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Abstract
Long-term research was conducted from 2013 to 2023 to assess the effect of varying rates of vermicompost on soil properties and on growth and yield of selected vegetables in hillyland soils of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management-National Soil and Water Resources Research and Development Center for Hillyland Pedo-ecological Zone (BSWM-NSWRRDC HILLPEZ), Cuyambay, Tanay, Rizal. Tomato, pole sitao and bell pepper were used as test crops and rotated across years of continuous cropping. The experiments were carried-out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replicates. The treatments include T1 - control (no vermicompost application), T2 - 10 tons/ha commercial vermicompost (CVC) (recommended rate (RR), T3 - 10 tons/ha Centerโs produced vermicompost (VC) (RR), T4 - 5 tons/ha VC (0.5 RR), T5 - 15 tons/ha VC (1.5 RR) and T6 - 20 tons/ha VC (2.0 RR). Results revealed that continuous application of vermicompost significantly improved soil pH, organic matter and macronutrients (NPK). Significant effect on most of the parameters was particularly observed starting on third cropping. At least 5 tons/hectare is required to improve several soil properties over time, and increasing the rate resulted to better results. Significant yield increase of tomato and pole sitao started to be observed during the second year. For tomato, applying 10-20 tons/hectare of vermicompost resulted to 13.92-23.62 t/ha of marketable yield during fourth trial. For pole sitao, applying 5 tons/hectare of vermicompost resulted to 11.39 t/ha of marketable yield during the third trial. For the type of vermicompost used in the long-term research, at least 10 t/ha for tomato and 5 t/ha for pole sitao can significantly improve crop yields. Sole use of vermicompost is not recommended for the varieties of bell pepper used in the trials given the low yields recorded regardless of cropping season and rate of vermicompost. The ability of vermicompost was documented in this project to improve soil health and provide nutrients essential for crop growth and productivity. Aside from using purely organic fertilizers, Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Strategy (ABFS) which combines inorganic, organic and biofertilizers is recommended to achieve higher crop productivity, reduce cost of fertilizer inputs, and increase profitability while sustaining soil health
NSWRRDC HILLPEZ Wins Big at the 2024 BSWM's Agency
NSWRRDC HILLPEZ Wins Big at the 2024 BSWM's Agency
In-House Review of Completed R & D Projects/Studies
In-House Review of Completed R & D Projects/Studies
By Marco T. Macopia
Fresh from last yearโs win for the Best Paper: Research Category, the National Soil and Water Resources Research and Development Center (NSWRRDC) for Hillyland Pedo-Ecological Zone (HILLPEZ) clinched once again the Best Paper Award in this yearโs FY 2024 Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) Agency In-House Review of Completed R&D Projects/Studies โ this time for both Research and Development categories.
The "๐๐ค๐ฃ๐-๐๐๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐ฉ ๐ผ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐จ, ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌ๐ฉ๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค-๐๐๐ค๐ก๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐," Project won the Best Paper Award: Research Category; and the โ๐พ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ซ๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ค๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐จ๐ (๐พ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ 1)โ secured the Best Paper Award: Development Category which was conferred during the BSWM 73rd anniversary culminating program on 05 June 2024 at the BSWM, Lopez Hall.
The Papers were presented by ๐๐จ๐ณ๐ช๐ค๐ถ๐ญ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐๐ @Aubrey Ann B. Ayaton-Carneo and ๐๐จ๐ณ๐ช๐ค๐ถ๐ญ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ Joven P. Espineli, respectively on 16 May 2024 at the BSWM Function Room. They were expertly scrutinized by external evaluators from different agencies/institutions โ Dr. Candido B. Damo of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Dr. Jayvee Cruz-Kitma and Mr. Jovino L. De Dios of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and Maria Teresa I. De Guzman of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).
Led by the Soil and Water Resources Research Division Chief Dr. Karen S. Bautista, and NSWRRDC HILLPEZ Center Chief Joven P. Espineli, the "L๐ค๐ฃ๐-๐๐๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐ฉ ๐ผ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐จ, ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌ๐ฉ๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค-๐๐๐ค๐ก๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐" investigated the effect of continuous application of vermicompost on soil properties and on growth and yield of selected vegetables which are commonly produced in the country under the hillyland pedo-ecological zone condition, a vital area of study given the challenges posed by such landscape to traditional farming practices.
Meanwhile, the โ๐พ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ซ๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ค๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐จ๐ (๐พ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ 1)โ, a component of the project โ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ค๐๐ช๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ค๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ,โ developed a database of the Philippine Hillyland Pedo-Ecological Zone through inventory, compilation, and updating of maps and biophysical information of hillylands which can serve as a basis for recommendation on sustainable land management practices.
The success of the NSWRRDC HILLPEZ Projects underscores the importance of long-term research and collaborative efforts in addressing the challenges faced by agricultural communities, particularly in landscapes with unique characteristics like the Hillyland Pedo-Ecological Zone. As the spotlight shines on their transformative work incessantly, the NSWRRDC HILLPEZ continues to inspire and lead the way towards a more sustainable and prosperous future for marginal hillyland agriculture.
The BSWM Management headed by Director Gina P. Nilo and Assistant Director Denise A. Solano has consistently been keen in the agencyโs pursuit of producing quality research studies that will significantly and notably contribute to the attainment of its Mandate on the sustainable management of soil and water resources for agriculture.
Want to know more about this project? Just send us an email at nswrrdc.hillyland@bswm.da.gov.ph
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