Bio-organic Fertilizer Increases Crop Yields, Cuts Chemical Inputs

Filipino-made bio-organic plant supplement made from fruit extracts and beneficial microorganisms can increase crop yields by as much as 30 percent while reducing the use of chemical fertilizer by 50 percent in the initial cropping. The bio-organic fertilizer, called Seed Growth, was developed by renowned inventor Engr. Glenn T. Castillo by using nanotechnology which deals with the development of materials or devices within the size of 100 nanometers or smaller in at least one dimension. According to agriculturist Dann Revaula of GCore Group which distributes Seed Growth, farmers can expect high yield from using it on rice, corn, vegetables, plantation crops, fruit trees, and even aquaculture. He explained that Seed Growth contains nano-minerals that rapidly stabilize soil pH level and neutralize soil acidity. It also activates beneficial microorganisms and non-symbiotic forms of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil that help convert nutrients into more usable forms. Another benefit from Seed Growth, Revaula said, is the increase in crops resistance to insect pests and diseases due to the release of gibberellins and kinetin-like hormones, so that farmers need not apply pesticides at all. For rice, we recommend the application of Seed Growth starting from land preparation up to fruiting stage to achieve best results, Revaula said. Seed Growth is initially applied to rice at a rate of 100 ml per 16 liters of water during land preparation. The succeeding applications at 7 days after transplanting (DAT), at 30 DAT, at 45-60 DAT, and at milking stage require a uniform dosage of 15 ml per 16 liters of water. This rate is enough for 1,000 square meters, says Revaula. But most farmers apply 2 liters of Seed Growth in combination with 10 bags of organic fertilizers per hectare, he said. For vegetables, the dosage is 15 ml per 16 liters of water at 10-15 days interval starting from land preparation. For ornamentals and fruit trees, the recommended rates are 1 ml per 1 liter of water and 30-35 ml per 16 liters of water, respectively at intervals depending on crops nutrient requirements. Revaula, however, said that the results from using Seed Growth especially on rice is not fully achieved right on the first cropping as the soil will undergo a so-called transition period. In the first cropping, for instance, Revaula said that farmers who have used Seed Growth on their crops attested that they achieved 30% increase in yield and 50 percent reduction in inorganic fertilizer application. This rate increased in the second and third croppings where they got 70 to 100 percent increases in yield and 70 to 75 percent reduction in inorganic fertilizer inputs. These, of course, are achieved with proper management and favorable weather conditions. Seed Growth is now used by farmers in Luzon, Visayas and especially in Mindanao where it was first introduced. Revaula said that Seed Growth users now harvest an average of 150 cavans of rice per hectare or even higher compared to 80 cavans per hectare back when they were not using Seed Growth. Seed Growth costs P1,500 per liter. It was one of the products featured at the 2009 National Invention Contest and Exhibits organized by the Technology Application and Promotion Institute of the Department of Science and Technology.

Organic Egg Through Nanotechnology

This organic egg promotes growth, restores vitality and helps keeps us away from diseases. Eggs are an essential and versatile ingredient for many baked goods, a key ingredient to so many delicious and nutritious dishes, and of course, great for breakfast. But nowadays, people are now nary chicken eggs in the market open grass) like becoming conscious about the food they eat. Maybe this is why there were an increasing number of folks claiming to have organically grown eggs. They also believe that it is healthier to eat organic eggs than to have ordinary chicken eggs in the market because organic ones come from chickens that are treated with hormones (antibiotic free) and so our body should be safe from chemicals. Organic egg, they said, is from free range chicken (raised on open grass) like native chicken. They eat seed, grains, grass and other plantsunlike the commercial chickens fed with feeds made up of animal and fish byproducts which cause that fishy taste in their eggs. But these are not always true. We met Engr. Walther B. Alvarez, one of the exhibitors in the INAHGEN 2010, The Farmers Congress held recently. He is using his technology to produce organic eggs even from caged chickens that are fed with commercial feeds but are still low in cholesterol and high in protein. This Filipino Engineer owe this to his amazing feed powder mix which he developed to improve the immune system and enhance the performance of animals offering solution to various health problems of the countrys poultry and swine industries. Called Atovi, this egg is a product of nanotechnology was applied by Engr. Alvarez, a management and industrial engineering graduate of the Mapua Institute of Technology. Nanotechnology is a process that involves altering the molecular structure of any physical matter to come out with altered behavior. A nanotech product refers to any substance that is engineered at the scale of a nanometer (one billionth of a meter), such is about three to five atoms across. By messing with atom, an engineer can alter a substance so it does new functions. Engr. Alvarez pointed out that the additive improves the reproductive capacity of animals and reduces ammonia from waste products, Their manure is converted already into an organic fertilizer which could be applied directly to plants. According to him, in subsequenttrials and actual demonstrations, Atovi has been proven to have improved the physiological condition of any livestock and providing immediate and optimal response, absorption, conversion, stability and efficacy of the nutritive value of feed inputs and medication program. He said the feed additive has been tested by many poultry farm owners and managers to improve the general well-being of their chicken regardless of age. It promotes growth, restores vitality and helps keeps us away from diseases. That is why the chickens are antibiotic free. Our farmers ought to be given opportunities to be more productive and competitive so its about time our product reaches them for their own advantage. Rather than seen as competitor to conventional feeds and veterinary health products, Atovi actually serves as catalyst and their partner to effective prevention and treatment of disease and stimulation of appetite, Alvarez explained. We have visited his office at Tunasan, Muntinlupa where he constructed a simple demo cage of 96 layers. These chickens were ready to be culled (retired) when he bought to further show the wonder of his technology. You wouldnt know they have a small poultry within the subdivision because there is no smell of foul odor from their waste products. And it was really amazing to see this chicken regain their reproductive capacity to produce an egg everyday.

