mortiz085

By Luz Geneston Asio, PhD Department of Agronomy, VSU, Baybay City, Leyte Eastern Samar has been consistently ranked as one of the poorest provinces in the country (www.faq.ph). A major reason for this is the low agricultural productivity due to several reasons: frequent typhoons, lack of government support, lack of political will, old farming methods, and many others. During our one-week field work in the province this July, we travelled to interior barangays, observed crop production practices and technologies, interviewed farmers and technicians to get a picture of the real reasons for the low rice productivity of the province. A poor rice farmer in San Jose village in Borongan City Very striking across most of Eastern Samar is the widespread occurrence of uncultivated or only partly cultivated alluvial lands particularly near river systems. Such lands generally have great potential for intensive and highly productive rice production due to their generally flat topography. But most...

Tropical regions occur between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The tropics include approximately 40% of the land surface and is the largest ecozone of the earth. According to Köppen (1931), the tropics are characterized by an annual mean air temperature above 18°C through­out the whole year. The largest climatic variation is introduced by the variability of precipita­tion, reaching from nearly 0 mm in the Saharan and Atacama Desert to 11,700 mm on Mt. Waialeala in Hawaii (Eswaran et al., 1992). An Afisol (Luvisol) soil derived from mudstone in Eastern Samar, Philippines According to Uehara and Gillman  (1981), "t ropical soils" is a common name used to identify any soil that occurs in the tropics. They noted that like most common names, the term lacks precision, but it is more readily understood by a larger audience than are the scientific names. In contrast, Sanchez (1976) argued against the use of the term "tropical soils" since it does not accur...

The new Philippine National Standard (PNS) for Organic Fertilizer was published in 2013 by the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS) of the Department of Agriculture (PNS/BAFPS 40:2013). According to this new PNS, Organic Fertilizer is “any product in solid or liquid form, of plant (except by-products from petroleum industries) or animal origin that has undergone substantial decomposition that can supply available nutrients to plants with a total Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) of five to seven percent (5-7%). This may be enriched by microbial inoculants and naturally occurring minerals but no chemical or inorganic fertilizer material has been added to the finished product to affect the nutrient content.” Organic Plant Growth Regulator/Promoter is “any compound of organic origin, in liquid or solid form, which in low concentration promotes or modifies physiological process in plants.” Organic Plant Supplement is “any compound of organic origin ...

The gently rolling topography which typifies a large portion of the volcanic landscape in Claveria makes it ideal for intensive large-scale vegetable production. The widely grown vegetables include cabbage, beans, tomato, sweet pepper and eggplant. The breathtaking volcanic landscape of Claveria, Misamis Oriental But the strongly weathered soils which range from Oxisols in the lower slopes (about 400 to 600 m above sea level or asl) to Ultisols in the upper slopes (about 600 to 900m asl) are a major constraint to vegetable production in the area. Oxisols (also called Ferralsols) and Ultisols (also called Alisols and Acrisols) are clayey, reddish, acidic and nutrient-poor soils although they generally have good physical properties like good structure and moderate to high porosity. As in other volcanic landscapes, the oldest and most infertile soils (Oxisols) are formed on the older and stable lower slopes. Dr. Apol & Nelds Gonzaga, Ruby Gabaca, Dr. Steve Harper & myself in fro...

Potassium (K) is second to nitrogen in terms of the amount absorbed by higher plants. Optimum K level for plant growth ranges from 2 to 5% of plant dry weight (Marschner, 1995). Unlike P, K is present in relatively large quantities in soils coming from the weathering of primary minerals such as feldspars, mica and others. But it is commonly deficient in highly weathered or old soils. Total K contents of soils range between 3000 and 100,000 kg/ha in the upper 20 cm of the soil profile (Sparks, 2000). The behavior of K in the soil is influenced primarily by CEC and mineral weathering and not by biological processes. Interrelationship of various forms of soil K (modified from Sparks, 2000) K in the soil occurs in 4 forms: solution K, exchangeable K, nonexchangeable K, and mineral K (Sparks, 2000). a) Solution K . This is the K dissolved in the soil solution. It is the form of K that is readily available to plants and soil microorganisms and also is the form of K most subject to leaching ...

