EFFECTIVENESS OF ORGANIC HYDROPONICS SOLUTION FOR HIGH

VALUE CROPS

VEA ROJHANN C. DENOSTA

JOSEPHINE I. MACAIRAN

ALEXIS A. MEANA

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO RUBY FLOR S. DAGANTA OF

ABORLAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR RESEARCH IV

SPECIAL SCIENCE CLASS

GRADE 10

OCTOBER 2022
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Vea Rojhann C. Denosta was born at Plaridel, Aborlan, Palawan on October 30,

2006. She was the fifth daughter of Mr. Nestor A. Denosta Jr. and Mrs. Laura C.

Denosta. She finished her elementary at Aborlan Central School and graduated with high

honor. She took an entrance examination at Western Philippines University (Main

Campus), Agricultural Science Highschool and Aborlan National Highschool, Special

Science Class and fortunately passed both. She enrolled and continued her studies at

Western Philippines University (Main campus), Agricultural Science Highschool, after a

year she decided to transferred at Aborlan National Highschool. She entered the Special

Science Class and now a proud member of Special Science Class Docile.

She is fond of watching series such as Korean drama series and Chinese drama

series. Her usual habits are writing poem, watching Tiktok, reading books, and playing

online games. She wanted to be a lawyer or a doctor someday.

VEA ROJHANN CATAGUE DENOSTA

Josephine I. Macairan was born at Puerto, Princesa, City on September 14, 2007.

She is the eldest daughter among the three children of Mr. Edremar V. Macairan and Mrs.

Johna I. Macairan. She finished her study at Ramon Magsaysay Elementary School and

graduated with honor. She took the entrance examination of the Special Science class in

Aborlan National Highschool and fortunately passed. She enrolled and continue her

studies in Aborlan National highschool and now a proud member of Special Science

Class.

She is fond of reading online stories at Wattpad and she love doing threads. She

loves watching anime in Bilibili app. She is good at playing chess and have joined the

Provincial meet on Chess competition. She wants to become a Regulatory affairs officer,

and build her own business around the world.

JOSEPHINE INDANGAN MACAIRAN

Alexis A. Meana was born at Gogognan, Aborlan, Palawan on December

09,2006. He is the third son of Mr. Harrold A. Meana and Mrs. Mary Grace A. Meana.

He finished his elementary at Valleyside Christian School in Mailigan, Aborlan, Palawan

and graduated with honor. He took the entrance exam in Special Science class at Aborlan

National Highschool and fortunately passed. He enrolled and continue his study at

Aborlan National Highschool and now a proud member of Special Science Class Docile.

He is fond of reading Manhwa and Manga, specially the manhwa entitled Solo Leveling.

His usual habits are sleeping and daydreaming. He wanted to join sports with his ability,

but failed because of family issues and lacking of support. His dream was to be a Pilot,

Seaman, or to became a policeman.

ALEXIS ADVINCULA MEANA

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants without soil. This focus on

cultivating plants using made liquid solution or water. There is also a practice of growing

plants in other aggregates, like the soil-less bark-based mix. The process of hydroponics

is much safer than cropping in soil, there is no fungus, soil predator, soil pests, and

others. The water and nutrients needed by the plant is continuous, that is why the

tendency of dehydration is lesser. This method is quite superior to other method of

gardening, in terms of the growth, productivity, and the nutrients produce by the product

of crops grown in organic hydroponics process. Hydroponics is also beneficial to those

who live in the city, home gardener and specially the farmers.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the

population of the people on 2050 will be billion and 75% of the population live in the

city. The problem in food will be one of the main issue because cropland will be in chaos

due to the climate change, water scarcity, and soil pollution. Hydroponics is an effective

process to solve the problem in food. Though the hydroponics is more advantage and

better to other process there is still some difficulties in using this process especially to

those who live in rural areas wherein the access in technologies and electricity is limited.
Statement of the Problem

This study aims to achieve the effectiveness of Organic Hydroponics Solution to

the growth of lettuce.

