RESPONSE GROWTH AND YIELD PERFORMANCE OF EGGPLANT (Solanum

melongena) APPLIED WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF VERMICOMPOST

A research study presented to the faculty of

Iloilo State College of Fisheries – San Enrique Campus

San Enrique, Iloilo

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement

for the degree Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

2023

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 CHAPTER I

Introduction

This chapter consists of seven parts, specifically (1)

Background of the Study, (2) Objectives, (3) Statement of

the Problem, (4) Hypothesis, (5) Scope and Limitations of

the Study, (6) Significance of the Study, and (7) Definition

of Terms.

Background of the Study

Eggplant (long purple), scientifically known as Solanum

melongena, is one of the most profitable vegetable crops in

our country, particularly in our locality in Abra. Eggplant

is a short-lived perennial herb, 0.5-1.0 meter on height,

and branching inhabit. The stems are woody, especially at

the base, with hair, sometimes with a violet, tinge. The

leaves are simple, alternate, single or in pair. It bears a

flower in solitary or in 2-5 flowered cymes , It is

thickening as fruits develop. The fruits are large, have a

two locator variable in size and shape from 3-6 centimeters

in, 5-15 centimeters in long, shiny and purple, black, white

or. (Vegetables in the Tropics by H.D Tindall 1982). The

fruits are used as a common table dish prepared with eggs or

chicken, beef, pork, and other vegetables as stuffing. The

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fruits are the basic ingredients in cooking ‘pinakbet’ a

popular vegetable menu of the Ilocano. Eggplant is also used

as traditional medicine.

Maghfoer, Soelistyono, & Herlina (2015) describe that

eggplant could also be utilized as a medicine to reduce

cholesterol in the blood, and it is suitable as a diet to

regulate hypertension. Owing to the eggplant’s high nutrient

content, it is presumed is that the demand of eggplant will

increase so that the production should be increased (El-Goud

& Amar, 2020)

Eggplant remains as one of the major vegetable crops

planted in the Philippines, according to the Philippine

Statistics Authority. During the third quarter of 2022,

production of eggplant was observed at 38.63 thousand metric

tons. This was 2.3 percent higher than the 37.77 thousand

metric tons output in the same period of 2021. CALABARZON,

the leading producer of eggplant this quarter with 11.09

thousand metric tons, shared 28.7 percent to the country’s

total eggplant production. Cagayan Valley and Western

Visayas followed with 12.4 percent and 9.0 percent shares,

respectively.

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 Vermicompost can be a product formed due to the

decomposition of several organic materials by the action of

worms (Nicole et Al., 1998). The predominant species that

can act on the organic waste are earthworms, white worms and

red worms. It is important to produce a mixture of

decomposing fruits and vegetable.(Sherman et al., 2018 and

Sundararsu et al., 2019). The vermicast and bedding

materials are very important in the process of

vermicomposting. The process of raining earthworms can be

called vermiculture (Astrid et al., 1985).

Growth and yield of every crop depends on different

factors like soil quality, weather and climatic condition,

fertilizer and pesticide application, crop management. Among

these factors, it is necessary to have an appropriate soil

and sufficient nutrients for the proper growth and

production of eggplant.

This research study will be conducted for the reason

that the researchers would like to know the response growth

and yield performance of eggplant applied with different

levels of vermicompost. And also, due to the lack of studies

related or similar to the topic.

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Objectives

This study will be conducted to assess the growth

performance of eggplant influenced with different levels of

vermicompost.

In particular, this study will be carry out to evaluate the

following:

1. Plant height (cm) of eggplant as influenced with

different levels of vermicompost.

2. Number of leaves of eggplant as applied with different

levels of vermicompost.

3. Number of fruits of eggplant as applied with different

levels of vermicompost.

4. Weight of fruits of eggplant as applied with different

levels of vermicompost.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the response growth and

yield of eggplant as applied with different levels of

vermicompost.

Specifically, this study aims to answer the following

questions:

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 1. What would be the plant height of eggplant as applied

by different levels of vermicompost?

2. What would be the number of leaves of eggplant as

influenced by the different levels of vermicompost?

3. How many fruits would the eggplant have as applied with

different levels of vermicompost?

4. Would there be a significant difference in the growth

and yield performance of eggplant as applied with

different levels of vermicompost?

Hypothesis

1. There is no significant difference between the growth

and yield performance of eggplant and the application

of different levels of vermicompost.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study will focused in gathering data and information

about the response growth and yield of eggplant applied with

different levels of vermicompost.

This study will cover an experimental of 475m² that will

be laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)

with three replications. There will be four plots in the

experimental field with 360 hills. There will be five

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treatments that the researchers will apply to evaluate the

growth and yield of eggplant.

