VERMICOMPOSTING: ALTERNATIVE TO COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER
JAYMAR E. BANTAN
MAY 2023
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Nations across globe struggle to remediate agricultural lesses due to covid -19 pandemic.
Disruptions of supply chain continue to place a toll an agricultural input marker, like
availability and cost like the inputs. In fertilizer, prices have exploded over the past recent years
(outlaw Bryant, Raulston, Knapek, Herbst & Fischer, 2022).
According to agricultural and food policy center (2022), baseline outlook reveals that
nitrogen prices significantly increased by 10% from 2021 to 2022. Current spot markers, prices
appear fertilizer prices increase in excess of 80% for the 2022 planting season.
Recently, farmers witnessed a sharp increase of fertilizer prices worldwide. International
prices of fertilizer marked up from 216 dollar/Mt in 2022 to 393.25 dollar/Mt in 2023. Global
fertilizer soared from 263 dollar/Mt in 2022-to-604.75-dollar Mt in 2023 (Mula & Coronado,
2023).
In the Philippines, fertilizer six (6) major fertilizer grades like Muriate of potash which
increase 18% per bag, Diammonium Phosphate to 20% per bag complete fertilizer of 24% per
bag. Ammonium Sulfate of 38% per bag (Roldan, Mula, Lansangan, Layag, 2023).
With the significant increase of fertilizer prices, farmers sought alternatives to reduce
farming cost without compromising the fertility of the soil and agricultural sustainability. Aside
from nutrients supply, organic fertilizer as alternative fertilizers improve soil structure, texture
work holding capacity. Organic fertilizer includes poultry cattle manure, as well as green
manure (Brempong & Addodanso, 2021).
Vermicompost as an organic fertilizer, is a product of earthworm digestion and aerobic
decomposition. It produces a rich organic soil amendments containing a diversity of plant
nutrients and beneficial microorganism (Carr, 2016).
However, a number of researchers expounded the vermicompost is generally thought to
be slow releasing fertilizer and contain trace elements that lead to over fertilization or nutrients
deficiency of the soil making a small number of farmers to patronize it, (Elsevier, 2023).
With the value above related studies, researchers is inclined to examine the feasibility of
vermicomposting in improving agricultural markers among farmers of the Municipality of
Hinoba-an. The research study is intended to provide an alternative farming fertilizer with a
cheaper farming cost without compromising the quality and viability of soil nutrients and
composition.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study seeks to provide an alternative fertilizer of the same quality and efficiency
but of lesser farming cost.
Specially, this delves answers for the following essential questions:
1. What is the average growth rate (in terms of height) of the sample when grouped according to:
a. Vermicompost
b. Urea
2. What is the average leaf growth rate of the samples when grouped according to:
a. Vermicompost
b. Urea
3. Is there significant difference between the growth rates of sample in vermicompost and urea
in terms of:
a. Average growth rate
b. Average leaf growth rate
HYPOTHESIS
With the above essential questions, researcher impose the null hypothesis.
There is no significant difference between the growth rate of the samples in
Vermicompost and Urea in terms of height and average leaf growth rate.
This construes that, the researcher believed that Vermicompost is an alternative of
commercial fertilizers.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS
This study, vermicomposting is the scientific method of making compost by using
earthworm organic waste converted into manure rich in high nutritional/ content. Organic waste
is a vermicompost is reach in nitrates and minerals such as phosphorus magnesium and
potassium when are used as fertilizer and enhanced soil quality (Karthile, 2023).
Vermicomposting, as an organic farming method is regarded as clean sustainable and
zero waste approach to manage organic waste and produce alternative fertilizer for soil fertility
and plant growth it is one of the best organic matter recycling options as it offers an
environmentally sound strategy to obtain product of premium values enrich with all sort of type
bioactive compound (Sharma & Garg ,2019).
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The pandemic marked a major shift in agricultural aspect of the world. Impacts of
COVID-19, include producers to face increasing of production cost and supply chain
disruptions. In fertilizers, costs increase over 60% higher that is in sharp contrast to fertilizers
cost before the pandemic (Rabinowitz, 2022).
In the Philippines, the fourteenth congress promulgated R.A 10068 known as Organic
Agriculture Act, to promote, propagates, develop further and implement the practice of organic
agriculture that will cumulatively condition and enrich the fertility of the soil, increase farm
productivity reduce pollution and further protect the health of the farmers (official Gazette of
the Philippines, 2020).
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The researcher of the study examine the feasibility of the vermicomposting as an
alternative fertilizer of commercial fertilizer also he believes it will benefit to the following:
Farmers . They will engage in organic farming innovation and give them useful insight about
organic farming.They will also give them an avenue to try options to deduct cost as well harm
free approaches.
Cpsu Hinobaan.The school is well known for offering courses related to agriculture and
forestry. Result of the study will educated the entire that is there is an organic option for
everything.
Future researchers. This study will made basis and a point of reference of conducting similar
topic .This will open their mind to innovate researchers on vermicomposting to further foster
organic farming.
SCOPE AND DELIMITATION
This study about vermicomposting examines whether this organic approach to farming can be
an alternative to synthetic fertilizer, urea specially.
This study is conducted in the municipality of Hinobaan, second semester A.Y .2022-2023 of
Cpsu Hinobaan campus.
