Growth and yield of chives under different potting mixes / by Linda Y. Gutierrez.

Thesis (B.S.A.--Horticulture) Cavite State University

Includes bibliographical references.

College of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Natural Resources (CAFENR)

GUTIERREZ, LINDA Y. Growth and Yield of Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) Under Different Potting Mixes. Undergraduate Thesis. Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, major in Horticulture. Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite. April 2005. Adviser: Dr. Adolfo C. Manuel, Jr.
The suitability of six different potting mixes as growing media for chives (Allium schoenoprasum) was evaluated under net house conditions. The specific objectives of the study were to compare the growth and yield of chives in commercial potting mix with self-prepared and enriched potting mixes; determine the pH, N, P, K, levels, bulk density, aeration porosity and water retention porosity of the different potting mixes; and determine the cost and return of producing chives using different potting mixes. The potting mixes evaluated include Enrico Mix (Treatment 1), Enviro-Mix (Treatment 2), Nutri-Mix (Treatment 3), Enriched Enviro-Mix (Treatment 4), Enriched Nutri-Mix (Treatment 5), and self-formulated C3 Mix (Treatment 6). Physical and chemical properties of the potting mixes were determined at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Diliman, Quezon City. The experimental pots were arranged following the Completely Randomized Design with three replications. Five plants were allocated for each treatment. Plant height, number of leaves, weight of harvested chives and plant survival were the parameters used to evaluate the growth and yield of chives. Bulk density, porosity, pH, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) levels of the six growing media were likewise determined. Cost and return analysis was performed to determine the most economically suitable growing medium. Analysis of the six potting mixes showed no marked variation in terms of bulk density, aeration porosity and water retention porosity. Bulk density values ranged from 0.35 g/cm3 to 0.73 g,/cm3 with Enrico Mix as the lightest and Enviro-Mix as the bulkiest. Aeration porosity values of the six potting mixes ranged from 21 to 30.02 percent with Nutri-Mix as the lowest and Enrico Mix as the highest. In terms of water retention porosity, the values ranged from 25.08 to 36.54 percent with Enviro-Mix as the lowest and Enrico Mix as the highest. The pH levels of the six potting mixes were almost neutral with a narrow range of 6.7 to 7.1. Based on nutrient levels, Enrico Mix had the highest NPK levels but with only slight difference as compared with the other potting mixes. Growth analysis showed that at 30 DAT, plants grown in C3 Mix and Enrico Mix had similar heights of 60.48 cm and 59.99 cm, respectively but only varied slightly with the plants grown from other potting mixes. Leaf production was observed to be higher in Enviro-Mix (53 leaves per plant) and Enriched Nutri-Mix (48 leaves per plant) at 45 DAT with only slight difference among the potting mixes_ Average yield of chives per pot was higher in C3 Mix (117.00 g) followed by Enrico Mix which had an average yield of 116.33 g per pot. The yield from the other potting mixes was not significantly lower than C3 Mix and Enrico Mix. Cost and return analysis showed that the commercially made Enrico Mix had the highest production cost of Php 16,047.81 as compared with all the self-prepared potting mixes, hence the net negative income of Php 2,447.59 and percentage return on investment of negative 13.01 percent. On the other hand, C3 Mix, Enviro-Mix and Enriched Enviro-Mix have the lowest cost of production of Php 8,192.81, yet C3 Mix had the highest yield and consequently, highest net income of Php 5,847.19 and return on investment of 71.37 percent.

Submitted to the University Library 05/04/2007 T-3016