This study will answer the following research questions:

1. What are the potential materials to be used in creating organic hydroponics

solution for high value crops?

2. What will be the effect of organic hydroponics solution in stimulating the growth

of lettuce?

3. How can we develop our agricultural way?

4. How can we contribute to our economy through agriculture?

5. Is there any better organic hydroponics solution that can be used to grow high

value quality crops?

Objectives of the Study

This study will be conducted to:

1. determine the effect of using our own made organic hydroponics solution to the

growth of lettuce;

2. determine the contribution of making organic hydroponics solution in farming;

and

3. determine the advantages of using organic hydroponics solution in growing

lettuce.

Assumptions

This study will investigate the following assumptions:

2. Lettuce grows faster in organic hydroponics solution.

Scope and Limitation of the study

This study focuses only on determining the effect of the organic hydroponics

solution on the growth of lettuce. This study will be conducted in Aborlan National

Highschool from October to December 2022.

Significance of the Study

This study will help the farmers and agriculturist to grow their plants faster and

achieve the high value crops. This study will also help the citizens who live in the city

that wants to plant but doesn’t have soil to use, so this study will be very helpful for

city dwellers, this kind if process doesn’t need a soil because this contains water and

liquid material to be used for the solution to maintain the growth of the plant, this

process also doesn’t need to water your crops everyday like we usually do.
Definition of terms

Nitrogen- Kakawate (Gliricidia Sepium)- Kakawate is also known as madre de cacao, is a

leguminous tree which originated from Central America, and is used in many tropical and

sub-tropical countries as fences in agricultural lands because it grows easily and prevents

top soil erosion.

Phosphorus- Bat guano- According to Beck, bat guano can be safely used as a fertilizer,

both indoors and outdoors, and will benefit vegetables, herbs, flowers, all ornamentals,

and fruit and nut trees. Its primary ingredients are roughly 10% nitrogen, 3%

phosphorous, and 1% potassium.

Potassium- Wood Ash- Ash is also a good source of potassium, phosphorus, and

magnesium. In terms of commercial fertilizer, average wood ash would be about 0-1-3

(N-P-K). In addition to these macro-nutrients, wood ash is a good source of many

micronutrients needed in trace amounts for adequate plant growth. This also benefits

plants like lettuces, garlic, chives, leeks, asparagus and stone-fruit trees.

Sulfur- Molasses- The lighter grades of molasses made from sugarcane are edible and are

used in baking and candy-making and to make rum. Blackstrap and other low grades of

cane molasses are used in mixed animal feed and in the industrial production of vinegar,

citric acid, and other products. Molasses as fertilizer provides plants with a quick source

of energy and encourages the growth of beneficial microorganisms. The benefits of

molasses for plants include: Rich in minerals that plants can easily absorb and are needed
to maintain their health.Calcium- Gypsum- It is a soft sulfate mineral composed of

calcium sulfate dehydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is also widely

mined and is used as a fertilizer.

CHAPTER II

REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE

Hydroponics is from the Greek term hydro(water) and pono(work), hydroponics

literally means “working water” as plants are grown in water bed with liquid solution that

supports them minerals and nutrients they needed. Holticulture must be a breakthrough

but studies about farming without soil, back to the 1600s with the works of an English

philosopher Francis Bacon and geologist John Woodward. According to 1981 article in

The New York Times, since nutrients are brought to the roots, plants do not need to

extend or expand to fight for food. Unlike farming in soil, hydroponics allows the plants

to placed closer together so that the nutrients are equally distributed. In 2014

Dr.Carandang VI, presented and have proven that the value of the products of urban

agriculture are better than the normal plants. They have also concluded that

Hydroponically grown lettuce grown faster than the normal lettuce.