The conduct of the study to whether the organic farming approach can be alternative is
limited only in average leaf growth rate of the sample plants. The researchers will use
mathematical formula of ( Carberry 2020)
Fer average growth rate
GR=S1 -S2 ÷ T
Where S1- measurements 15 days after the implementation
Where S2-measurement 30 days after the implementation
T-number of days between measurements
DIFINITION OF TERMS
For the better understanding key terms are defined:
Average leaf growth rate . This refers to the growth of leaves ( samples ) from specified
number of time and after the implementation to the another specified time .Their constitute
surface per leaf (sample) using into length and width (Carberry 2022)
Operationally. This one of the dependent variables that will be made basis by the researchers to
whether or not vermicomposting is a feasible alternative of commercial fertilizer.
Operationally,this term refers to the height of the plant at specified number of the time form the
first to second measurements.
Urea. This is a fertilizer most important for nitrogen supply (Indoram corporation 2023)
This is conventional fertilizer used by the farmers and an independent variables to be made
basis , whether the experiment sample is feasible.
Vermicompost.This type of composting in which species of earthworms are to used to enhance
the process of organic waste convention (Zafar 2020).
This is the experimental group to test whether,it can be feasible alternative of commercial
fertilizer.
CHAPTER 2 : REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Vermicomposting or worm composting turn kitchen scraps and other green waste into a rich
and dark soil that smell like earth. It' is made of pure worm casting .Vermicmpost is not only
rich in nutrients also loaded with microorganism that create and maintain healthy soil (Clemson
University, 2023)
A wide range of organic residues like livestock wastes ,organi bitter ,diary waste ,food
processing waste , organic praction, bagause and plants biogas can be used vermicompost .
Earthworm consume organic waste and reduce volume by 40-60% each earthworm weight
about 0.5-0.6 grams eats waste equivalent to it's body weight and produces 50% of the waste it
consume a day.The moisture content of casting ranges between 32 and 66% and the pit it
around 7 (Zafar ,2020).
Vermicomposting technique pursues creation of top notch compost , participates solid waste
management, increases soil fertility, support organic farming increases food output and
distribute organic options among farmers. The prevalense of agricultural illness causes by
commercial fertilizer is reduced by vermicomposting.Its prevent biowaste from being dumped
in landpills and instead of turn into usable materials ( Housing new derle 2023).
According to verified market research (2021) ,global vermicompost was valued and witnessed
significant growth over the past years increasingly the use of vermicompost.
Vermicompost grower rapidly for it improve soil aeration,water holding capacity better
nutrients cycle enrichd soil/ with microorganisms help in plants root growth and structure and
enhanced germination.Furthermore vermicompost brought average increases of 20 %
commercial yield,10 % in total biomass 78% in school biomass and 52% in root biomass the
position effect of vermicompost reached a maximum of 30% to 50% of soil volume,
vermicompost provides beneficial effect on plants growth could help bring waste management
and agriculture together towards a society with a more circular economy ( Blouin ,Barrere, &
Marthiev ,2019).
ON VERMICOMPOST AND AVERAGE GROWTH RATE
Vermicompost stimulates to influence microbial activity of soil increases the availability of
oxygen , maintens auspicious soil temperature, increases soil porosity and infiltrations of water ,
improves nutrients content and increases growth ,yield and quality of plants ( Rekha , kaleena &
Maherwari,2018).
According to Heliyon (2022) , survival rate and growth enhancement are crucial in a plant.
Addition of vermicompost recorded best result the most vegetative plants. Vermicompost at
75% at peat moss at 25% gave highest minerals content values . It proves to be a novel culture
medium for enhancing plant growth.
Vermicompost effectively promotes plant growth including stem diameter and plant height
compared composed with fertilizer treatment it also improves fruit quality in different type of
soil and increases sugar/ acid ratio and decreases nitrate concentration in fresh fruit.
Vermicompost can be recommended as to improved plant growth rate and soil quality
( Wang ,Zhao ,& Zhang ,2017).
In the study of Ceretogle, Sahin, and Erman ( 2018) . Vermicompost product confer plant
nutrients various hormones, enzymes,humic substances and organic matter to the soil .
Vermicompost is encourage to organic farming for it has positive effects on the plant growth
and soil ventilation.
In addition,extensive application of agrochemicals for crop production and protection has
negatively by affected by soil health crops productivity and the environment. This
vermicompost offer a sustainable approach to plant nutrition,soil health and fertility ( Rehman,
Castro ,Aprite , Benedeth, & Famizzi,2023).
On vermicomposting and average leaf growth
Vermicomposting is an environmentally and economically friendly process to decompose
organic waste . At significant plants leaf growth was recorded in plants treated with
vermicompost.It contains combination of macro and micronutrients and the uptake of nutrients
has relevant effect on plants nutrition leaf development and chlorophyll content of the leaves
( Relcha, Kaleena ,& Macheswari 2018).
Organic fertilizer has been recognize in agriculture for maintaysoil fertility and crop
productivity. Vermicompost is an organic process how becoming an interesting approach and
proven to be effectived means of improving soil structure leading to favorable leaf growth and
development of plants ( Gashaw ,2019 )
In the study of Ebrahimi , Soun and Sahebani (2021) result that soil amendments with
vermicompost showed best plants growth and performance. The highest level of physiological
features l like leaf size and growth were noted in soil vermicompost amendments.
HYPOTHESIS
Vermicompost capacity and efficiency has been long acknowledgement by agricultural
authorities to have undeniable significant contribution to farming . People farmers to be exact
settled for commercial fertilizer for it' is readily available on the farming markets ,lack of formal
dessimination of information about vermicompost processses made farmers to question and
doubt the innate tengency of vermicomposting to soil fertility, sustainable nutrients,water
holding capacity and crop productivity.
The experimental research is use to make farmers gauge organic farming as well as educate
and due process of vermicomposting. Readily commercial fertilizer contributes to a successful
farming yet though this research farmers will introduced alternatives which are cheaper and safe