Weathering is the alteration by chemical, mechanical, and biological processes of rocks and minerals at or near the Earth’s surface, in response to environmental conditions. Highly weathered soils (or strongly weathered soils) are soils that have undergone prolonged and intense weathering under the net leaching environment of the humid tropics. They are commonly found on stable and old geomorphic surfaces underlain by easily weatherable rocks such as ultrabasic and basic rocks as well as by pre-weathered sediments (Beinroth, 1982). These soils are clayey, deep, reddish, acidic, and have low nutrient status. According to Jackson et al. (1948), highly weathered soils are characterized by weathering stages of 10 to 12 wherein the clay fraction is dominated by 1:1 phyllosilicates (kaolinite & halloysite), aluminum oxide (gibbsite), and iron oxides (goethite and hematite). This mineralogical characteristic is also predicted by the “residua hypothesis” of Chesworth (1973) which states th...

Abaca plants Abaca ( Musa textilis Née), a relative of the edible banana ( Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana ), is a native to the Philippines. It is grown primarily for its fibers which are utilized by the pulp, cordage and fiber craft industries. Studies have shown that the specific tensile strength of abaca fiber is comparable to or even higher than that of fiberglass (Bledzki et al., 2007;Sinon, 2008). Dr. Marlito Bande and co-workers, in a paper to be published in the international journal Industrial Crops and Products 42:70– 77 , reported on the optimum light, nutrient and water requirements of abaca to attain optimum yield. They also discussed how these parameters affect fiber recovery and fiber quality under field conditions.  They showed that abaca planted under 50% shade had significantly (p < 0.01) higher fiber yield than those planted under the other shade/light treatments (30% and 40% of full sunlight using polypropylene shade nets) since the plants pseudostem u...

“There is a need to integrate science and local knowledge. Both are vital and can be brought together only by participation” emphasized Prof. Dr. Franz Heidhues in his concluding remarks during the International Scientific Conference on Sustainable Land Use and Rural Development in Mountain Areas held at the University of Hohenheim, Germany on 16-18 April 2012. As can be seen from the figure below, scientific knowledge becomes more relevant when it is combined with local knowledge (Barrios and Trejo, 2003). Precision & relevance of scientific and local knowledge   Ethnopedology is the study of the local knowledge on soil and land systems of rural populations, from the most traditional to the modern. Ethnopedological research covers a wide diversity of topics centered around four main issues: (1) the formalization of local soil and land knowledge into classification schemes; (2) the comparison of local and technical soil classifications; (3) the analysis of local land evaluation...

Earthworms are thought to be the most ancient soil animals having started colonizing terrestrial environments about 600 million years ago (Spain and Lavelle 2001). They are the most predominant soil fauna except in dry and cold climates. Earthworms are semiaquatic animals which extract water continuously from the surrounding soil inorder to maintain their cuticle in a moist state to facilitate gas exchange. Thus moisture status is a major limitation to earthworm activities and distribution. Spain and Lavelle (2001) reported that since earthworms live in direct and continuous contact with the soil matrix and the soil solution, their presistence, propagation and activity are greatly affected by the chemical (pH, dissolved ions) characteristics of the soil. Based on their sensitivity to soil pH, earthworms are grouped into acidophilic species (able to thrive below pH 6 such as in organic forest litter), neutrophilic species (they prefer soil pH 6 to 7) and basophi lic species (prefer b...

Mycorrhiza is the association between fungi and the roots of higher plants. The term was introduced by the German scientist A.B. Frank in 1885 (Mengel and Kirkby, 2001). Mycorrhiza is considered as the most widespread association between microorganisms and higher plants. On a global scale, between 86% and 94% of plants are mycorrhizal (Brundrett 2009). All Gymnosperms as well as 83% and 79% of dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants, respectively, are mychorrhizal (Marschner 1995). Nonmycorrhizal plants can be found in stressed soil environments (very dry or saline, waterlogged, severely disturbed as in mining areas, infertile) or even in very fertile soils. Mycorrhizas (or mycorrhizae) are absent under all environmental conditions in the Cruciferae and Chenopodiaceae (Marschner, 1995). Generally, in root-fungus association the fungus is strongly or wholly dependent on the higher plant, whereas the plant may or may not benefit from the association. It is not also essential for pla...

