer that acidify and degrade our soils.

Researchers and Students. The result of the study may be provided with

knowledge and reference on the characteristics of FLPJ and its effect on the growth and

yield performance of lettuce as alternate source of Nitrogen.

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Hypothesis of the Study

The study hypothesized that none among the FLPJ would give positive effects on

the growth and yield performance of lettuce and that FLPJ is not a good alternative

source of Nitrogen for the crop being considered.

Scope and Delimitation

The study focused on determining the growth performance of lettuce in terms of

number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, biomass and its yield as affected by the

application of FLPJ as N fertilizer. Moreover, the study determined the effect of FLPJ

application on soil and plant tissue of lettuce plant and identify best FLPJ among the

treatments used. Nitrogen content of the soil was analyzed before and after the

application of FLPJ. The lettuce plant was observed and data were gathered 7 days

from transplanting (DAT) until 35DAT.

Definition of Terms

FLPJ – is Fermented Leguminous Plant Juice. In the study, different FLPJ were used to

supply nitrogen to lettuce. FLPJ that were utilized are malunggay, acacia, madre de

cacao and ipil-ipil leaves. These leguminous crops were processed into FPJ following

the procedures from the training module of ATI.

Lettuce – is the test plant of the study. These was observed for 35 days after

transplanting or from seedling to harvestable stage.

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Number of leaves – one of the growth parameter to be observed on the test plant.

Number of leaves were measured weekly.

Leaf Length – one of the growth parameter to be observed on the test plant. Leaf length

was measured weekly in cm.

Leaf Width – one of the growth parameter to be observed on the test plant. Leaf width

was measured weekly in cm.

Biomass - one of the growth parameter to be observed on the test plant. Biomass (g)

was gathered during harvest.

Yield – the yield was measured by the marketable leaf harvested 35 days after

transplanting. The yield was measured in grams (g).

Nitrogen Content – the nitrogen content of the planting medium or the soil and plant

tissue per treatment were measured after the experiment.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Fermented Plant Juice

Fermented Plant Juice of FPJ is made from axillary buds and young fruits, fast

growing plants, young leaves of plants and grasses that contain growth hormones.

Mixed with crude sugar and molasses, the juice is extracted and fermented after storing

for a period of time. The liquid is applied to plant’s leaves and growing points, soil

around the plant, compost heap and animal beddings to fortify microbial activities. (ATI,

2011)

FPJ is used in solutions to treat seeds and fertilize soils. FPJ is used as seed

treatment before sowing. Seeds are soaked in 0.2% solution for 4 to 5 hours to facilitate

germination and as a start-up solution to germinating seeds. It is also used as a natural

growth enhancer since it contains natural growth hormones and mineralized nitrogen

that promotes plant growth. FPJ serves as source of energy to accelerate activities of

soil microorganisms that makes the nutrients available to plants. It is also used as drink

to livestock at 1tbsp/liter to increase microbial activities in gastro-intestinal tract which

may result to better absorption of nutrients. FPJ may also be used as spray to hasten

manure decomposition to animal beddings. Common FPJ used are bamboo shoots,

sweet potato vines, beans and other vegetative crops.

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Making Fermented Plant Juice

Vigorously growing plant of about 2 to 3 inches from the tip is collected before

sunrise. Collected plant materials are not washed to preserve the microorganisms

present that will facilitate the fermentation process. Add sugar of the same weight of the

plant material. Toss together in a bowl or large pan to coat the plant material with sugar.

The sugar will expedite the osmotic process and draw out the plant juices. The mixture

will then be packed on a clear glass or plastic container. The container should be full.

Cover the mouth of the container with breathable material like cloth, towel to allow air

exchange. Secure the cover with rubber band or string to keep pest and other

contaminants. After 24 hours, the container should be 2/3 full. If it is still full, remove

excess plant material in the container to give enough air for the microbes. If the

container is less than 2/3 full, add more plant material to prevent the development of

molds. Store the container in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight. The

fermentation process will take 3-7 days. Fermentation is complete when the plant

material floats and the liquid settles at the bottom of the container. It should have light

alcohol smell due to breakdown of chlorophyll and the liquid tastes sweet not bitter.

When the fermentation process is complete, separate the liquid from solids. Store the

FPJ into a plastic container and the lid must be kept loose to avoid explosion. FPJ may

be stored for 1 year. (Sherri A. Miller, 2013)

Plants used for FPJ

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 FPJ water spinach is good for enhancing vegetative growth and FPJ pineapple

for better reproduction development of tomato plants (Alam, March 2017). Plants

material from bamboo shoots, strawberry, kiwi, banana sprouts/shoots and morning

glory, asparagus shoots, actively growing plant parts and young fruits of cucumber,

squash, melon, watermelon, ampalaya and other cucurbits may also be used

(Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) Production Guide).