Engr Alvarez showed us the difference between commercial eggs from organic eggs they produce. Commercial eggs we usually bought from the market has watery whites and anemic egg yolks white the organic ones have perky, dark yello or almost orange egg yolks that stand tall and two distinct parts of the egg whites, the more viscous part nearer the yolk and a less viscous outer layer. Flavor is better too because it has no fishy or ( malansa taste). When boiled, organic eggs tastes like our kesong puti (white cheese) taste because of its creaminess (linamnam). They even showed us copies of taste results of their organic eggs that has been submitted for analysis of cholesterol content to Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) which is under the Department of Science and Technology or DOST. It said that organic eggs produced by them have low cholesterol content than that of commercial eggs. Therefore, their organic eggs are better, safer and healthier for us to take. He said we dont have t take eggs of native chickens to have organic eggs. Ordinary chicken fed with Atovi treated feeds or water, could also produce organic eggs. Besides nowadays, we can never be sure of the food this free ranged chicken and native chicken gets from the backyard. So be sure, always give them Atovi, he said. To know more about organic eggs, contact 09159327374.

Dont Just Eliminate Talahib, Convert It Into Biodiesel

Talahib or kans grass(Saccharum spontanaem) is a common nuisance grass that thrives on dle lots and farms as well as on gardens, pots, terreza, roofs and gutters, fruit trees, and even on cracks of concrete surfaces. It so irritating that one even has to allot a yearly budget to eliminate them on a regular basis. Otherwise, it overruns your plants, dirty up your patio and farm, and eats up soil nutrients that should be absorbed by the crop. Like plants and animals, talahib has oil content or organic triglycerides that can be converted to a potent and environment friendly fuel called biodiesel. Biodiesel can be used 100 percent or in blends at any proportions with diesel on any diesel engine without modification. Having an oxygen in its molecules, biodiesel compared to diesel has better combustibility (higher cetane number), higher lubricity (less wear and tear, lower noise and vibration), produces less smoke, and has superior engine cleaning ability. There are two ways of extracting the oil out of talahib. One is by steam distillation, which is similar to refluxing liquor. Oil that floats over water is collected. Using this process, one can get yields as high as 30 percent to 52 percent by weight depending on the maturity of the grass. One with nature flowers was found to give better oil yields. In this case, a simple kitchen steamer attached with spiral copper tubing was used. The spiral tubing was cooled by running water from the faucet. Another way is by drying, then squeezing it through an expeller. This expeller is similar to a meat grinder except that the holes at the end are hindered and heated. The one tried in this procedure was a manual expeller manufactured by Piteba: Using this process, an oil yield from dried and cut talahib gave only 28 percent to 47 percent by weight.

