Report: 8 July 2015

Thesis Title: Functionalized rice husk nanosilica-immobilized Chromolaena odorata

phytochelatin for cadmium remediation
By: Rafael B. Navarro, MS Biochemistry

Activity: Plant Sampling

Date: 1 July 2015 9:00 AM 11:00 AM
Location: Sampaguita Road, Poblacion, Muntinlupa City
Objective: to obtain live whole Chromolaena odorata and cuttings for preliminary
study of plant cadmium uptake
Methods:
1. Two whole plants with 3-4 stems and around 50 cm tall were obtained by
digging out the roots using a spade.
2. Each plant was transferred to moist soil in a plastic pot, then watered.
3. One 30 cm whole plant was also obtained but, in this case, was transferred to
a plastic cup with distilled water.
4. Five stems of around 12 cm and with 4 nodes each from the tip and same
morphological vigor were cut from ~2 meter C. odorata bush.
5. The cuttings were washed with distilled water.
6. The cuttings were dipped in concentrated Hormex Double Acting Growth
Vitamin Hormone* for 1 minute.
7. Each of the cuttings was transferred to 200 mL plastic water bottles with ~80
mL distilled water.
8. The plant samples collected were transported and maintained at the balcony
in the researchers residence in Purok 8, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Results:

The two plants in the soil wilted after one day of transplanting. One plant died
after 3 days; the other plant had majority of its leaves except those at the
terminal end undergone necrosis (fig. 1).
The whole plant in distilled water also wilted but remained green until the
present.
Four out of five of the cuttings remained alive and healthy after 6 days in
distilled water but no root growth is present (fig. 2); the other one remained
wilted but is still green until the present. From time to time, the cuttings
would wilt but would recover eventually.

Conclusion and Recommendations:

Cuttings were successfully maintained but they need to undergo root

induction again.

The surviving plant in soil could be salvaged.

Figure 1. Two whole C. odorata in soil (left, died; right, almost damaged); one in
water (middle, wilted but green).

Figure 2. C. odorata cuttings in distilled water.

* Hormex Vitamin Hormone (Ramgo Internatl Corp,)

Contents
Thiamine hydrochloride
Naphthyl Acetic Acid
Indole Butyric Acid

%
0.25
0.24
0.013

Use
Coenzyme for root growth
Root inducing hormone
Root inducing hormone

Activity: Plant Maintenance

Date: 7 July 2015
Location: R. B. Navarros residence, Purok 8, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Objective: to induce root growth in the 4 cuttings
Methods:
1. The base of each cuttings was dipped in concentrated Hormex for 10 minutes
(Alcantara et al., 2013)
2. Nutrient solution was prepared.
* as alternative to Hoagland solution

1
32

tbsp

1
32

tbsp

2 drops

~0.6 g

Manusol Balance Booster (19-19-19; Foliar 57)

~0.6 g

Manusol Bloom & Yield Booster (15-15-30; Foliar 60)

~0.1 mL
1L

Hormex Concentrated Vitamin Hormone

distilled water

3. Nutrient solution was mixed with Vermiculite Soil Enhancer (Ramgo Internatl
Corp.).
4. Growth medium was packed into improvised plastic cups made from plastic
water bottles.
5. Each of the cuttings was placed in the medium.
6. Moisture was maintained by spraying the nutrient solution onto the medium.
7. All cuttings were placed in a container to trap moisture (fig. 4).
8. The nutrient solution was also used to water the damaged plant in soil.
Results:

The cuttings remained healthy and rigid 1 day after they were placed in
vermiculite with nutrient solution (fig. 3 and fig. 4).
The whole plants remaining leaves at the terminal became rigid and healthy
(fig. 1).

Conclusion and Recommendations:

All plants samples needed nutrients in order to become rigid and healthy.
Two weeks is needed to induce roots.

Reference:

ALCANTARA, H. J. P., RIVERO, G. C., AND PUZON, J. M. 2013. Tolerance mechanisms in

mercury-exposed Chromolaena odorata ( l . f .) R . M . King et H . Robinson , a
potential phytoremediator. Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management,
1(1), 920.

Figure 3. Cuttings in nutrient solution-vermiculite mixture.

Figure 4. Cuttings inside plastic container.

Manusol Concentrated 19-19-19 Balance Booster
(Foliar 57 Plus Micro Elements)
Content
Total Nitrogen (N)
Urea nitrogen
Nitrate nitrogen
Ammoniacal nitrogen
Total Phosphorus (P2O5)
Total Potassium (K2O)
Magnesium sulfate
Iron chelate
Copper chelate
Manganese chelate
Zinc chelate
Calcium oxide

%
19.00
13.50
3.50
2.00
19.00
19.00
0.033
0.025
0.013
0.013
0.005
0.40

Manusol Concentrated 15-15-30 Bloom and Yield Booster

(Foliar 60 Plus Micro Elements)

Mg
O
Fe
Cu
Mn
Zn

Content
Total Nitrogen (N)
Urea nitrogen
Nitrate nitrogen
Ammoniacal nitrogen
Total Phosphorus (P2O5)
Total Potassium (K2O)
Iron chelate
Manganese chelate
Boron

%
15.00
6.00
7.00
2.00
15.00
30.00
0.025
0.013
0.65

Fe
Mn
B2O

0.005
0.01

Zn
Mo

Zinc chelate
Molybdenum