Background of the study 1

Isolation, Characterization and Identification of Potential Plant Growth Promoting

Rhizobacteria for Germination and Seedling Growth

of Garlic (Allium sativum)

Background of the Study

In the world market, China dominates the garlic export at 863 thousand tons of garlic and

garlic products valued at USD 180.5 million (Produce Report, 2017) followed by competitors

such as India and Egypt. But, even though there is a healthy competition in the garlic export

market, the Philippines cannot compete with the global demands on this high value crop.

In the Philippine Statistics Authority report on Selected Statistics on Agriculture 2016,

data shows that from 2011 to 2015, garlic ranked last on volume of production with only 9.26

average annual product in metric tons; least area of plantation at only 264,000 hectares in

average; and even the lowest production value with only 10.4 billion in 2015. Latest reports on

national newspapers reported that prices surged from P250 to P300 per kilogram in the local

market due to supply and production shortage.

A national program for garlic increase production was conceptualized including the

development interventions that must be emphasized in a community-based approach. The

cluster-based approach of the Department of Agriculture can take advantage of areas where

garlic yields are at its highest. According to Dr. Emil Q. Javier, the chairman of the Coalition for

Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines, there are farms in Occidental Mindoro where

reported garlic yields reach 6.32 tons/hectare. Also, the use of virus-free planting materials
combined with intensive cultural management could generate average yields of 5 tons/hectare in

the Ilocos region. To date, the Mariano Marcos State University and University of the

Philippines-Los Banos have the capacity to produce virus-free clones of garlic and have planned

in carrying out such a goal. Until now, increasing garlic production to suffice the demands in the

market is still a struggle to both the Department of Agriculture and garlic farmers (The Manila

Times, 2018)

According to Beneduzi et al. (2012), there are specific bacteria that inhabit plant roots

that may promote or disrupt plant growth are called rhizobacteria. Those that promote growth are

called Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR). In this modern times, it is ideal to extend

and propagate the natural niche of these bacteria to help promote the growth of high-valued

crops such as Allium sativum. Rhizobacteria are studied to help plant growth in various processes

such as nitrogen fixation and nitrification (Rai & Nabti, 2017) even root growth stimulation and

biofertilization (Lugtenberg & Kamilova, 2009).

With this, the researchers screened for potential rhizobacteria or plant growth-enhancing

bacteria that will be utilized to enhance seed germination and growth for Allium sativum.

Do what is asked.

1. Is the discussion of the general problem present in the sample background of the study? If it is,

then change the FONT COLOR into RED of that entire part which discusses the general

problem background problem for this study.

2. Are there remedies/ solutions or other approaches conducted or made about the problem stated? If

there is, then change the FONT COLOR into GREEN of that entire part which discusses the

extent of intervention done on the problem.

3. Is the gap that was filled-in/ will be filled-in by the study stated in the background? If it is, then

change the FONT COLOR into BLUE of that entire part which discusses the gap that was

filled-in or needs to be filled-in by the study.

4. Is the primary goal of the study stated in connection to the general problem given? If it is, then

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Background of the study 2

Electrolytic Potential of Chlorophyll in a Galvanic Cell Set-up

Background of the Study

Electricity plays a vital role in the daily lives of human beings. It is a form of energy that

is easy to produce, to use, to transport and to control. It is pointed out by the Philippine Power

Situation Report (2016) that every year the electricity consumption of people increases by

approximately 10% but the sources of electricity stay the same. It’s a burden to people if the

source of electricity suddenly runs out or if there is a shortage of it.

According to Holiday (2014), if electricity would be cut off then there would be a

massive die-off.  Our civilization cannot continue as it is without electricity. People living in the

urban and suburban areas would run out of food in short order and would definitely flee to rural

areas.  Most would die on the way. The rural areas depend on electricity as much as the urban

areas for food, water, fuel, etc., but would also succumb. In wherever and whatever situation

anybody might be in, unless living in an electricity-less cabin in the woods, everybody’s life

depends on electrical power.

Series of interventions were done and conducted to address the problem on electricity

demand. Renewable sources like windmills, solar energy through solar panels were made and

constructed to somehow suffice the needs for electricity in most households. Even production of

electrochemical cells was pushed through as one way to alleviate the head-cracking dilemma on

electricity.

A voltaic cell is an electrochemical cell that uses a chemical reaction to produce electrical

energy. It is a device that produces an electric current from energy released by a spontaneous
redox reaction. A galvanic (voltaic) cell has two electrodes, the anode and the cathode, which

facilitates two reactions may occur, oxidation and reduction. Electrodes can be made from any

sufficiently conductive materials, such as metals, semiconductors, graphite, and even conductive

polymers. In between these electrodes is the electrolyte, which contains ions that can freely move

(Introduction to Chemistry, n.d.). Innovations on voltaic cells have been made in the past years

such as solar panels and photovoltaic cells. However, solar panels and photovoltaic cells are not

commercially used due to high cost. Therefore, a new source of alternative energy resource is

needed to replace those existing energy resources.

Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. It is the

main component that contributed the process of photosynthesis in plants. It is capable to

channeling the energy of sunlight into chemical energy. It tends to obtain energy by absorbing

the sunlight through the process of photosynthesis. The molecules of chlorophyll absorb sunlight

and use the sunlight to synthesize the carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water.

This is known as photosynthesis which is the basis for sustaining life process of all plants (Heldt,

2005). The basic structure of chlorophyll is porphyrin ring. It is a stable molecule around which

electron are free to migrate and transfer absorbed energy from sunlight by resonance energy

transfer to a specific chlorophyll pair in the reaction center of the photosystems, in which areas

of a leaf containing the molecule will appear green (Hooi Ben Low, Jedol Dayou and Nyet Kui

Wong, 2013). This energy produced by chlorophyll could potentially be used as a new type of

renewable energy source and replace the energy source that common voltaic cells use today.

In this project, the feasibility of utilizing chlorophyll in the field of renewable energy

resource and demonstrate the potential use of chlorovoltaic cell was investigated. The
manufacturing cost of the chlorovoltaic cell was estimated to be lower than the voltaic cells

existing nowadays due to the abundance of chlorophyll in plants in our environment.

Do what is asked.

1. Is the discussion of the general problem present in the sample background of the study? If it is,

then change the FONT COLOR into RED of that entire part which discusses the background

problem for this study.

2. Are there remedies/ solutions or other approaches conducted or made about the problem stated? If

there is, then change the FONT COLOR into GREEN of that entire part which discusses the

extent of intervention done on the problem.

3. Is the gap that was filled-in/ will be filled-in by the study stated in the background? If it is, then

change the FONT COLOR into BLUE of that entire part which discusses the gap that was

filled-in or needs to be filled-in by the study.

5. Is the primary goal of the study stated in connection to the general problem given? If it is, then

change the FONT COLOR into GOLD of that entire part which discusses the primary objective

of the study.