On the other hand, Rosit, Pascual, Rio, and Sacamay (2015) has confirmed

that lettuce grown at organic hydroponics had 10.13% and 15.23% more leaves than

inorganic fertilizer and commercial organic amino acid applied treatments in 4th week.

There’s no other changes were observed among commercial organic amino acid, home-

made concoction and inorganic fertilizer, in terms of leaf length from the 2nd week to 4th

week having. The result that were observed between lettuce applied with home-made

concoction and inorganic fertilizer on its leaf width on the 2nd week having 7.03 cm and
6.30 cm. Moreover, also effects that has been observed at the commercial organic amino

acid and home-made concoction in plant height having an average length of 17.03cm and

17.00cm, respectively. At harvesting, lettuces that has been applied with home-made ion

are 43.23 g or 20.12% heavier than those applied with commercial organic amino acids

and 23.67% heavier than inorganic fertilizer. Therefore, the home-made concoction is the

best organic nutrient for growing lettuce grown in hydroponics solution.

Pascual, Lorenzo, Gabriel (2018) have concluded that this VFH technology is

acceptable to onion farmers except only to the aspect of cost of initial investment which

requires government subsidy for the ordinary onion grower to avail the new and

sustainable technology in onion production.

Hsieh,Li, and Lee (2014) have concluded that inorganic nutrient solution, the

yields of the treatment with aeration are higher than those without aeration. On the other

hand, organic nutrient solution yields from the treatment without aeration were higher

than those with aeration. This confirms that the nitrification is necessary to organic

hydroponic system.

While on 2017, Alres concluded at his study that organic hydroponics is

extending worldwide and this system have many new alternatives and also opportunities

for growers and consumers to produce high quality, including vegetables enhanced with

bioactive compounds. Hydroponics and soil-based production systems require proper

control, and they must be implemented correctly with full respect with plant needs, soil,

water, environment, growers, and consumer safety.

highly resource towards the healthy living environment. An environmental friendly

agricultural system with organic fertilizer is used to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers,

thus producing healthy agricultural products for consumption. Organic hydroponics is a

system that is organized based on organic agriculture concept. Use of liquid organic

fertilizers produced from agricultural residues and industrial wastes are increasingly

popular in organic hydroponic system.

On 2017, Aures stated that the Hydroponic systems for vegetable production

are nowadays more essential to maximize productions and increase yields compare to

normal growth plants, while Jain, Kumari and, Jha on 2019 stated that, the Organic

hydroponics can be extremely helpful because we can grow plants without soil and this

may be extremely helpful especially to the countries that is poor land.

On 2020, Rashid, Jan, Ahngar, Lqbal, Naikoo, Majeed, Bhat, Gul and Nazir

concluded that the Organic hydroponics can grow a large number of plants or vegetables.

They have also stated that the quality yield, taste and nutritive value of end products that

is produced hydroponically are higher-than the plants grown in the natural soil based

cultivation.

Aoyama, Fujiwara, Shinohara, and Takano on2014 have studied on hydroponic

culture in lettuce and have improved the retrieval rate of organic nitrogen ions by

filtrating by the solution with a non-woven bag.

Year 2009, Punongbayan has conducted a research about hydroponics and stated

that hydroponics gardens are considered by many to be better for the environment, it also
produced bigger harvest of better quality of fruit and vegetables, and a consistent year-

round yield that you cannot equal in using soil or by growing outdoors or ingreenhouses

that is only a using natural light. In a hydroponic garden that uses a sterile root zone

media and has a clean environment, crops aren’t too exposed to pathogens and diseases

that live in the soil. Hydroponic gardening eliminates weeds and also other soil-borne

problems.

Mie, Andersen, Gunnarsson, Kahl, Kesse-Guyot, Rembialkwoska, Quaglio, and

Grandjean (2017), concluded that the emphasizes of several documented and like human

health benefits associated with organic food production, and the application of such

production methods is likely to be beneficial in conventional agriculture in integrated pest

management.

