CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

The Philippines is primarily an agricultural

country with a large portion of Filipinos living in rural

areas and supporting themselves through agricultural

activities. Recent figures suggest that about a quarter

of employed Filipinos work in the agricultural sector

which is made up of four sub-sectors: farming, fisheries,

livestock, and forestry, in 2020, the sector generated a

gross value added (GVA) of about 1.78 trillion Philippine

pesos,equivalent to a 10.2 percent share of the Country’s

Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, as a result of the

prolonged lockdown imposed due to the corona-virus

(COVID-19)pandemic, along with the natural calamities

that occurred in the country, the sector’s gross output

contracted by 1.2 percent in that year.

Due to the terrain and tropical climate condition

of the country, farming and fisheries have been the

largest agricultural sub-sectors in the Philippines. Crop

production, particularly of sugarcane, palay or rice,

coconut, and bananas were among the highest nationwide

and were also among the top products.

Chemical fertilizer or inorganic fertilizers are

man-made enhancers used to raise the level of nutrients

found in soil. Chemical fertilizer improve the growth of

short amount of time. These are a fast dose of nutrients,

feeding your plants how you want and when you want. They

are fully artificial and manufactured in exact dose.

Their nutrients ratios are clearly printed on the bag,

and there is an inorganic fertilizer to meet your plant’s

specific needs. Your plant’s needs are a large factor

that shouldn’t be ignored. If they need food fast,

inorganic might be the way to go. In bag form, organic

fertilizer is significantly more expensive than inorganic

because of its raw materials and process.

The major contributor to enhance crop production

and to maintain soil productivity as well as prevent soil

degradation are the mineral nutrients. According to

SMART: Corn Fertilizer Recommendations, corn adequate

fertilizer management for profitable production. Applying

the right fertilizers at the right amount and the right

time is crucial for a successful crop production that’s

why a skilled farmer should performs good practices in

using fertilizers.

There are different fertilizer placement method

that farmers usually performs in corn production.

Injection a method that used to place liquid or gaseous

fertilizer below the soil near plant roots, Surface

broadcast applied on the surface across an entire field,

Broadcast incorporated improves on the efficiency of

surface application by incorporating fertilizer through

plowing or disking, Band application or starter

application is applied in bands near where developing

roots will easily reach it; either to the side and below

the seed rows, slightly below the seeds, or in between

rows, Fertigation is distribution with water-soluble

fertilizers and chemicals through an irrigation system,

Foliar application is application of a small amount of

fertilizer or mineral through direct spraying onto the

leaves, Sidedressing is when fertilizer is applied

between rows of young plants to provide a boost during

periods of rapid growth and nutrient uptake, Topdressing

is when fertilizer or manure is spread on established

fields(grasses,legumes), Seed placement or Pop-up

application is when farmers apply small amount of

fertilizer in corn seeds during planting.

With this being said, this research aims to

determine the practices of farmers in using the inorganic

fertilizer in corn production.

Statement of the Problem

This study seeks to determined the practices of

farmers using inorganic fertilizer on corn crops.

1. What is the socio-demographic profile of the

farmers/respondents in this study:

a. Age

b. Sex

c. Highest Educational attainment

d. Attendance for trainings/seminars in Agriculture

e. Income per cropping

f. Tenurial Status

g. Farm size

2. What are the best practices of the respondents in corn

farming in terms of:

2.1 Types of fertilizers

2.2 Application of fertilizers

2.3 Corn Farming Strategies

2.3.a. Land Preparation

2.3.b. Planting

2.4.c. Applying of fertilizers

3. What are the types of fertilizers used by the

respondents per cropping?

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will rebound to the

benefit

DEPARTMRNT OF AGRICULTURE- The result of this study will

provide information to Department of Agriculture that

makes the organization focus and give compensation in

agricultural sectors.

FARMERS- The study will provide more ideas and knowledge

for farmers who cultivates corn.

FUTURE RESEARCHERS- the result of the study will be

valuable to young researchers as a basis for their

research.

Scope and delimitation

This study focused on farmer’s in corn production

in Sitio Dugo, Barangay Banguian, Abulug, Cagayan.the

respondents were farmers who engage in corn production

from the age of_____ and above.

