An Experimental Research on Making a Compost-Beach Sand Mixture Fertilizer and its

Relationship to Plant Growth

CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Fertilizers are used widely by farmers to increase the nutrients needed for plant
growth. As the demand for supply in plant production increases, an increase in demand
for fertilizers also increases such that farmers can grow massive production of plants in a
short period of time without deteriorating its nutrient content. Nutrients in plants are
transferred to its consumers to help the organic body to grow and achieve adequate
amount of energy or just simply help the plant reach its desired growth that can then be
transformed in various products other than food.

New ways in making fertilizers are being discovered to supply the swelling
demand. Now, synthetic fertilizers are widely used by farmers for its efficiency.
Synthetic fertilizers are fertilizers that are man-made and produced from various
chemicals and processes. These fertilizers proved to be an efficient way to provide plants
the nutrients that they need for growth.

In contrast, using synthetic products has its own disadvantages to the

environment. According to Cho et al. (as cited by Azizah et. al., 2013) the excessive use
of chemical fertilizers is the reason for the increase of nutrient loss through leaching, run
off, denitrification or volatilization that contribute to decrease environmental quality and
soil degradation.

A continuous use of synthetic fertilizer in intensive rice farming system caused

negatively on soil degradation, which is shown by increase in soil bulk density, low soil
Nitrogen (N) content because of leaching, volatilization, denitrification, and run off (Cho,
2003 as cited by Azizah et al., 2013). Other previous studies were made to solve the
problem such as deep placement of Nitrogen Phosphorous Potassium (NPK) fertilizers
(Islam et al., 2011 as cited by Azizah et al., 2013), using plant growth promoting

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microorganism (Dobbelaere, Vanderleyden, and Okon, 2003 as cited by Azizah et al.,
2013), and applying organic fertilizer (Lin et al., 2011 as cited by Azizah et al., 2013) and
compost (Zai et al., 2008 as cited by Azizah et al., 2013).

Among the management practices in the application of fertilizer to minimize

nutrient loss and increase rice production is the use of organic fertilizers especially
compost. Zahir et al. (2007 as cited by Azizah, 2013) explained that composting have
many benefits such as returning nutrients present in organic materials to the soil,
managing large volumes of organic wastes in environmentally sound manners,
controlling the undesirable features of organic materials (such as pathogen and odor),
improving the organic matter status, soil health and physic-chemical properties of the
soil, and supporting plant growth and crop productivity.

One major material needed in making a compost fertilizer is the soil. Choosing
the right soil is practically the first step in making a compost fertilizer. Among these
soils, using topsoil, potting soil, peat moss, black garden soil (loam), and garden soil are
commonly used. The decomposing materials in the compost are mixed with the soil in the
process.

Sand is a naturally occurring granular material made up of small particles of

varying minerals. It is defined by its size, although exact quantitative ranges vary with
different authors. Some scientist defines sand as any particles between .02 mm and 1.0
mm in diameter while others are ranging from .1 mm to 1.6 mm. Despite discrepancies in
quantitative definition, scientists agree that sand is qualitatively defined as any particle
that is light enough to be moved by the wind but too heavy to be held in suspension in the
air.

Beach sand is sand that can usually be seen on shores, beaches and coastlines.
This type of sand is a collection of different small particles coming from the erosion of
rocks that are washed out to the beach. The most common constituent of sand is the
compound Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) that is usually in the form of quartz.

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 Silica, a more common term for Silicon Dioxide is abundant in many soils and is
a major component of plant tissue. Silica is considered as a compound vital to plant
health. Although it is not necessarily one of the essential nutrients for plants, silica
provides a variety of benefits to plants. Some of this benefits are: stronger cell walls,
stronger cells that provides bigger cells to plants, increased resistance to environmental
stress, increased resistance to pathogens, increased resistance to pests, and enhance
metabolic functions for plants among others.

Therefore, adding sand to a compost fertilizer increases its nutrients and

efficiency as an organic fertilizer. In view to this, this research aims to create a compos-
beach sand mixture fertilizer.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The purpose of the study is to create a compost fertilizer using beach sand as a
substitution for soil. More specifically, the following research questions needs to be
addressed:

1. Is there a significant relationship between different admixtures of sand compost

materials measure in terms of mixture ratio and the quality of compost material
measured in terms of plant growth?
a. Is there a relationship between 60:40 ratio compost-beach sand mixture
and plant growth?
b. Is there a relationship between 70:30 ratio compost-beach sand mixture
and plant growth?
c. Is there a relationship between 50:50ratio compost-beach sand mixture
and plant growth?

