A Comparative Study on the Effects of Varying Concentrations of Eggshell Tea Fertilizer on Capsicum annum (Bell Pepper)

• Main Authors: Argonza, Anjanette Czyra L., De Chavez, Alaissa Riobel D., Supan, Raquel B., Cabral, Kerry P.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2023
• Subjects: eggshell tea; fertilizer; bell pepper; growth rate; sustainability; Life Sciences
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/sinaya/vol2/iss1/6; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/sinaya/article/1058/viewcontent/6_Science_and_Technology_Manuscript__11_A_Comparative_Study_on_the_Effects.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

With the increasing worldwide demand for eggs, the continuous accumulation of these poses environmental threats because of their support for microbiological action. However, the fact that eggshells have high calcium content motivated researchers to explore their potential use as fertilizer for various plant species. Despite this, most studies only focused on applying eggshell fertilizers in solid form. Meanwhile, research on boosting bell pepper production remains sparse in the Philippines despite its increasing demand. This study examined the capabilities of eggshell tea, a liquid form of eggshell fertilizer, by determining which concentration would be most effective and least effective in growing bell peppers in the Philippines. The plants were categorized into four groups with different mass/volume percentage concentrations of eggshell tea applied: 0% (EF-0), 2% (EF-2), 4.5% (EF-4.5), and 7% (EF-7). The effects of each concentration on the number of leaves, leaf surface area, height, and growth rate of the plants were analyzed accordingly. Results showed that eggshell tea was most effective on EF-4.5 while least effective on EF-7. The EF-4.5 exhibited the fastest growth and was the healthiest regarding the tested parameters, while the controlled and EF-2 groups demonstrated moderate growth. The EF-7 exhibited the slowest growth, along with leaf yellowing, damage, and curls, attributed to over-fertilization. Eggshell tea was revealed to have a generally positive effect on bell peppers; however, too much concentration could cause damaging effects as plants that did not receive any fertilizer demonstrated better results than EF-7.