Amount/rate of Application

Mix 1 tablespoon of FPJ per liter of water and spray on the leaves or apply

directly to the soil around the plants from seedling stage up to pre-flowering stage. FPJ

may be applied weekly or depending on plant vigor. Soil must be watered first before

applying FPJ to avoid scorching of the roots. FPJ is diluted with water and is watered to

the soil or sprayed directly to plants. FPJ is generally used at a concentration of 1 parts

per 500 parts water (1:500). See table 1.

Table 1

Preparation of 1:500 FPJ Solution

Source: https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/SA-7.pdf

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Lettuce as the Test Crop

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) from the family Compositae and is grown for its leaves

property. Three among the many varieties of lettuce is the romaine lettuce, butterhead

lettuce and curly head lettuce, the latter being the most common in the Philippines. It is

characterized as herbaceous annual plant with very short stem, bright green leaves

without spines with short petiole. The upper leaves are sessile, more rounded and oval.

Have violet stained yellow flowers in panicles. Lettuce requires sunny exposure but does

not tolerate drought. Lettuce grows well on light, well-drained soil preferably sandy loam

soil with a pH between 6.5 to 7.5. Lettuce is propagated by seeds and should be planted

1cm deep. Seeds are germinated in the nursery or seedling tray and are transplanted to

their final location when the seedling developed about 4 leaves. Planting distance should

be 25 cm between plants and 30 cm between rows. The main diseases of lettuce are

downy mildew, potato fungus, mosaic virus. Major pests are root aphids, slugs and

larvae of moths. After 45 days, it is ready for collection. Lettuce has 66% edible portion,

93.4% moisture, 21 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 1.2 g mineral, 0.5 g fiber, and 2.5 g other

carbohydrate. It also has 329 mg calcium, 80 mg total phosphorus, 2.6 mg total iron,

0.13 mg riboflavin, 0.5 mg nicotinic acid and 178 mg chlorine (Cultivation of Lettuce

(Lactuca sativa)).

Nutrient Composition of Leguminous Crops

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 Malungay (Moringa oleifera) leaves or the “leaf blades” contains 4.74% N, 2.21%

Ca, 1.80% K, 1.36% S, 0.45% Mg, 0.33% P, 0.20% Cl and 0.06% Na. (Magat &

Raquepo, 2009). Chemical constituents of ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) leaves: 4.2%

N, 2.36% Ca, and 0.23% P (Meena Devi, 2013), meanwhile, ipil-ipil dry leaf matter

contains 0.21% S, 1.78% K, 0.37% Mg (J.A.Adeneye, 1979) Madre de cacao/kakawate

leaves contains 43.59 nitrogen-free extract, 92.31 organic matter, 48.18 total digestible

N, 0.95 Ca, 0.30 P, 0.03 Na, 0.46 Mg, 3.36 K, 21.0 (ppm) Zn, 300 (ppm) Fe, 80 (ppm)

Mn, 5 (ppm) Cu, and 4.35 (kcal/g) gross energy (Onwuka, n.d.) The acacia leaf contains

14.6-31.5 g Ca, 3.5-4.9 g P, 1.4-3.0 g Mg and 1.7-2.8 g S per 1 kg dry matter. It also has

4.5-23.8 mg Cu, 99.4-173.6 mg Mo, 146.2-432 mg Fe, 41.0-90.1 mg Mn, 10.9-22.2 mg

Zn and 0.05-0.65 mg Co per kg of dry matter (Rubanza C.D., 2007)

Nutrient Tissue Analysis for Lettuce

Plant Tissue analysis of foliage tissue provides an estimate of a crop’s nutritional

status and serves as a record of crop performance. Lettuce plant tissue analysis should

have nutrient content within the nutrient range target level that is: N 2.5-4.0% for

Nitrogen, 0.4-0.6% for Phosphorus, 4.0-7.5% for Potassium. In addition, plant tissue

should also contain 0.9-2.0% for Calcium, 0.3-0.7% for Magnesium and 0.1-0.3 for

Sulfur. (Hector Valenzuela, n/d)

Conceptual Framework

The study observed a single factorial experiment to determine the effect of FLPJ

on the growth and yield performance of lettuce. The study will utilize five treatments

namely: a) Fermented Malunggay, b) Fermented Kakawate, c) Fermented Ipil-ipil, d)

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Fermented Acacia and e) Urea as control. The parameters of the study will focus on the

growth and yield performance of lettuce applied with different FLPJ in terms of number

of leaves, leaf length and width (cm), biomass (g) and yield (g). Moreover, the Nitrogen

content of the soil will be determined before and after the experiment so as the total %N

in the plant’s tissue. These data were gathered and analyzed to determine the best

FLPJ that gave positive effect on the growth and yield performance of lettuce and to

recommend alternate source of nitrogen for the crop being considered.