This study is to be conducted for 15 to 22 weeks in Crop

Science Laboratory Field, Iloilo State College of Fisheries

San Enrique Campus, San Enrique, Iloilo.

Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is to give knowledge and

information to the following:

Students. This research study would give information and

knowledge about the response growth and yield performance of

lady’s finger as applied with different levels of swine

manure compost.

Professors. This study will help the professors to assess or

guide their students and future researchers in the field of

their study related to the commodity used.

Parents. This study will give information and knowledge to

the parents on how the growth and yield performance of

eggplant as applied by different levels of vermicompost.

Future Researchers. This study will serve and guide future

researchers in their similar kind of topic as the basis for

their study.

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Community. This study will serve as a source of information

for the community so that they will have knowledge regarding

the response growth and yield performance of eggplant as

applied with different levels of vermicompost. This study

could also help the community especially the local.farmers

in determining the significant level of vermicompost that is

suitable and should be use in order to produce a high yield

of eggplant.

Definition of Terms

Vermicompost. Is the product of the decomposition process

using various species of worms, usually red wigglers, white

worms, and other earthworms, to create a mixture of

decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and

vermicast. This process is called vermicomposting, while the

rearing of worms for this purpose is called vermiculture.

In this study, vermicompost refers to the treatment use

in the study to evaluate the growth and yield performance of

eggplant.

Growth. The act or process, or a manner of growing;

development; gradual increase.

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 In this study, the word growth refers to the development

of the plant that will be measure through the plant’s height

and number of leaves.

Yield. Is a measurement of the amount of a crop grown, or

product such as wool, meat or milk produced, per unit area

of land.

In this study, yield refers to the amount of crop

produced that will be measure through plant’s weight and

number of fruits.

Performance. Refers to how successful an investment,

company, etc. is and how much profit it makes:

In this study, performance will be measure through the

growth and yield production of eggplant and the parameters

related to it.

CHAPTER II

This chapter presents the Review of Related Literature

and Review of Related Studies associated with this research

study.

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 Review of Related Literature

Vermicompost

The conventional use inorganic fertilizers is expensive

and growers are looking towards alternative inputs such as

compost, manures, and crop residues to improve/maintain soil

fertility. There is a need to improve nutrient management by

eggplant growers to manage inputs more efficiently. The use

of vermicompost and worm juice is becoming popular issue as

part of integrated nutrient and pest management in

vegetables particularly in Solanaceous Crops. Eggplant

(Solanum melongena L.) is cultivated for the immature fruits

which are either roasted, fried, stuffed, cooked pickled or

processed. Young fruits are also eaten raw (Mercado,

Edralin, et al,)

In the study of Adhikary (2012), earthworm has caught

imagination of philosophers like Pascal and Thoreau. Yet,

its role in the nutrition of agricultural fields has

attracted attention of researchers worldwide only in recent

decades. Waste management is considered as an integral part

of a sustainable society, thereby necessitating diversion of

biodegradable fractions of the societal waste from landfill

into alternative management processes such as

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vermicomposting. Earthworms excreta (vermicast) is a

nutritive organic fertilizer rich in humus, NPK,

micronutrients, beneficial soil microbes; nitrogen-fixing,

phosphate solubilizing bacteria, actinomycets and growth

hormones auxins, gibberlins & cytokinins. Both vermicompost

& its body liquid (vermiwash) are proven as both growth

promoters & protectors for crop plants. We discuss about the

worms composting technology, its importance, use and some

salient results obtained in the globe so far in this review

update of vermicompost research (Adhikary S. 2012)

According to Pathma and Sakthivel (2012), Vermicompost is

a finely divided, peat like material with high porosity,

good aeration, drainage, water holding capacity, microbial

activity, excellent nutrient status and buffering capacity

thereby resulting the required physiochemical characters

congenial for soil fertility and plant growth. Vermicompost

enhances soil biodiversity by promoting the beneficial

microbes which in turn enhances plant growth directly by

production of plant growth-regulating hormones and enzymes

and indirectly by controlling plant pathogens, nematodes and

other pests, thereby enhancing plant health and minimizing

the yield loss. Due to its innate biological, biochemical

and physiochemical properties, vermicompost may be used to

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promote sustainable agriculture and also for the safe

management of agricultural, industrial, domestic and

hospital wastes which may otherwise pose serious threat to

life and environment.

In the book of Singh (2022), vermicast comprises worm

excreta, worm humus and worm castings. This can be a product

of the cleavage of organic matter with the help of

earthworms. These castings when analyzed reduced levels of

toxic substances and it was also reported that there is a

high level of nutrients saturation. Vermicast contains

nutrients that can be classified as water-solluble. It can

be used as organic fertilizer that is rich in nutrients. It

can be used as a soil conditioner. Vermicompost products can

be used in sustainable farming and organic farming at small

scales(Zhang et al.,2020).