Definition of terms

As used in the study, the following terms are

operationally defined to facilitate a clear and better

understanding of the study.

Corn- maize, also known as a corn, is a cereal grain

first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern

Mexico about 10,000 years ago.

Production- is the process of combining various material

inputs and immaterial inputs in order to make something

for consumption.

Practices- the actual application or use of an idea,

belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it.

Fertilizer- are generally defined as “any material,

organic or inorganic,natural or synthetic, which supplies

one or more of the chemical elements required for the

plant growth.
Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

History of fertilizer

Neolithic man probably used fertilizers, but the

first fertilizer produced by chemical processes was

ordinary superphosphate, made early in the 19th century by

treating bones with sulfuric acid. Coprolites and

phosphate rock soon replaced bones as the P source. The k

fertilizer industry started in Germany in 1861. In North

America the K industry started during World War I and

expanded with development of the New Mexico deposits in

1931 and the Saskatchewan deposits in 1958. Modern K

fertilizer are more the product of physical than chemical

processes. The first synthetic N fertilizer was calcium

nitrate, made in 1903 from nitric acid produced by the

electric arc process. The availability of synthetic

ammonia after 1913 led to many new N fertilizers, but

physical quality was poor. In 1933 TVA was formed with a

national responsibility to increase the efficiency of

fertilizer manufacture and use. More than 75% of the

fertilizer produced in the United States is made with

processes developed by TVA.

Major fertilizes and fertilizer intermediates

introduced by TVA include ammonium nitrate, high-analysis

phosphates,diammonium phosphate, nitric phosphate, urea

ammonium phosphates, 11-16-0 and other liquid base

solutions, superphophoric acid wet-process

superphosphoric acid suspensions, granular urea, and S-

coated urea. These have had major impact upon the

production of mixed fertilizer, bulk blending, and the

fluid fertilizer industry. Future fertilizers not

technologically feasible, economical, and agrenomical

suitable-as have been past fertilizers-but also must meet

various air and water pollution standards during

production and have reduced total energy requirements.

(Russel D. and Williams G. 1977)

Fertilizer and It’s Nutrients

Organic fertilizers release nutrients as they break

down, improving the soil and its ability to hold water

and nutrients. Given time, they make your soil and plants

healthier and hardier. Organic fertilizers carry little

risk of a toxic overdose of chemicals, but they require a

breakdown of microorganisms to release nutrients,

limiting their seasonal effectiveness and potentially

increasing the amount they take to feed your plants

(Mowbot Team, 2018).

Fertilizer and its Ingredients

Most fertilizer formulas are stated on the package

in the form of the percentages of nitrogen (N),

phosphorus(P) and potassium (K), in that order. A 12-8-4

fertilizer formula contains 12 percent nitrogen, 8

percent phosphorus and 4 percent potassium by weight. It

may also contain other secondary and micronutrients.

Types of supply of inorganic Fertilizer

There are six major inorganic fertilizer grades

available in the market, namely: Urea (46-0-0); Ammonium

Sulfate (21-0-0); Ammonium Phosphate (16-20-0);

Diammonium Phosphate (18-46-0); Complete (14-14-14) and

Muriate of Potash (0-0-60). inorganic fertilizers were

sourced from importation (69%) and domestic production

(31%). In general, total supply increased at annual

growth rate of 4.68%. Fluctuations were observed in both

domestic supply and imports. However, domestic supply

showed dramatic reduction of 25% annual average from 2002

to 2010. The lowest domestically produced inorganic was

recorded in 2010 at 36,000 metric tons only and zero

production in 2015.(Ani P. and Abeleda M. 2018).

Adverse effects of chemical fertilizer

 Chemical fertilizers have aided farmers in

increasing crop production since the 1930’s. while

chemical fertilizers have their place increasing plant

nutrients in adverse weather conditions or during times

when plants need additional nutrients, there are also

several harmful effects of chemical fertilizers may cause

include waterway pollution, chemical burn to crops,

increased air pollution, acidification of the soil and

mineral depletion of the soil.

Waterway Pollution

The use of chemical fertilizers on crops can have

adverse effects on waterways caused by chemical run off

of the excess fertilizer. The over-abundance of nutrients

in the water reduces the amount of oxygen. The existing

organisms living in the water use up the oxygen that is

left. The result is oxygen depletion causing the fish to

die.