Figure 1

Conceptual Paradigm

Treatment Parameters
FLPJ Growth Performance
T1 – Fermented Malunggay ● Number of leaves
T2 – Fermented Kakawate ● Leaf length
T3 – Fermented Ipil-ipil ● Leaf width (cm)
T4 – Fermented Acacia ● Biomass
T5 – Urea as control Yield (kg)
Nitrogen Content (soil and plant
tissue)

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 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Experimental Design and Layout

The study is a pot experiment following Complete Randomized Design. There

were five treatments replicated three times and arranged randomly following the layout

below:

Figure 2

Experimental Layout showing different treatments and replications

T5R1 T2R3 T3R3 T5R2

T3R1 T4R1 T2R2 T1R1

T2R4 T1R4 T1R3 T4R2

T4R3 T4R4 T5R3 T2R1

T5R4 T1R2 T3R2 T3R4

R1- Replicate 1, R2-Replicate 2, R3-Replicate 3
Number of treatments: 5
Number of replicates: 4
Number of plant per replicate: 4
Total number of plant per treatment: 16
Total number of plant: 80
Dimension of pot: 5x5x10cm
Weight of soil per pot: 2kg

Treatments

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 The study made use of the procedure on making fermented plant juice but this

time, leguminous crops were utilized. Treatments and codes are shown on the table

below:

Table 2

Treatment and their experimental codes

TREATMENT CODE TREATMENT

T1 Fermented Malunggay Juice
T2 Fermented Kakawate
T3 Fermented Ipil-ipil Juice
T4 Fermented Acacia Juice
T5 Urea as control

Preparation of FLPJ

Young and vigorously growing plant parts of malunggay, kakawate, ipil-ipil and

acacia were collected early in the morning before sunrise. Plant materials was cut 2 to 3

inches from the tip without washing to preserve the microorganisms present in the leaf

surface that facilitate the fermentation process. Weigh 1kg of each material (i.e.

malungay, kakawate, ipil-ipil and acacia) and each were placed on separate plastic

containers. One kilogram of sugar was added and is mixed thoroughly until the plant

materials are fully coated with sugar. Each mixture was fully packed on a plastic

container and were covered with cloth secured with rubber bands and stored for 24

hours. After 24 hours, the containers were checked if it was 2/3 full, if it is then it is good,

but if it not, material were either added or removed to obtain 2/3 full on the container.

The containers were stored in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight. After 14

days, the extract was harvested.

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Collection and Preparation of Planting Medium

Soil samples from the Catanduanes State University – College of Agriculture and

Fisheries Farm Production Area was collected for analysis. Six spot soil samples were

collected, mixed, air dried and pulverized from 1,131 sq. meter farm production area.

From the mixture only 1 kg was packed for analysis in the Regional Soils Laboratory.

The Nitrogen content of the soil was analyzed to determine the effect of the FLPJ on the

N status of the soil before and after application. From this site, 80 polyethylene bags

(i.e. 5x5x10) were filled. These pots were used in the experiment.

Figure 3

The Sampling Area and Spot Soil Samples

Sowing and transplanting of Lettuce

Lettuce seeds were sown on a seedling tray. When the seedling has about 4

leaves (two weeks after sowing), it was transplanted on the pots. Each pot was planted

17
with two (2) seedlings. The lettuce plant was observed from seedling to harvest (i.e. 35

days).

Application of FLPJ

The fermented plant juices were applied to the lettuce plant from 1 to 45 days

after transplanting. One tablespoon of FLPJ was diluted in one liter of water, each

lettuce plant received 1.2 ml of FLPJ solution. The FLPJ solution was sprayed directly

into the soil once a week. While for treatment 5 (Urea), 0.3 g of urea/pot was applied.

