PERFORMANCE OF PECHAY (Brassica rapa) AS INFLUENCED BY THE SOIL

MIXTURE (Compost, Sieved sand, Garden soil, and Carbonized Rice Hull)

ERICHA MAE L. MINASALBAS

Grade-12 Sapphire

2018
 INTRODUCTION

Pechay is cabbage and one of the most known vegetables in the Philippines

with the scientific name of Brassica rapa. It is consumed as raw and cooked. It is

taken in raw to prevent possible loss of its nutritional value when heated. It is also

good as a hobby for limited space adopting the very popular vertical gardening with

the use of recycled containers as potting media. And usually pechay is the common

to grow in hydroponics.

Application of organic fertilizers such as soil mixture is the best way of

farming, because it is an ecofriendly; it has a best nutritional value and we can get a

higher income with a low of expenses. In mature soil, crops respond more to the

addition of organic fertilizers than to the synthetics. Likewise, the use of commercial

compost fertilizer is recommended for higher growth and yield for the commercial

production of pechay.

The objective of the study is to determine the performance of 10 hills of

pechay as influenced by soil mixture.

 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

History of Pechay

Pechay originated from China, inhabiting a vast amount of the land. It has

been introduced to the Europe and is formed for people who love rich the bitterness

of this plant. (Ronduen 2017)

Botanical Description

Pechay is an erect, biennial herb, cultivated as annual about 15-30 cm tall in

vegetative stage. Pechay has many soft, thin, light green. Broad to oblong ovate

leaves. These are arrange spirally and spreading; it is immature but fully expanded

tender leaves.

Soil and Climatic Requirements

Pechay thrives in well-drained, moisture-retentive, and loamy supplied with

organic matter. It does not grow well in highly acidic soil. The ideal soil pH ranges

from 5.5 to 6.5 and it should not be allowed to drop below 4.5. Pechay is also

adapted to a wide variety of weather conditions and can as such be grown thought

out the year in most religious. (Ronduen 2017)

Nutritional Value of Pechay

Pechay has 20.5 milligrams of vitamin C, which improves the immune system

and vitamin K which contributes to the clotting of your blood and might also help to

strengthen your bones. (William McCoy 2015)

Organic Fertilizer Application

The compost that was applied on the soil media has the role of growing

pechay. It has a nutrient in which it can improve the performance of the crops, such

as it inoculates the soil with nitrogen fixing bacteria which is much needed on the

leafy vegetables. (Red River, 2015)

Compost was applied during land preparation.

 METHODOLOGY

Cultural Practices and Managements

Land Preparation

The media were equally prepared and thoroughly mixed using shovel, then 1

sack of the medium was used to the study.

Planting

Seeds was sown and transplanted on the sack. The distance between hills

and rows was 4 cm. Planting rate is one, to make the nutrients supply suitable to the

crops.

Water Management

Watering was done thrice a week or as the need arises.

Weeding

Weeding was done once a week to prevent the crops on pests and spreading

of diseases and to avoid competition of the weeds from the crops by handpicking.

Cultivation was done during the time of weeding to soften the soil using stick.

Harvesting

Harvesting was do during the maturity indices of the pechay.

 DATA GATHERED

Plant Height (cm)

This was taken from the ten sample plants by measuring from the base up to

the highest tip of the leaves, 7 days interval until 45 days after transplanting.

Plant Weight (g)

This was obtained by weighing the ten sample plants of pechay.

Number of Leaves

Number of leaves was taken from the ten sample plants by counting the

leaves.

Number of Insects

This was obtained by counting harmful and beneficial insects in the area.
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1. Data on Plant Height of 10 Sample Plants of Pechay as influenced by the

soil mixture of Compost, Garden soil, and sieved sand.

Sample Plants Plant Height

1 260cm

2 230cm

3 273cm

4 300cm

5 236cm

6 203cm

7 255cm

8 302cm

9 275cm

10 261cm

Grand Total 2,595cm

Grand Mean 259.5cm

Table 1 shows the among plant height of sample plant 1, with 260cm and

sample plant 10 with 261cm are nearest to the said mean of 259.5cm. The tallest

height was attained by sample plant 8 with 302cm, followed by the sample plant 4

with 300cm, sample plant 9 with 275cm, sample plant 3 with 273cm, sample plant 10

with 261cm, sample plant 1 with 260cm, sample plant 7 with 255cm, sample plant 5

with 236cm, sample plant 2 with 230cm, and the shortest plant height was attained in

sample plant 6 with 203cm.

Table 2. Data on Plant Weight of 10 Sample Plants of Pechay as influenced by the

soil mixture of Compost, Garden soil, and sieved sand.

Sample Plant Plant Weight

1 80g

2 90g

3 60g

4 80g

5 45g

6 50g

7 50g

8 50g

9 90g

10 100g

Grand-total 775g

Grand-mean 77.5g

Table 2 shows the among plant weight of 1 and 3 sample plants with 80g are

the nearest to the grand mean of 77.5g. The heaviest plant weight was obtained by

sample plant 5 and 10 with 100g, followed by the 3 consecutive sample plants which

is the 2, 4, and 9 with 90g, sample plant 7 and 8 with 50g, and the lightest plant

weight was attained by sample plant 6 with 45g.