On August 2020, Jan, Rashid,Ahngar and Lqbal have confirmed that the

cultivation is cost effective,disease free and eco-friendly and is beneficial to those who

are in high space area and cultivable land is not available.

In March 2013, Mamta Derao Sardare showed that, open field/soil-based

agriculture has faced significant difficulties since the dawn of civilization, chief among

which is the decline in the amount of land available per person. Per capita land was 0.5

ha in 1960 when there were 3 billion people on the planet. Today, there are 6 billion

people, but that number will drop to 0.25 ha by 2050. Arable area under cultivation will

continue to shrink as a result of increased urbanization, industrialization, and iceberg

melting ( A clear result of global warming ). Once more, soil fertility has reached a

saturation point, and more fertilizer application does not result in an improvement in
productivity. Additionally, some of the cultivable regions have weak soil fertility, which

reduces the potential for microbes to naturally build up soil fertility.

While in April 2022, Velasquez, Garciaz, Sanchez, Savedra, ang Zapata

confirmed that According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United

Nations, the population of the people on 2050 will be billion and 75% of the population

live in the city. The problem in food will be one of the main issue because cropland will

be in chaos due to the climate change, water scarcity, and soil pollution. Hydroponics is

an effective process to solve the problem in food. Though the hydroponics is more

advantage and better to other process there is still some difficulties in using this process

especially to those who live in rural areas wherein the access in technologies and

electricity is limited.

Mark Griffith (2014) reports that the goal of his thesis is to simplify and reduce

the cost of growing food hydroponically. In essence, hydroponics is the process of

growing plants without the usage of soil. The notion that it is open This also fits nicely

with the hydroponic system's overall community vibe movement. The goal of the thesis

was to develop a functional hydroponic controller that is affordable and Buildability is

adequate. It will keep track of and regulate the essential environmental components

required for The pH, EC, air, and water levels are mostly responsible for successful

hydroponic cultivation. There will be visual alarms.raised if these depart from

predetermined bounds. External devices will also be under the controller's control HW,

like a water heater, a water pump, and lighting board of electronics.

approach for agriculture's new, high-yielding, low-resource, high-potential varieties.

Deep learning has lately entered the field of agriculture as it has been successfully

employed in a number of other fields. In this study, hydroponic farming is used in

conjunction with deep learning techniques to increase tomato plant production while

overcoming significant obstacles to doing so in a limited amount of time and space. The

unique technology of smart farming approaches can be better understood by looking at

the production and agricultural issues under consideration. Be used to improve

performance overall. Multi-planned airflow, amount of wetness, and hydroponics

Utilizing deep learning approaches, carbon dioxide and nitrogen thresholds of nutrients

can be managed and regulated. UAV use and IoT sensors help with controlling the other

Aspects of production.

On 2021, Shelke, Gavali, Naphade stated that, Scientists are scrambling to come

up with plans for how to care for the planet in light of the explosion in human population.

The provincial metropolitan migration, or rural-urban immigration, has left rural regions'

farms devoid of farmers from one perspective while overpopulating metropolitan areas

from another. In hydroponics, yields are produced without the use of soil. The

homesteads are able to follow the ranchers to the city area using this strategy.

Additionally, since no dirt is needed, hydroponic systems can be stacked vertically (also

known as vertical farming) to conserve space. Mechanization or automation is the final

frontier in tank farming. It will enable one rancher to construct and work on multiple

homesteads simultaneously. This essay provides a thorough analysis of the ingenious

hydroponic system developed to extend up to the present.

hydroponics indicates the variables and measured are Temperature, Potential Hydrogen

(pH), Total Dissolve Solid, Water Temperature, Humidity, UV, Carbon Dioxide, Soil

Moisture and Electrical Conductivity. The device used is the ESP8266, Arduino, and

Raspberry PI with the MySQL, Thingspeak, Firebase, Domoticz, and Wyliodrin IoT

Platforms. Frasetya, Harisman1 and Ramdaniah stated that the hydroponics of The

parameters observed to measure of the effectiveness of each system in increasing the

growth of the lettuce and plants are plant height, leaf number, fresh weight, and shoot-

root ratio. The observational of hydroponics data were then analyzed using analysis of

variance at 5% significance level and Duncan’s test at 5% level.