Data Collection

The study measured the growth performance of lettuce from seedling to

harvestable stage (i.e. 7DAT to 35DAT). Data collected include the following

parameters: number of leaves, leaf length (cm), and leaf width (cm) was observed

weekly. The biomass (g) and yield (kg) were gathered 35 days after transplanting. The

planting medium were analyzed in the laboratory to determine the nitrogen content

before and after the experiment. Plant samples were gathered from the lettuce plant for

plant tissue analysis.

Data Analysis

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 Data on the growth and yield performance were analyzed by the one-way

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using IBM SPSS Statistics software. Treatments were

declared statistically significant when P < 0.05 and if there are significant differences,

treatment means were separated using LSD (i.e. Least Significant Difference) and were

graphed so as to show the main effects of FLPJ on lettuce.

CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

A. Effect of FLPJ on the Growth of lettuce

A.1. Number of Leaves

The table below shows the periodic observation on the lettuce plant treated with

different fermented leguminous plant juices. During the first observation among other

treatments, Treatment 3 (i.e. Acacia) obtained the lowest number of leaves that is 2. On

the second observation (14DAT), Treatment 5 (i.e. Urea) and Treatment 1 (i.e.

Malunggay) obtained the lowest number of leaves (i.e. 3) among others and continue to

be least performing during the 3rd observation day. However, during the 4th observation,

Treatment 1 (Malunggay) and Treatment 5 (Urea) obtained numerically the same

number of leaves along with other treatments until the last observation day, except for

Treatment 1 (Malunggay) which had the least leaf number at 35DAT. The results confer

with the literatures that lettuce plant have an average 6-8 leaves until maturity. This

means that lettuce plant treated with different FLPJ may produce optimum number of

yield as early as 26DAT.

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 Table 3. Average Number of Leaves from 7DAT to 35DAT

TREATMENT 7DAT 14DAT 21DAT 28DAT 35DAT

MALUNGGAY Mean 3 3 4 6 7
KAKAWATE Mean 3 4 5 6 8
IPIL-IPIL Mean 3 4 5 6 8
ACACIA Mean 2 4 4 6 8
UREA Mean 3 3 4 6 8
Total Mean 3 4 4 6 8

The observed data from 7DAT to 35DAT was subjected to IBM SPSS Statistics to

determine significant differences between treatments. The result of the Analysis of

variance (ANOVA test) in terms of the periodical number of leaves was presented on

table 4 from 7DAT to 35DAT. The table shows that none among the treatment have

significant differences at 5% level of significance. This means that all five fermented

leguminous plant juices gave the same effect to lettuce plant. The ANOVA test accepts

the null hypothesis for the average number of leaves treated with FLPJ.

Table 4 ANOVA on the average number of leaves of lettuce across treatments

ANOVA Table
Sum of Mean
Number of Leaves df F Sig.
Squares Square
Between Groups (Combined) 2.300 4 .575 1.158 .336
7DAT *
Within Groups 37.250 75 .497
TREATMENT
Total 39.550 79
Between Groups (Combined) 10.875 4 2.719 2.288 .068
14DAT *
Within Groups 89.125 75 1.188
TREATMENT
Total 100.000 79
Between Groups (Combined) .425 4 .106 .084 .987
21DAT *
Within Groups 95.375 75 1.272
TREATMENT
Total 95.800 79
Between Groups (Combined) 8.300 4 2.075 1.328 .267
28DAT *
Within Groups 117.187 75 1.562
TREATMENT
Total 125.487 79
Between Groups (Combined) 15.075 4 3.769 1.681 .163
35DAT *
Within Groups 168.125 75 2.242
TREATMENT
Total 183.200 79
Ho: None among the FLPJ would give positive effects on the growth and yield
performance of lettuce

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A.2. Length of Leaves

The periodic observation on the length of leaves from 7DAT to 35DAT was

presented on the table below. During the first observation, treatment 5 (Urea) obtained

highest leaf length that is 5.16 cm while the least performing are those plants under

treatment 4 (Acacia). On the second observation date (14DAT), treatment 3 (Ipil-ipil)

obtained the highest leaf length (8.16 cm) while treatment 4 (Acacia) maintained its

lowest rank with 6.63cm leaf length. However, on the 3rd and 4th observation period,

treatment 4 (Acacia) obtained the highest leaf length among other treatments with 12cm

and 13.11cm, respectively and continued to be the second highest during the last

observation period (14.14cm). During the last observation period (35DAT), treatment 5

(Urea) obtained highest leaf length of 14.60cm while plants treated with Kakawate

performed least (12.38cm) in terms of leaf length. According to the study of Fraquera,

E.N. et.al., 2015, the average leaf length of lettuce ranges from 11.99cm to 12.27cm.

