Chapter 1

The Problem and Its Setting

Introduction

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the second most important fruit or

vegetable crop next to potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), with approximately 182.3 million

tons of tomato fruits produced on 4.85 million ha each year (FAOSTAT, 2019). In fact,

according to data from Faostat, in 2020, the world produced 186,821 million kilos of

tomatoes on 5,051,983 hectares, achieving an average yield per square meter of 3.71

kilos. China is the world's largest tomato producer with 64.768 million mT, i.e. 34.67% of

the world's total production. In 2020, China devoted 1,107,485 hectares to tomato

production and its yield per square meter stood at 58.5 mT/ha (Hortidaily, 2022).

In the Philippines, production of tomato in April to June 2022 was recorded

at 71.59 thousand metric tons. This was -6.4 percent lower than the 76.47

thousand metric tons output in the same period of 2021. Ilocos Region, the leading

producer of tomato this quarter with 24.41 thousand metric tons, shared 34.1 percent to

the country’s total tomato output. Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley followed with 12.6

percent and 10.2 percent shares, respectively. (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2022).

While tomatoes remain one of the most extensively planted plants, tomato fruit

production and distribution have changed across the world. According to Karen Cambre

(2018), she explained in an article to the LSU AgCenter, there are several factors that

can cause blossom-end rot in tomatoes, but they all are the result of poor absorption of

calcium. It could be that you have low levels of calcium in the soil and the plant cannot
meet its calcium needs. Another possibility is that you have a low soil pH and calcium is

tied up and not available for the plant. The third possibility is either too much water or

not enough water and a constant drying out and wetting of the soil. Tomatoes need a

consistent supply of water so they can uptake nutrients correctly. Another problem is

that tomato plants that look healthy and then for no apparent reason just wilt. One day

the plant looks fine and the next day it looks like you poured hot water over it and it has

lost all rigidity. In fact, according to a study of University of Massachusetts Amherst

(2020), symptoms of blossom-end rot first appear as light-tan, water-soaked lesions,

usually on the distal end of the fruit but occasionally on the side of the fruit. The lesions

then enlarge and become black and leathery, and are often invaded by Alternaria

alternata, a saprophytic fungus that attacks dead tissue. In tomato, internal black

lesions may also develop, which are sometimes not visible until the fruit is cut open.

With the situation cited, the researchers opted to conduct a study on creating an

additive carrier for the horticultural performance of tomatoes using egg shells and

malunggay fermented juice. According to Murakami (2007), egg shells are a rich source

of mineral salts, mainly calcium carbonate, which corresponds to about 94% of the

shell. Eggshells are quite useful in adding calcium to homemade fertilizers, or you can

simply make calcium water by steeping dried eggshells in water for a couple of days,

and then using the strained water for your plants, including houseplants (Pleasant, n.d.).

On the other hand, malunggay plant juice is also rich in vitamins and minerals, specially

abundant calcium, therefore it is widely used as a calcium supplement for food

(Food Sci Biotechnol, 2020).

References:

Quinet, M. (2019). Tomato Fruit Development and Metabolism. Frontiers. Retrieved

October 17, 2022,
from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.01554/full
Worldwide tomato production exceeds 186,800 million kilos. (2022, January 6).
Retrieved October 17, 2022,
from https://www.hortidaily.com/article/9387133/worldwide-tomato-production-
exceeds-186-800-million-kilos/
Worldwide (total fresh) tomato production exceeds 187 million tonnes in 2020 -
Tomato News. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2022,
from https://www.tomatonews.com/en/worldwide-total-fresh-tomato-production-
exceeds-187-million-tonnes-in-2020_2_1565.html

Philippine Statistics Authority | Republic of the Philippines. (n.d.). Retrieved October

17, 2022, from https://psa.gov.ph/vegetable-root-crops-main/tomato

Common Problems in Tomatoes. (2018, May 15). LSU AgCenter. Retrieved October
17, 2022, from https://www.lsuagcenter.com/articles/page1526388702034

Solanaceous, Blossom End Rot. (2020b, October 1). Center for Agriculture, Food, and
the Environment. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from
https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/solanaceous-blossom-end-rot

Pleasant, B. (n.d.). Using Eggshells in the Garden. GrowVeg. Retrieved October 17,
2022, from https://www.growveg.com/guides/using-eggshells-in-the-garden/

NCBI - WWW Error Blocked Diagnostic. (n.d.-b). Retrieved October 17, 2022, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7561653/