 Table 3. Data on Number of Leaves of 10 Sample Plants of Pechay as influenced

by the soil mixture of Compost, Garden soil, and sieved sand.

Sample Plant No. of Leaves

1 14

2 13

3 10

4 11

5 15

6 11

7 9

8 11

9 12

10 11

Grand-total 117

Grand-mean 11.7

Table 2 shows among number of leaves of sample plant 9 with 12 is the

nearest to the grand mean of 11.7. The more number of leaves was obtained by

sample plant 5 with 15, followed by the sample plant 1 with 14, sample plant 2 with

13, then the 4 consecutive sample plants which is the 4, 6, 8, and 10 with 11 leaves,

followed by sample plant 3 with 10 leaves, and the lowest number of leaves was

attained by sample plant 7 with 9.

 Table 3. Data on Number of Leaves of 10 Sample Plants of Pechay as influenced

by the soil mixture of Compost, Garden soil, and sieved sand.

Sample Plant No. of Insects

10

Grand-total

Grand-mean

Table 2 shows among number of leaves of sample plant 9 with 12 is the

nearest to the grand mean of 11.7. The more number of leaves was obtained by

sample plant 5 with 15, followed by the sample plant 1 with 14, sample plant 2 with

13, then the 4 consecutive sample plants which is the 4, 6, 8, and 10 with 11 leaves,

followed by sample plant 3 with 10 leaves, and the lowest number of leaves was

attained by sample plant 7 with 9.

Plant Height

Table 1 shows the average plant height of pechay DAS. The tallest pechay

was attained by the soil mixture of compost, garden soil, sieved sand, and CRH

with a mean of 259.5cm, followed by the mixture of kadyus leaves, garden soil,

sieved sand, and CRH with a mean of 217.9cm and the shortest height was

attained by the mixture of swine manure, garden soil, and sieved sand with a

mean of 214cm.

Number of Leaves

Table 3 shows the average number of leaves of the pechay DAS. The

different soil mixture that can produced the highest number of leaves were obtained

in table 1, which has a component of compost, garden soil, sieved sand, and

CRH with a mean of 11.7, followed by the soil mixture of swine manure, garden

soil, and sieved sand with a mean of 10.8, and the lowest was attained by the soil

mixture of kadyus leaves, garden soil, sieved sand, and CRH with a mean of

Plant Weight

Table 2 shows the average plant weight of the pechay DAS. The highest

pechay were attained by the soil mixture of compost, garden soil, sieved sand,

and CRH with a mean of 77.5g, followed by the soil mixture of swine manure,

garden soil, and sieved sand with 56g and soil mixture of kadyus leaves, garden

soil, sieved sand, and CRH which attained the lightest weight with a mean of 49.4g.
 RECOMMENDATION

The performance of pechay influenced by the soil mixture, especially

the component of compost is very propitious. Compost provides many essential

nutrients for plant growth.

These are the following essential nutrients of compost: Nitrogen, Phosphorus,

and Potassium; The NPK value for organic fertilizers depends on the organic matter

used.

Furthermore, soil mixture with component of compost, garden soil, sieved

sand and carbonized rice hull is the best for the production of pechay.
 LITERATURE CITED

BERCERO D. II IV., ARANICO E.C., TABARANZA A.C.E., AMPARADO JR. R.F.,

(2014). Growth performance of pechay (Brassica rapa) in household derived
composts. AAB Bioflux 6(3): 169-175

CAETE MACAS. Review of related literature and studies. Revised Chapter II, 3rd
qrt.

FRANK J. DAINELLO AND ROLAND ROBERTS. Aggie Horticulture Network,

vegetable resources, guides, Texas Vegetable Growers Handbook, Chapter IV:
Cultural practices. Horticulture/Forest Science Building2134 TAMU College
Station, Tx 77834 Map. Texas A&M University.

LEIF MARVIN R. GONZALES, RAMONITA A. CARALDE AND MAITA L. ABAN,

(2015). Response of Pechay (Brassica napus L.) to Different Levels of Compost
Fertilizer. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 5,
Issue 2, ISSN 2250-3135. Visayas State University, Visca, Baybay City, Leyte,
Philippines.

NIO PAUL ANTHONY L. RONDUEN, BSA. Term paper (Pechay production).

Mariano Marcos State University. College of Agriculture Food and Substainable
Development City of Batac.

RED RIVER BASIN COMMISSION RELEASE, (2015) Why is composting important?

A few tips to get you started. Published July 22, 2015, Manitoba Cooperator.

SF GATE. Healthy eating. The nutrients of pechay.

WILLIAM MCCOY, (2015). Vitamins in Pechay livestrong.com. Official partner of

the livestrong foundation.