The findings of the study exceeded the conclusion of the mentioned study since the

average leaf length obtained in the study ranges from 12.38 to 14.60, this means that

lettuce plant treated with FLPJ increases the average leaf length (cm) of lettuce.

Table 5 Average Length of Leaves (cm) from 7DAT to 35DAT

TREATMENT 7DAT 14DAT 21DAT 28DAT 35DAT

MALUNGGAY Mean 4.80 7.56 11.31 12.79 13.83
KAKAWATE Mean 4.64 6.85 11.91 12.89 12.38
IPIL-IPIL Mean 4.87 8.16 11.46 11.69 12.42
ACACIA Mean 4.54 6.63 12.00 13.11 14.14
UREA Mean 5.16 6.82 10.54 11.87 14.60
Total Mean 4.80 7.21 11.44 12.47 13.47

The table below shows the result of the ANOVA on the average leaf length of

lettuce plant from 7DAT to 35DAT. In terms of the average leaf length, the result shows

no significant differences between treatments at 5% level of significance from 7DAT to

21
28DAT, however, significant differences between treatments was recorded during the

last observation period (i.e. 35DAT). This means that the treatments show significant

effects in terms of the average leaf length of lettuce plant during the last observation

period. To determine the level of significance between treatments further analysis was

done using LSD (Least Significant Difference) Pairwise Comparison.

Table 6 ANOVA on the average leaf length of lettuce across treatments

ANOVA Table
Sum of Mean
Length of Leaves df F Sig.
Squares Square
Between Groups (Combined) 3.579 4 .895 .867 .488
7DAT *
TREATMENT Within Groups 37.250 77.431 75 1.032
Total 39.550 81.010 79
Between Groups (Combined) 26.384 4 6.596 2.142 .084
14DAT *
TREATMENT Within Groups 89.125 230.914 75 3.079
Total 100.000 257.298 79
Between Groups (Combined) 21.638 4 5.409 2.482 .051
21DAT *
TREATMENT Within Groups 95.375 163.438 75 2.179
Total 95.800 185.075 79
Between Groups (Combined) 26.452 4 6.613 2.116 .087
28DAT *
TREATMENT Within Groups 117.187 234.412 75 3.125
Total 125.487 260.864 79
Between Groups (Combined) 66.647 4 16.662 5.540 .001
35DAT *
TREATMENT Within Groups 168.125 225.568 75 3.008
Total 183.200 292.215 79
Ho: None among the FLPJ would give positive effects on the growth and yield
performance of lettuce

The table below shows the Post Hoc Analysis using Least Significant Difference

(LSD) Test during the last observation of the lettuce plant in terms of leaf length. The

result revealed that Treatment 1 (Malunggay), Treatment 4 (Acacia) and Treatment 5

(Urea) significantly have the same length of leaves (cm) that is 13.83cm, 14.14cm and

14.60cm, respectively. While Treatment 2 (Kakawate) and Treatment 3 (Ipil-ipil) obtained

22
significantly the same leaf length and is lower relative to the three above mentioned

treatments. This implies that in terms of leaf length, the effect of fermented Malunggay

and Acacia juice is comparable to the effect given by the control (i.e. urea) to the lettuce

plant. Higher leaf length means greater photosynthetic activity. Figure 4 shows the

estimated marginal means of lettuce plant at 35DAT across treatments.

Table 7 Post Hoc Test on the Length of Leaves (cm) at 35DAT

TREATMENT 35DAT
MALUNGGAY Mean 13.83a
KAKAWATE Mean 12.38b
IPIL-IPIL Mean 12.42b
ACACIA Mean 14.14a
UREA Mean 14.60a
*means having similar letter(s) is/are not significant at P<0.05 level of significance

Figure 4 Estimated marginal means of leaf length at 35DAT across treatments

A.3. Leaf Width

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 Table 8 presents the periodic increase in leaf width of the lettuce plant from 7DAT

to 35DAT. Results revealed that on the 1st observation period, treatment 5 (Urea)

obtained the highest leaf width with 2.60cm while treatment 1 (Malunggay) obtained the

lowest leaf width (2.39cm) among other treatments. On the 2nd observation period

(14DAT), Treatment 3 (Ipil-Ipil) performed best relative to the 4 treatments while

treatment 4 (Acacia) took lead during the 3rd observation period (7.58cm) from being the

lowest during the 2nd observation period (3.66cm). On the 28th DAT, Treatment 3 (Ipil-

ipil) again obtained the highest leaf width but performed least during the last

observation period. At 35DAT, Treatment 2 (Urea) performed best in terms of leaf width

with 12.03cm followed by Treatment 4 (Acacia) with 10.36 and Treatment 1

(Malunggay) with 9.96cm. The average leaf width of lettuce is ______, thus the result of

the study conform with the literature since the average leaf width obtained throughout

the observation period is between 9.40 to 12.03 cm. This means that application of

FLPJ contributes to the increase in the plant’s leaf width.