Chemical Burn

Chemical fertilizers are high in nutrient content

such as nitrogen. Over-application of chemical fertilizer

to plants may cause the leaves to turn yellow or brown,

damaging the plant and reducing crop yield. This

condition is known as chemical leaf scorch. Leaf scorch

can cause the leaves of the plant to wither and may cause

the plant to die.

Increased Air Pollution

Excess nitrogen used in crop fertilization can

contribute to the release of greenhouse gases such as

carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere.

This effect is caused by using a greater amount of

chemical fertilizer than the plants can readily absorb.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics

Lab, excess greenhouse gases trapped in the atmosphere

may be contributing to the increase of land and ocean

surface temperatures.

Soil Acidification

The over-use of chemical fertilizers can lead to

soil acidification because of a decrease in organic

matter in the soil. Nitrogen applied to fields in large

amounts over time damages topsoil, resulting in reduced

crop yields. Sandy soils are much more prone to soil

acidification than are clay soils. Clay soils have an

ability to buffer the effects of excess chemical

fertilization.

Mineral Depletion

There is an increasing concern that continuous use

of chemical fertilizers on soil depletes the soil of

essential nutrients. As a result, the food produced in

these soils have less vitamin and mineral content.

Ground Water Pollution

The persistent use of chemical fertilizers causes

the pollution of ground water sources, or leaching.

Chemical fertilizers that are highly soluble get absorbed

by the ground more rapidly than they are absorbed by the

intended plants. Plants have the capacity to absorb only

a given level of nutrition at a time leaving the rest of

the fertilizer to leach. Leaching is not only hazardous

to groundwater sources but also to the health of subsoil

where these chemicals react with clay to create hard

layers of soil known as hardpan. As a result of chemical

fertilizer use the health of soil and water is

jeopardized, not to mention the waste of money and

nutrient deficient plants.

Soil Friability Effect

The presence of a number of acids in the soil, such

as hydrochloric and sulfuric acids, creates a damaging

effect on soil referred to as soil friability. The

different acids in the soil dissolve the soil crumbs

which help to hold together the rock particles. Soil

crumbs result from the combination of humus, or

decomposed natural material such as dead leaves, with

clay. These mineral rich soil crumbs are essential to

soil drainage and greatly improve air circulation in the

soil. As the chemicals in the chemical fertilizers

destroy soil crumbs, the result is a highly compacted

soil with reduced drainage and air circulation.

Destruction of Micro-Organisms

The synthetic chemicals in the chemical fertilizers

adversely affect the health of naturally found soil

micro-organisms by affecting the soil pH. These altered

levels of acidity in the soil eliminate the micro-

organisms beneficial to plant and soil health as they

help to increase the plants' natural defenses against

pests and diseases. These helpful micro-organisms consist

of antibiotic-producing bacteria and mycorrhizal and

other fungi which are found in healthy soil. The use of

chemical fertilizers also jeopardizes the health of

bacteria that fix the nitrogen balance in the soil. These

nitrogen-fixing bacteria are responsible for converting

the atmospheric oxygen into a form of nitrogen that can

be used readily by plants.

The biggest issue facing the use of chemical

fertilizers is groundwater contamination. Nitrogen

fertilizers break down into nitrates and travel easily

through the soil. Because it is water-soluble and can

remain in groundwater for decades, the addition of more

nitrogen over the years has an accumulative effect.

At the University of Wisconsin, Madison, they

discovered the effects of chemical fertilizers are

compounded when mixed with a single pesticide. They

discovered altered immune, endocrine and nervous system

functions in mice, as well as influence on children’s and

fetus's developing neurological, endocrine and immune

systems. These influences "portend change in ability to

learn and in patterns of aggression."

One popular fertilizer, urea, produces ammonia

emanation, contributes to acid rain, groundwater

contamination and ozone depletion due to release of

nitrous oxide by denitrification process. With its

increased use and projections of future use, this problem

may increase several folds in the coming decades.

