Effects of the combination of volcanic ash and kitchen refuse on the growth of pechay (Brassica chinensis Linne)

• Main Author: Herrera, Lorna S.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1993
• Subjects: Volcanic ash; tuff; etc; Plants > Growth; Fertilizers and manures
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/1138
• Institution: De La Salle University

Pechay (Brassica chinensis Linne) was planted in different concentration of decomposed volcanic ash and kitchen refuse using the following ratio: 3:1, 2:2, 1:3, 1:2, 2:1, 2:3 and 3:2 (volcanic ash: kitchen refuse). Setups containing pure ash and pure soil were used as control groups. The parameters that were determined included leaf area (cm2), fresh weight (g) and dry weight (g) of leaf and petiole, NPK (percent) and chlorophyll content (mg/ml).Treatments of varying concentrations of volcanic ash and kitchen refuse yielded better pechay in terms of leaf area, fresh and dry weight of leaf and petiole, NPK content and chorophyll content compared to the control groups. Pechay in treatment 6 (with 2:3 ratio of volcanic ash and kitchen refuse plus 2 kg. of soil) had the largest leaf mean area (215.71 cm2), heaviest mean fresh weight (293.11 g) and mean dry weight (15.38 g) of leaves and petiole and highest mean chlorophyll content (2.9928 mg/ml) the results of which were significantly different from the control and other treatment groups using One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in a completely randomized design (CRD) and Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 0.05 level. Best results of pechay in treatment 6 having a sandy loam texture of soil could be attributed to the highest amount of nitrogen (0.64 percent), phosphorus (0.13 percent) and potassium (0.30 percent) being absorbed which later on became a part of the living protoplasm. These essential elements were contributory factors to the leaf area, fresh and dry weight of leaf and petiole and chlorophyll content.