Table 8 Average Leaf Width (cm) from 7DAT to 35DAT

TREATMENT 7DAT 14DAT 21DAT 28DAT 35DAT

MALUNGGAY Mean 2.39 4.27 7.03 9.26 9.96
KAKAWATE Mean 2.41 3.96 7.49 9.33 9.90
IPIL-IPIL Mean 2.54 4.51 7.54 9.68 9.40
ACACIA Mean 2.34 3.66 7.58 9.00 10.36
UREA Mean 2.60 3.84 7.23 8.81 12.03
Total Mean 2.46 4.05 7.38 9.22 10.33

To determine the significant differences between treatments, the data collected

was subjected to IBM SPSSS Statistics. Table 9 shows the result of ANOVA on the

average leaf width of lettuce across treatments from 7DAT to 35DAT. The result reveals

no significant differences among treatments in terms of the average leaf width from

7DAT to 28DAT however, the test of difference during the last observation period

24
(35DAT) suggests significant differences between treatments. This means that the null

hypothesis in terms of average leaf width is accepted during the 1st to 4th observation

period yet was rejected during the last observation period. To further identify the

differences between groups, a post hoc analysis was performed.

Table 9 ANOVA on the average leaf width of lettuce across treatments

ANOVA Table
Sum of Mean
Length of Leaves df F Sig.
Squares Square
Between Groups (Combined) .772 4 .193 .614 .654
7DAT *
Within Groups 37.250 23.584 75 .314
TREATMENT
Total 39.550 24.355 79
Between Groups (Combined) 7.380 4 1.845 2.125 .086
14DAT *
Within Groups 89.125 65.100 75 .868
TREATMENT
Total 100.000 72.480 79
Between Groups (Combined) 3.560 4 .890 .665 .618
21DAT *
Within Groups 95.375 100.310 75 1.337
TREATMENT
Total 95.800 103.870 79
Between Groups (Combined) 7.062 4 1.765 .674 .612
28DAT *
Within Groups 117.187 196.414 75 2.619
TREATMENT
Total 125.487 203.476 79
Between Groups (Combined) 65.357 4 16.339 5.962 .000
35DAT *
Within Groups 168.125 205.531 75 2.740
TREATMENT
Total 183.200 270.888 79
Ho: None among the FLPJ would give positive effects on the growth and yield
performance of lettuce

The result shown on table 10 reveals significant differences between treatment 5

(Urea) and the rest. In terms of the leaf width at 35DAT, Treatment 5 (Urea) significantly

obtained the highest leaf width relative to the four treatments. This means that in terms

of leaf width, the FLPJ used do not give positive effects on the lettuce plant.

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 Table 10 Post Hoc Test on the leaf width (cm) at 35DAT

TREATMENT 35DAT
MALUNGGAY Mean 9.96b
KAKAWATE Mean 9.90b
IPIL-IPIL Mean 9.40b
ACACIA Mean 10.36b
UREA Mean 12.03a
*means having similar letter(s) is/are not significant at P<0.05 level of significance

Figure 5 Estimated marginal means of leaf width at 35DAT across treatments

A.4. Biomass (g)

Presented on table 11 is the obtained biomass (g) of the lettuce plant per
treatment. The group of lettuce plant treated with Urea obtained the highest biomass
with 0.0400 g, followed by the Ipil-ipil treated group with 0.0325g, then Acacia, Kakawate
and Malunggay group with 0.0300g, 0.288g and 0.0263g, respectively. The estimated
marginal means of biomass across treatment is presented on figure 6.

Table 11 Obtained Biomass (g) of the lettuce plant treated with FLPJ

TREATMENT BIOMASS (g)

MALUNGGAY Mean .0263
KAKAWATE Mean .0288

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 IPIL-IPIL Mean .0325
ACACIA Mean .0300
UREA Mean .0400

Figure 6 Estimated marginal means of biomass at 35DAT across treatments

The data was subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine

differences between treatments. The table below shows the statistical result in terms of

the biomass of lettuce plant. The result reveals no significant differences between

treatment means. This implies that the effect of the four FLPJ used is significantly the

same as the control.