The mild jasmine scented oil extracted totals 21 liters from an equivalent talahib growing on a 200 m2 area. A sample (see picture) is shown on the left bottle below in comparison with crude coconut oil. It has a density of 0. 86 g/ml and has an appearance of clear golden yellow, which is lighter than that of crude coconut oil. It was also observed that long drying period of greater than a day caused an abrupt increase in free fatty acids content of the oil ranging 5 percent or even higher with longer time lapsed. This maybe due to enzymatic reaction of the leaves. Immediate processing therefore is recommended right after harvest. Talahib oil was then processed to biodiesel using an automatic biodiesel reactor (IPO # 2200800524). Appropriate amount of catalyst and alkyl alcohol were mixed thoroughly for five minutes in the reactor vessel, while the oil was being heated at the processor vessel. The resulting alkoxide solution was then pumped and mixed with the oil in the processor vessel for another 15 minutes of transesterification reaction to talahib-alklester or talahib-biodiesel. Afterwards, the glycerine that settled was removed by gravitydraining. Washing and aeration followed, which purified further the 100 percent conversion of the talahib oil to B 100 diesel or pure biodiesel. In trying to optimized and/or duplicate the results, a dry season harvest of mature flowered talahib was undertaken. This time a better yield of 158 ml oil per square meter was observed, indicating that the grass has higher oil content during summer and/or at mature growth stage. A better, safe and easy to operate Compact Biodiesel Processor System (IPO # 22009000149) was used this time for more efficient and faster conversion of the oil to talahib-biodiesel. Using this, effortless 100 percent conversion was achieved. Optimum efficiency was noted, particularly due to translucent conical bottom on the distinct and discernable separation of glycerine and soap interface residue from good talahib-biodiesel. The evaluation of the talahib-biodiesel was also found conforming to both PNS standard 2020-2003/DOE 002-2003 and ASTM D6751-07b. Clarity in comparison to diesel with 2 percent blend and commercial B 100 biodiesel being used as additive purchased from petrol station was found unparalleled. Flame flash test is also a very important physico-chemical characterization of diesel and biodiesel. The difference in soot, smoke, flame color, combustibility, heat generated, and zapping sound of fuel being burned can be visibly ascertained and differentiated. Even biodiesel sourced from different feedstock has distinctive flame properties. In these regards, flame flash test of talahib-biodiesel being unique was observed energy filled and bursting with power. The contribution of grass-biodiesel cannot be assessed as of this moment, but the presence of grass laden idle lots, hectares of planted and unplanted arable, and even unarable lands everywhere in dicates that benefits of this when tapped can be promising and overwhelming. And we dont have to spend even a cent in land preparation and planting unlike in Jatropha curcas. This is not only for the individual, not only for his engine, not only for his fuel savings, not only for his environment, not only to suppress the impending global warming, but also to envigorate the economy. The mere incorporation of 1 percent biodiesel into diesel as imposed by Biofuel Act of 2006 has saved our economy $45 billon in oil importation last year. Maybe we, farmers, can start this endeavor. By doing so, maybe we can convince our political leaders that a very minimal portion of their pork barrel when coursed on this viable project can make long way for the country and for its endowed people.

Bulacan, Pampanga Farmers Get a Taste of Durabloom

For more than two years now, farmers in at least 11 towns of Bulacan and Pampanga have been getting higher yields and net income from their rice, corn, watermelon and vegetable crops. These are due to the bio-organic fertilizer Durabloom, which is made of pure chicken manure. Liza Sacdalan of Plaridel, Bulacan, said it all started in a seminar held on Dec. 5, 2004 that was attended by officers of the Angat Maasim River Irrigation System Confederation of Irrigators Associations. In that seminar, Dr. Rene Sumaoang, president and general manager of Novatech Agri-Food Industries, talkedlengthily on bio-organic fertilizer Durabloom, which he himself formulated after working as vice president of a private company for several years. Immediately after the seminar, the heads of the various irrigators associations ordered a total of 200 bags, which were delivered in Plaridel five days later. As a farmer, community leader and officer of the irrigation system confederation, Liza got 25 bags for their 2.5-hectare (ha) farm. Her father was reluctant to use it at first which was understandable because he used to apply inorganic fertilizer. He was unwilling to use Durabloom and thought that the amount she bought was too much. At that time, her father was using 16 bags of inorganic fertilizers for their farm. She applied Durabloom during the last harrowing. This was followed by the application of five bags ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) at 15 days after transplanting (DAT) and three bags of complete (14-14-14) at 40 DAT. Three days after the Durabloom application, she saw that algae (lumot) were already growing profusely in the field. Thereafter, she noticed that the newly transplanted seedlings were growing well with dark green leaves like kutsay. One week after transplanting, numerous earthworms were already observed in the field, Liza said. She said that in the past, earthworms could hardly be seen in their farm thats why she was worried. She was apprehensive that the earthworms would cause some problems, and so she called up Dr. Sumaoang. She was told, however, not to worry about the earthworms, as this is an indication of a favorable condition for their development. Dr. Sumaoang also told her that the earthworms would even help improve the fertility of the soil. With a rice production cost of P35,000 in 2004, they were harvesting only 215 bags or 4,300 kg/ha per season. But with the initial application of Durabloom, their yield increased to 5,828 kg/ha, which indicates an increase of 1,528 kg/ha or 36 percent. Come to think about it, the initial application already made a dramatic increase in their yield. Such an increase in yield would surely be encouraging to any farmer. Assuming that a kilogram of rice grains at that time was P8, then the additional 1,528 kg was already worth a little over P12,000. Whats more, the cost of production commensurately decreased as a result of reduced inorganic fertilizer application, thereby increasing the net income. DURABLOOM DISTRIBUTOR This lady, who has been fighting for irrigators associations in Bulacan since 2000 and an outstanding alumna of the Centro Escolar University where she obtained her degree in commerce, did not waste any time in~ spreading the word about the benefits that could be derived from Durabloom and eventually became its distributor in Bulacan.