Soil degradation is a severe global problem of modern times. About six (6) million hectares of agricultural land worldwide become unproductive every year due to the various soil degradation processes. The problem is much more serious in tropical than in temperate areas since tropical soils are generally more prone to degradation because of the nature of their properties (e.g. they are more weathered) and the prevalent climatic conditions. Countries in Asia and Africa that depend upon agriculture as the engine of economic growth are believed to suffer the greatest impact of soil degradation. In the Philippines, soil degradation is one of the most serious ecological problems today. The National Action Plan (NAP) for 2004 to 2010 identified soil degradation as a major threat to food security in the country. NAP reported that about 5.2 million hectares are seriously degraded resulting to 30 to 50% reduction in soil productivity. A degraded upland in Leyte Soil degradation is defined as t...

By Luz Geneston-Asio, Central Analytical Services Lab, VSU, Baybay, Leyte The use of locally available and cheap organic fertilizers like chicken dung and rice hull ash which have the ability to increase crop yield and at the same time improve soil quality is becoming popular among farmers in many places in the Philippines. In addition, considering that the world demand for corn as food and feed is projected to greatly increase in the coming decades, there is a need to explore the use of such materials for corn production. We evaluated the growth and yield responses of corn to chicken dung and rice hull ash application a well as to mycorrhizal fungi inoculation. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot in Randomized Complete Block Design consisting of three replications. Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) inoculation served as the main plot while application of fertilizer was designated as the subplot. The fertilizer treatments included the following: To-control, T1-inorganic fe...

Lantana camara Linn, locally called Utot-utot , Koronitas or Kantotoy in the Philippines, is a shrub which originated from tropical America. It is considered as one of the worst invasive plant species and is a noxious weed in many parts of the world. The plant is known to suppress the regeneration of neighboring plants through allelopathic effects (by releasing volatile and non-volatile chemicals from its tissues and residues). The spread of Lantana is aided by the characteristic of its leaves which is somewhat poisonous to animals while its fruit is a delicacy for many birds which distribute the seeds (Wikipedia). In a recent study published in Geoderma journal, Ling Fan and co-workers evaluated the chemical and microbiological properties of the soil underneath the canopy of Lantana camara as well as the soil away from it. They also investigated the effect of Lantana on the growth of three neighboring plant species (ryegrass, mungbean, and radish). Results revealed that the soils ...

The National Policy Agenda on the Revitalization of Mining in the Philippines in 2004 gives top priority to the remediation and rehabilitation of abandoned mining sites all over the country. Consequently, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has identified remediation and rehabilitation of several abandoned mining sites as one of its top priorities (MGB-MESD 2006). Among all abandoned mining sites throughout the country needing urgent rehabilitation, the Bagacay Mine ranks first (MGB-MESD 2006). Bagacay Mine, located at the border of a nature reserve in the western part of Samar Island, was formerly worked for the recovery of pyrite (FeS2) and copper (Cu) for nearly 50 years until its abandonment in 1992. It exhibits many environmental problems such as heavy metal pollution of soil and water and the formation of Acid Mine Drainage. Recent efforts to rehabilitate the area by re-vegetating it with introduced trees species such as mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), ma...

Sewage sludge is the solid, semi-solid or liquid residue generated during the treatment of domestic sewage. Biosolids are the treated form of sewage sludge. The use of biosolids as soil amendments is widely seen as a way to reduce the accumulation of wastes and at the same time to enhance soil fertility for crop production. Studies have shown that the use of biosolids as soil amendment is an effective means of recovering plant nutrients and improving the physical and microbiological properties of soils. However, there are problems associated with the use of biosolids such as heavy metal contamination and nitrate pollution. Biosolids containing excessive levels of heavy metals should not be used as soil amendments. As for nitrate pollution due to excessive mineralization, Hseu and Huang (2005) proposed that this maybe avoided by regulating the annual rate of application of biosolids to soil based on crop N requirement and the anticipated net amount of organic N mineralized in the soil t...

Sago palm ( Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) is widely found in the tropical lowland forest and freshwater swamps across Southeast Asia and New Guinea. Sago, the starch extracted from the pith of sago palm stems, is a staple food for the lowland peoples of Papua New Guinea and the Moluccas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sago). In recent years, the plant has received increased scientific interest as new uses for sago starch like in the manufacture of alcohol, citric acid, bio-ethanol and biodegradable plastics are being explored. One important research issue is on how to increase sago production since, like most wild plants, the mineral nutrition of sago palm is still poorly understood. Little scientific information is also available about its response to fertilizer application. In a new study published in the international journal Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Lina and co-workers (Lina et al. 2009) found that N uptake of sago palm increased significantly but inconsistently with increasing N...