The vermicompost can act as an effective soil

conditioner and can be attributed to several factors

governing the mechanisms of microbial assisted

decomposition. Vermicompost can be directly mixed into the

soil or it can be used as liquid fertilizers. The liquid

fertilizers that are produced using vermicompost derivatives

and products can be called worm tea. Vermicompost is used as

an effective input for sustainable agriculture. Owing to

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several potential benefits of vermicompost there were

several studies done in this direction.

The tropical soils are mostly deficient In the nutrients

that are required by the plants at large. Vermicomposting

can be classified as the easiest way to recycle agricultural

waste and otherwise generated from human populations. Most

of the eartworms can consume biomass and excrete worm

castings that can be called black gold. These castings are

rich in soil microflora growth- promoting substances and

nutrients. Vermicast can be considered as a table product

that can definitely improve the soil quality. This has

become a crucial part of the organic farming systems.

Eggplant

Eggplants grow best in compost-rich, fertile soil under

the full sun. Eggplant is a hot weather vegetable that you

can grow in small gardens or containers. Vegetable plants

produce the most when they have access to a lot of

nutrients. So, you should check the main fertilizer

ingredients that your plants thrive on. Let’s check out the

best fertilizer for eggplant.

Feeding eggplants during their growing and fruiting

stages improve the overall health of the plant. Healthy

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eggplants produce large fruits in large quantities. Also,

some types of eggplant can reduce bitterness due to pressure

from fertilizer plants while growing. Fertilizer is

important for eggplant, especially if you want to get as

much as you can from them. You should regularly fertilize

your eggplants to ensure they can grow to the best of their

ability. If you don’t give them the nutrients they need,

they will become weak and don’t produce eggplants.

According to Dr. Hoa (2011), in his study, four eggplant

(Solanum melongena L.) cultivars were grown in 2007 spring

cropping season at Hanoi University of Agriculture to

investigate their response to organic fertilizer (containing

0.37% N, 0.95% P and 1.8% K) in comparison with reduced

organic fertilization and traditional practice of fertilizer

application (completely inorganic) in terms of growth and

fruit yield and quality traits. Organic fertilizer was

obtained from microbial composting of organic agricultural

and domestic wastes. It was found that organic fertilizer

application for eggplant appeared to be superior to chemical

fertilizers in terms of vegetative growth, fruit yield and

quality attributes. Organic fertilizer slightly shortened

the days from planting to flowering and improved the yield

components and total marketable fruit yield in most of the

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cultivars investigated. Fruit dry matter content was higher

and the taste better in organic treatment in all cultivars,

particularly of local cultivar. Organic fertilizer can be

recommended as full substitute for chemical fertilizers in

eggplant production.

Summary

The related literature contained in this study presents

the efficacy of vermicompost applied in crops especially to

eggplant. The studies shown propose that vermicompost

application to crops is an effective way to promote organic

agriculture and farming in order to reduce the use of

synthetic or inorganic fertilizer. Application of

vermicompost increased growth, improved plants nutrient

content, and improved the quality of the fruits and seeds.

It also concluded the beneficial nutrients and minerals

found in vermicompost and its effect to the soil and the

crop. Also, these studies presents the importance of

eggplant, its nutritional benefits and value to human

health.

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 CHAPTER III

Methodology

This chapter presents the research materials and methods,

experimental design and treatments, cultural management and

procedures, other practices, data to be gathered, and

statistical tools and analysis. The researchers carefully

choose the research instruments and methods that will be use

to produce a beneficial research. This chapter also presents

the process of how researchers will gather and collect data

regarding of this study.

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Materials and Methods

In order to evaluate the growth and yield performance of

eggplant applied of vermicompost, a research study with an

area of 475m² in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)

with three replications will be conducted in Crop Science

Laboratory Field, Iloilo State College of Fisheries San

Enrique Campus.

The researchers will use the following materials or

instruments to gather and analyze data; vermicompost,360

eggplant seeds, seedling tray, trowels, spade, hoe, shovel,

pail, meter stick, weighing scale, sprayer, and sprinkler.

To collect and obtain the accurate data needed for the

study, the researchers will use Randomized Complete Block

Design (RCBD).

Experimental Design and Treatments

In conducting the study, the researchers will use the

Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) as an experimental

research design. RCBD is a standard design for agricultural

experiments in which similar experimental units are grouped

into blocks or replicates. It is used to control variation

in an experiment by, for example, accounting for spatial

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effects in field or greenhouse. The defining feature of the

RCBD is that each block sees each treatment exactly once

(Grant, 2019).