Table 12 ANOVA on the biomass of lettuce across treatments

ANOVA Table

Sum of Mean
Length of Leaves df F Sig.
Squares Square
Between Groups (Combined) .002 4 .000 2.235 .073
Biomass *
Within Groups .015 75 .000

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TREATMENT Total .017 79
Ho: None among the FLPJ would give positive effects on the growth and yield
performance of lettuce

B. Effect of FLPJ on the yield performance of lettuce

In terms of yield performance, the table below summarizes the result. Treatment

5 (Urea) obtained the highest yield with 0.0356g followed by Treatment 3 (Ipil-ipil)

0.0269g and Treatment 4 (Acacia) with 0.0250. Treatment 2 (Kakawate) and Treatment

1 (Malunggay) obtained the lowest yield with 0.0237g and 0.0212g, respectively.

Table 13 Yield (g) at 35DAT

TREATMENT BIOMASS
MALUNGGAY Mean .0212
KAKAWATE Mean .0237
IPIL-IPIL Mean .0269
ACACIA Mean .0250
UREA Mean .0356

To determine the significant difference in terms of yield between/among

treatments, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was performed. Table 14 shows the result of

the ANOVA test for the yield of lettuce plant treated with different FLPJ. The result

revealed significant differences between treatments in terms of yield (g). To determine

the differences between treatments, Least Significant Differences (LSD) test was

performed. The result of the test is shown on table 15.

Table 14 ANOVA on the yield (g) of lettuce across treatments

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 ANOVA Table

Sum of Mean
Length of Leaves df F Sig.
Squares Square
Between Groups (Combined) .002 4 .000 3.210 .017
Yield *
TREATMENT Within Groups .011 75 .000
Total .013 79
Ho: None among the FLPJ would give positive effects on the growth and yield
performance of lettuce

The result presented below shows that among the treatments, Treatment 5

(Urea)- the control group attained significantly highest yield (g) with 0.0356g while the

lettuce plant fertilized with FLPJ obtained significantly the same yield. This implies that in

terms of yield, the lettuce plants treated with FLPJ will yield lower than the lettuce plant

treated with urea.

Table 15 Yield (g) of lettuce plant treated with FLPJ

TREATMENT Yield (g)

MALUNGGAY Mean .0212b
KAKAWATE Mean .0237b
IPIL-IPIL Mean .0269b
ACACIA Mean .0250b
UREA Mean .0356a
*means having similar letter(s) is/are not significant at P<0.05 level of significance

Figure 7 Estimated marginal means of yield (g) at 35DAT across treatments

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C. Effect of FLPJ on Nitrogen content of the soil

Soil samples was analyzed before the experimental set-up. The result of the

Nitrogen test before and after the experiment was shown on table 16. Before the

conduct of experiment, the soil samples collected at the College of Agriculture and

Fisheries Farm Production Area contain 0.16% total N, after 35 days of observation the

soil samples from each treatment was then again subjected to soil analysis for %N and

results reveal increase in %N content on all of the treatment. The highest %N was

obtained by Treatment 1 (Malunggay) with 0.18% N while the rest contain 0.17% N.

Table 16 Soil Test result before and after the Experiment

TEST RESULT
SAMPLE ID LAB NO.
%N %OM
BEFORE

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 ● SOIL SAMPLE HV18-440 0.16% 3.23
AFTER
● MALUNGGAY RS19-28 0.18 3.56
● KAKAWATE 27 0.17 3.45
● IPIL-IPIL 26 0.17 3.39
● ACACIA 25 0.17 3.36
● UREA RS19-24 0.17 3.44

D. Effect of FLPJ on Nitrogen content of the plant tissue

One week before harvest, the second youngest leaf was collected from the test

crops for each treatments and was subjected to Plant Tissue Analysis to determine the

effect of the FLPJ on the total %N of lettuce tissue. The result of the analysis was

presented on table 17. Among all the treatments, Treatment 5 (Urea) obtained the

highest total N with 3.86% followed by Treatment 4 (Acacia) with 1.95%, Treatment 1

(Malunggay) with 1.78%, Treatment 3(Ipil-ipil) with 1.20% and Treatment 2 (Kakawate)

with 0.98%.