Sambo, et. al. (2019) stated that Soilless cultivation is represent as a valid

opportunity for the agricultural and production sector, especially in areas of characterized

by severe soil and degradation and limited water availability. Furthermore, this

agronomic practice embodies is a favorable response toward an environment-friendly and

agriculture as a promising tool in the vision of a general challenge in the terms of food

security. This review aims that therefore at unraveling limitations and opportunities of

hydroponic solutions used of soilless cropping systems focusing on the plant mineral

nutrition process.

Phibunwatthanawong and Riddech (2019) reported that, the Liquid organic

fertilizers produced from agricultural residues and industrial wastes are becoming

increasingly popular. the study they have conducted aim to examine the effect of liquid

organic fertilizers produced from waste molasses, distillery slop and sugarcane leaves on

the growth of Green Cos Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia). At the end of the study
they have concluded that Organic liquid fertilizers formulas 3 and 5 had similar growth

promotion properties as chemical fertilizers with Green Cos Lettuce. Moreover, their

products are organic and serve rich nutrient source for the plant

Based on their study about the tomatoes growing in organic hydroponics, as

Keshasov, Verheul, and Paponov (2021) compare the quality two grown tomatoes,

organic the grown in waste-based liquid fertilizer showed reduced growth rates but

increased mean fruit size, At the result there is no significant change in total yield

compared with high-mineral cultivation. The growth rate was similarly reduced in plants

cultivated with low-mineral fertilizer. Plants cultivated with organic waste-based

fertilizer had high Cl− concentration in xylem sap, leaves, and, ultimately, fruits. The

leaves of plants cultivated with organic waste-based fertilizer contained higher

concentrations of starch and soluble carbohydrate and low concentrations of phosphorous

(P) and sulfur (S). The plants grown with organic waste-based or low-mineral medium

showed significantly poorer fruit quality than the plants cultivated with the high-mineral

solution. The low-mineral treatment increased xylem sap contribution to fruit weight

because of higher root power. The organic waste-based fertilization did not change the

root power but increased fruit size. Their conclusion was, the organic waste-based

cultivation is a possible solution for sustainable plant production in greenhouses.

However, additional adjustment of nutrient supply is required to improve the fruit quality.
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Research Locale

This study will be conducted at Aborlan National Highschool.

Gathering Materials

The following will be used in this study:

1.) Bat guano- the bat guano will be gathered at Dionesio Catague coconut farm, Apis

Apoc-apoc, Aborlan, Palawan.

2.) Kakawate leaves (Mexican Lilac) - the Kakawate leaves (Mexican Lilac) will be

gathered from Nestor Denosta Sr. backyard at Marignes, Cabigaan, Aborlan, Palawan.

3.) Sawdust or Wood ash- the sawdust or wood ash will be gathered at Josephine

Macairan’s furniture at Ramon Magsaysay Aborlan Palawan.

4.) Molasses- the molasses will be gathered from Aborlan Market.

5.) Gypsum- the gypsum will be gathered from Josephine Macairan’s house at Ramon

Magsaysay, Aborlan, Palawan.

Procedure

A permission of doing the study at school will be asked to the principal. A list of

materials needed to the study will be gathered at the places mentioned in gathering the

materials. The materials gathered will be under the process of solid-liquid separation to

drained the nutrients from the manure and make it liquid. Create a solution using the

materials. Grow the plants using the process of hydroponics. examine the crops and
gather the data. The result will be the determination of the effectiveness of the organic

hydroponics in growing the lettuce.