Groundwater contamination has been linked to gastric

cancer, goiter, birth malformations, and hypertension;

testicular cancer and stomach cancer. Excessive air- and

water-borne nitrogen from fertilizers may cause

respiratory ailments, cardiac disease, and several

cancers, as well as can "inhibit crop growth, increase

allergenic pollen production, and potentially affect the

dynamics of several vector-borne diseases, including West

Nile virus, malaria, and cholera.“

 Perhaps one of the scariest effects of chemical

fertilizers is something called methemoglobinemia. In

infants it is alternatively known as Blue Baby Syndrome.

The risk most often occurs when infants are given formula

reconstituted with nitrate contaminated water. The

condition causes a decrease in oxygen in the blood and

results in a blue-grey skin color, causes lethargy and/

or irritability and can lead to coma or death.  I've been

unable to find whether the same risk exists for

breastfeeding babies whose mothers drank contaminated

water. Nitrogen groundwater contamination also

contributes to marine "dead zones".

The increase in the water-soluble nitrates creates an

influx of plant-life, which eats up oxygen and starves

out fish and crustaceans. This has an impact not only on

the aquatic ecosystem, but on local societies who depend

on food sourced from those areas. And then there is the

highly questionable use of raw sewer sludge as a

fertilizer. In some countries, raw, un-composted and

untreated human waste is applied directly to crops and

soil, a practice known as "night soil" since it's

typically applied at night. The risk of disease is

obvious and high; this practice should never be confused

with "humanure", a long, highly involved process of

decomposing human waste into a safe resource.

 According to the Environmental Protection Agency,

most fertilizers contain about the same basic materials:

nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and sometimes other

nutrients, like zinc, needed for healthy plant growth.

Many people use fertilizers to give extra life to their

lawn and garden, but few people consider the potential

drawbacks of these fertilizers. In an effort to be as

environmentally conscious as possible, it is important to

consider the potentially harmful effects of fertilizers

as well as the benefits.

Human Carcinogens

The most significant harmful effects come from

fertilizer that is designed to kill or prevent weeds.

According to the EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs, 12

of the most popular pesticides in the United States have

ingredients known to cause cancer. Organic fertilizers

are guaranteed to be safe for the environment, the body

and free of pesticides.

Toxic Waste Potential

Many people do not realize that some fertilizers are

made from the residuals of waste water treatment

facilities or recycled from other areas that cause them

to test positive for toxic waste. According to the

federation of Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG), 29

popular fertilizers tested positive for 22 toxic heavy

metals, including silver, nickel, selenium, thallium and

vanadium. All of the metals found are linked directly to

human health hazards.

Chapter 3

METHOD OF RESEARCH

This chapter will discuss how the research will be

conducted. It consist the following: locale of the study,

respondents, and sampling technique, research instruments

and Statistical.

Subject of the Study

The individuals who participated in this study are

the selected farmers from sitio Dugo, barangay Banguian,

municipality of Abulug, province of Cagayan.

Research Design

This study will use a descriptive method of research.

Locale of the study

The study was conducted in Sitio Dugo,barangay

Banguian, Abulug, Cagayan. It is located

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________.

Respondents and Sampling Techniques

Sampling is the process of choosing the units that

could be included in the study,determining the sample

size and sample selection procedure(Sarantakos, 1998)

This study will use sampling procedure, in which

both simple random sampling techniques were used to

select the sample respondents from Sitio Dugo, Barangay

Banguian Abulug, Cagayan.

To identify the sampling frame of the study, using

list of farmers were taken from the office of the

Barangay Banguian.

From this Sitio Dugo of Barangay Baguian, there were

30 identified corn farmers based on the data obtained

from the office of the Barangay secretary, thus they will

serve as our respondents of this study.

Research Instrument

The research instruments used by the researchers in

conducting the research are the following:

a. Survey

b. Questionnaire

Data Gathering Procedure

The data used in the research was gathered through

survey and questionnaire.

Statistical Treatment

The frequency counts and percentage distribution

will use for the profile of the respondents.

For the best practices, the researchers will be

using the five-point likert scale.

SCALE STATISTICAL LIMIT ADJECTIVAL

DESCRIPTION
1 1.00-1.80 NEVER

2 1.81-2.60 RARELY

3 2.61-3.40 SOMETIMES

4 3.41-4.20 OFTEN

5 4.21-5:00 ALWAYS
Chapter 4