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1.3 Conceptual and Theoretical Framework
The theory that the study will use is the Composting Theory – Agitation, Aeration
and Inoculatin. It was developed by Jim Mcnelly in 2009, and it was used to study in an
experimental research where it emphasized the importance of two composting
methodologies: agitation and aeration. This theory indicates that by properly executing
aeration and agitation or mixing, making compost would be successful.

As applied to the study, this theory holds that it is expected that the independent
variable compost-beach sand mixture fertilizer to influence or explain the dependent
variable plant growth because according to the theory, if the process of composting is
properly handled, then making the fertilizer would have a high success rate.

In view of this, the theoretical preposition of the study states: the use of beach
sand in a compost fertilizer can increase its efficiency. It can be anchored on the above
mentioned theory namely: Composting Theory – Agitation, Aeration and Inoculatin
because it connects that the type of soil will not vary as long as the right process is
followed.

The box on the left side is the independent variable which is compost-beach sand
mixture fertilizer while the box on the right side is the dependent variable which is the
plant growth. The broken line that connects the two boxes signifies the relationship
between the two variables.

Compost-Beach Plant Growth

Sand Mixture
Fertilizer

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1.4 Hypothesis Testing
The following hypothesis statement is drawn and will be statistically tested in this
study:

Ho: The 60:40 ratio Compost-Beach Sand Mixture Fertilizer has no effect in plant
growth.

Ho: The 70:30 ratio Compost-Beach Sand Mixture Fertilizer has no effect in plant
growth.

Ho: The 50:50 ratio Compost-Beach Sand Mixture Fertilizer has no effect in plant
growth.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The result of this study will be significant to the following entities:

 Improves the soil fertility, soil tilth and soil structure: Compost
improves the fertility of the soil. Drainage of the field is also improved
because it promotes better aeration, thus the soil becomes easier to plow. It
increases the soil’s ability to hold water and nutrient retention of light and
sandy soils, and improve soil texture by increasing the drainage of heavy
clay soils. It makes the soil a more favourable medium for the
development of root systems of growing plants.
 Supplies nutrients for crops: Compost contains macro and
micronutrients. Compost can supplement inorganic fertilizer as source for
nutrients in crops. The nutrients are released to plants when they are
needed, thus it acts as a slow-release fertilizer. Farmers can save on
fertilizer cost by using compost.
 Supports living organisms: Applying compost can increase population of
soil organisms such as nematodes, fungi, bacteria and earthworms which

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 are responsible in breaking down complex organic materials in the soil
into forms which could be taken up by plants.
 Improves the buffer capacity of the soil: Compost increases the buffer
action of soil against acidity or alkalinity by having higher amounts of
organic matter. The soil with the higher amount of organic matter has a
higher soil buffer action.
 May provide biological control to certain pests and diseases: Proper
application of compost may control pests and diseases in plants. However,
precautionary measures should be exercised in preparing compost.
Healthy, disease-free plant materials should be used. Proper heating up of
the compost pile must be observed to ensure that the produced compost is
free of pathogens.

1.6 Scopes and Limitations

The main focus of this research aims to create a compost fertilizer using beach
sand as a substitute for soil. The researchers will be using plastic containers for the
compost to test the independent and dependent variable of the study.

1.7 Definition of Terms

For a better understanding about the concepts and technical words used in the
paper, here are some of the technical words and their corresponding meaning:

 Leaching – is the loss or extraction of certain materials from a carrier into a

liquid.
 Volatilization – is the process whereby dissolved sample is vaporised.
 Denetrification - is a microbially facilitated process where nitrate is reduced
and ultimately produces nitrogen through series of intermediated gaseous
nitrogen oxide products.

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 Aeration - is the process by which air is circulated through, mixed with or
dissolved in a liquid or substance.
 Agitation - putting into motion by shaking or stirring, often to achieve
mixing.
 Soil Tilth - is its physical condition, especially in relation to its suitability for
planting or growing crop.
 Plant Growth – in this study is the length of the stem measured in
centimetres and number of leaves in the plant.

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 List of References

Azizah, N., Prasetya, B. & Kurniawan, S. (2013). ENRICHED-GRANULAR

COMPOST (EGC) FROM CAMPUS ORGANIC WASTE AS SOIL CONDITIONER IN
INTENSIVE RICE FARMING SYSTEM. Faculty of Agriculture, University of
Brawijaya Jl.