An experimental area of 475m² will be laid out in a RCBD

with three replications. There will be four plots in the

experimental field with 360 hills. Each plot measures 25 m²,

and an alleyway

between plots and blocks that both measures 1 m. The

treatment will be designated as follows:

T⁰- Control (without application of vermicompost)

T¹- 2.5 tons ha–¹ vermicompost

T²- 3.0 tons ha–¹ vermicompost

T³- 3.5 tons ha–¹ vermicompost

REPLICATION

I II III

B C D
D A B
18 A D C
 C B A
Figure 1. The Experimental Layout of the Study

Cultural Management Practices and Procedures

This section includes the preparation of soil media,

sowing of seeds, hardening of seedlings, transplanting,

collection of vermicompost, application of vermicompost,

weeding and cultivation, water management, pest control,

harvesting and weighing.

Preparation of Soil Media. Soil media will be prepared by

mixing one part garden soil, one part mudpress and one part

of rice straw. Soil media will be sterilized to kill soil

microbes, and then will be place in seedling tray and ready

for sowing.

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 Sowing of Seeds. Sowing of seeds will be done in a

seedling tray using the soil media, one seed per hole.

Watering will be done immediately to keep the soil moist.

Care and management of the seedlings will be observe until

ready for transplanting.

Hardening of Seedlings. Hardening of seedlings will be

done by gradual exposure to sunlight for a week before

transplanting to avoid or lessen the stress during

transplanting.

Transplanting. Transplanting of eggplant seedlings will

be done 30 to 35 days after sowing, during late afternoon to

minimize transplanting shock. Thirty (30) seedlings will be

planted per plot. Proper care and management will be follow.

Collection of Vermicompost. The researchers will collect

67.5 kg or 1.35 sack of vermicompost from a vermicomposting

farm.

Application of Vermicompost. Application of vermicompost

will be done on the plant’s soil medium after one week of

transplanting. Vermicompost will be applied depending on the

treatment. Each treatment will have different amount of

vermicompost based on kilograms.

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 Weeding and Cultivation. Cultural method will be applied

such as hand weeding which will be done as often as

necessary to control destructive and fast growing weeds. The

first hand weeding will be done one week after seedlings are

transplanted which allow them already to establish in the

soil.

Water Management. Watering will be done in the morning

and in the afternoon with the use of the sprinkler. This

will be done everyday or as need arises.

Pest Control. Pest control will be done with the use of

combination of dishwashing liquid soap and vinegar to

control pests and insects. This will be diluted in water and

spray to the plants during the pest occurrence, and at the

same time, hand picking will be practice.

Harvesting. Harvesting be done as soon as the fruits are

ripe, already in desirable size, firm, glossy and shiny

skin. Harvesting will be after 70 to 85 days after

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transplanting tge seedlings. Post-harvest management will be

observe as well as weighing and counting of fruits.

Data to be Gathered

Plant Height. The plant height will be determined by

measuring the plant from its base up to the tip most part of

the highest leaf. This was done one week after transplanting

and was repeated with seven day interval until flower

initiation.

Number of Leaves The number of leaves that will develop

from the main stem of the representative plant samples per

treatment will be counted. This will be taken one to three

weeks after germination.

Total Number of Fruits Harvested. The total number of

fruits harvested will be determined by counting the number

of fruits per treatment every harvest until the end of the

study and was summed up after the termination of the study.

Weight of Harvested Fruits. The weight of harvested fruits

per treatment will be determine by weighing the fruits per

harvest and summed up after the termination of the study.

Weight of Marketable Fruits. The weight of marketable

fruits per harvest will be determine by weighing the

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saleable fruits after separating from the rejected fruits

with the used of a digital weighing scale, and was summed up

after the termination of the study.

Statistical Tools and Analysis

The data on the response growth and yield of eggplant

applied with different levels of vermicompost will be

analyze systematically using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)

for Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD).

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References:

Rajesh Singh. 2022. Fertilizer Application to Crops. Page

150-155. Retrieved on December 2022.

Jubert S. Gannapao. 2022. Different Rates of Vermicast

Application in Eggplant (Solanum melongena) Supplemented

with Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata). Retrieved on

December 2022, from

https://www.aseanresearch.org/downloads/iamri/publication/2/

ART%202%20GANNAPAO.pdf.

Zabrina J. Bugnosen. 2022. Philippines Approves Bt Eggplant

for Commercial Cultivation. Retrieved on December 2022, from

https://www.isaaa.org/blog/entry/default.asp?

BlogDate=10/26/2022#:~:text=During%20the%20second%20quarter

%20of,quarter%20of%20the%20previous%20year.

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Philippine Statistics Authority. Major Vegetables and Root

Crops Quarterly Bulletin, July-September 202. Retrieved on

December 2022, from https://psa.gov.ph/vegetable-root-crops-

main/eggplant

Vermicompost. Retrieved on December 2022 from

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermicompost

Crop Yield. Retrieved on December 2022 from

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_yield

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