Table 17 Plant Tissue Analysis of the lettuce plant treated with FLPJ

TEST
SAMPLE ID LAB NO. RESULT
Total %N
MALUNGGAY RS19-05 1.78
KAKAWATE 04 0.98
IPIL-IPIL 03 1.20
ACACIA 25 1.95
UREA RS19-01 3.86

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 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Summary

The study was done in a potted experiment following Complete Randomized

Design focused on determining the effect of Fermented leguminous plant juices (i.e.

malunggay, kakawate, ipil-ipil, acacia) on the growth performance of lettuce. The

observation period started from 7DAT to 35DAT (i.e. seedling to harvest). One

tablespoon of FLPJ was diluted in one liter of water, each lettuce plant was given 1.2 ml

of FLPJ solution weekly. The FLPJ solution was sprayed directly into the soil. Data

collected include the following parameters: number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width,

32
biomass (g) and yield (g). The planting medium and plant tissue was analyzed in the

laboratory to determine the nitrogen content after the experiment. Data on the

growth and yield performance of lettuces treated with different FLPJ was analyzed

through one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using IBM SPSS Statistics. Post Hoc

Analysis using Least Significant Difference (LSD) Test was conducted to determine

significant differences between treatments when the ANOVA suggests further test.

Conclusion

After the 35-day observation period on the growth and yield performance of

lettuce, the following conclusions were drawn:

A. Growth Performance of lettuce (i.e. number of leaves, leaf length, leaf

width, biomass)

● All five treatments gave the same effect to lettuce plant in terms of number of

leaves. The results confer with the literatures that lettuce plant have an

average 6-8 leaves until maturity. This means that lettuce plant treated with

different FLPJ may produce optimum number of leaves as early as 26DAT.

● In terms of the leaf length, the result revealed that Treatment 1 (Malunggay),

Treatment 4 (Acacia) and Treatment 5 (Urea) significantly have the same

length of leaves. This implies that in terms of leaf length, the effect of

fermented Malunggay and Acacia juice is comparable to the effect given by

the control (i.e. urea) to the lettuce plant. Higher leaf length means greater

photosynthetic activity.

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 ● In terms of the leaf width, treatment 5 (Urea) significantly performed relative to

the four treatments at 35DAT. This means that in terms of leaf width, the

FLPJ used do not give positive effects on the lettuce plant.

● The result reveals no significant differences between treatment means in

terms of biomass. This implies that the effect of the four FLPJ used is

significantly the same as the control.

B. Yield Performance of Lettuce

● The result revealed significant differences between treatments in terms of yield

(g). Treatment 5 (Urea)- the control group attained significantly highest yield

(g) while the lettuce plant fertilized with FLPJ obtained significantly the same

yield. This implies that in terms of yield, the lettuce plants treated with FLPJ

yield lower than the lettuce plant treated with urea.

C. Effect of FLPJ on Nitrogen content of the soil and plant tissue

● The highest %N in the soil was obtained by Treatment 1 (Malunggay) with

0.18% N while the rest contain 0.17% N.

● The result of the plant tissue analysis reveals that among all the treatments,

Treatment 5 (Urea) obtained the highest total N followed by Treatment 4

(Acacia), Treatment 1 (Malunggay), Treatment 3 (Ipil-ipil), and Treatment 2

(Kakawate).

Recommendation

34
 From the findings of the study, the following are recommended:

A. Growth Performance of lettuce (i.e. number of leaves, leaf length, leaf

width, biomass)

● Lettuce plant may be fertilized with fermented malunggay, kakawate, ipil-ipil

and acacia juice to produce optimum number of leaves as early as 26DAT.

● Fermented Malunggay and Acacia juice may be used to increase leaf length

in lettuce and are recommended as alternative to Urea.

● The fermented malunggay, kakawate, ipil-ipil and acacia juice is not

recommended to be used to increase leaf width in lettuce since it do not give

positive effects on the plant.

● The fermented malunggay, kakawate, ipil-ipil and acacia juice is

recommended to be used to increase biomass in lettuce since it give

significantly the same effects on the plant.

B. Yield Performance of Lettuce

● To obtain high yield, result suggest that application of fermented malunggay,

kakawate, ipil-ipil and acacia juice is not effective to increase the yield of

lettuce relative to the control (Urea).

D. Effect of FLPJ on Nitrogen content of the soil and plant tissue

● The application of fermented malunggay juice may be considered to increase

the %N in soils.

35
 ● High absorption of N in plants treated with Urea was observed, therefore

application of urea is recommended to fertilize lettuce plant instead of the

fermented malunggay, kakawate, ipil-ipil and acacia juice.

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