And like her, Durabloom has also helped other farmers increased their yield. Among the first users were Pacifico Dimla of Pulilan; Mario Manaol of San Luis, Pampanga; Hermogenes de Castro of San Rafael, Bulacan; Guillermo Mangaluz of Brgy. Candaba, Pampanga; and Gerry dela Cruz of Pandi, Bulacan. With the application of 15 bags, Dimla harvested 7,500 bags from I ha. On the other hand, Manaol applied 20 bags in 2 ha and got a yield of 6,600 kg/ha. Other farmers who followed their. example benefited as well. For instance, Dr. Pedro San Diego, a 93, yearold retired physician in Plaridel, has been using the product for four consecutive seasons already. He owns 25 ha in various locations and was using decomposed agricultural biomass including sawdust and coir dust before he came to know about Durabloom. His farm in Sto. Nino, Plaridel was almost mistaken by farmers as grassland. In fact, one farmer almost tethered his carabao in the area. This was because of the luxuriant growth of the rice plants at the tillering stage. Another Durabloom user in Plaridel is Oscar Perlas who applies the product in his 5-ha farm. Boy Camaya of Baliuag applied 25 bags of Durabloom, five bags of urea (45-0-0) and five bags of complete (14-14-14) in his 3-ha farm in Apalit, Pampanga. He harvested a total of 300 bags (roughly 18,000 kg). In Brgy. Malis, Guiguinto, Bulacan. Rey Rivera applied six bags Durabloom in 6,000 sq. m. His yield increased by only eight bags. The Municipal Agriculture Office subsequently ordered 200 bags for distribution to farmers as an intervention for increased rice yields. Liza said it is because they trust the product. The positive feedback on the performance of Durabloom has also reached Pampanga. In Brgy. San Juan, San Luis, Pampanga, Sunny Domingo applied eight bags of Durabloom plus four bags of urea in his 1.8ha farm which he planted to a private hybrid. His crop became the apple of the eye of other farmers as he harvested a total 215 bags (roughly 13,000 kg). With a total production cost of P14,000, he surely must have obtained a high income since he sold his harvest at P12.50 a kilo. In the wet season of 2005, Liza conducted a seminar for farmers in Plaridel and immediately after the seminar, Mayor Tessie Vistan ordered 234 bags of Durabloom for distribution to farmers who were going to plant hybrid rice. Two bags of the bio-organic fertilizer were given free for every bag of hybrid rice seeds planted. It was a good marketing strategy since the two bags are not enough for a hectare. Farmers who followed the recommended rate of Durabloom application still had to buy an additional eight bags. Thus, Liza sold about 800 bags that season. One of the users was Ka Imo, a farmer who cultivates only 6,000 sq. m. He applied six bags Durabloom and harvested 82 bags (roughly 4,920 kg). He said that his crop did not lodge despite a number of typhoons that passed the area. He was so amazed at his yield and from then on, he has been going directly to Liza to buy the bio-organic fertilizer. In the dry season of 2006, the Plaridel LGU got again 100 bags of Durabloom despite the limited budget that it could afford. CORN, WATERMELON, VEGETABLES Corn, watermelon and vegetable growers in Pulilan also use Durabloom even if they only heard about its performance in rice. Roland de Guzman, for instance, tried it on 1,700 sq. m. which he planted with 1 kg of corn seeds. Before he started to use Durabloom, his total production cost amounted to more than P6,000 and his harvest was sold at P8,000. With Durabloom application, his production cost decreased to a little over

P5,000 because the amount of inorganic fertilizer decreased. Oil top of that, his sale from his harvest from 0.17 ha was P14,000, which means an additional income of almost P7,000. News about Rolands harvest spread so easily, until other farmers led by Remy Daquiz started to use Durabloom. After their initial trial, the corn farmers in Pulilan continued to get their Durabloom supply from Liza because they are satisfied with its performance. Liza said that because the yield of vegetable growers in Plarldel increased due to Durabloom application, they have stopped using inorganic fertilizer on tomato, pechay, mustard and pole sitao. Watermelon growers have also followed their fellow farmers. In the 2007 dry season of 2007, the Plaridel LGU got 150 bags of Durabloom, which were distributed to 21 farmers who participated in a Pinaka contest, a contest on the production of the largest watermelon fruit. According to Liza, the top three winning entries weighed almost two kilos each. Venancio Talastas, a farmer and councilman in Brgy. Parulan, said that watermelon fruits produced with Durabloom were bigger than those applied with inorganic fertilizer. He has been planting watermelon for 3 1 years already, but his yield this year was better due to Durabloom application. Henninio Frias, Plaridel municipal agriculturist, said the production cost of farmers for watermelon has decreased while yield and income increased due to the application of the bio-organic fertilizer. Liza said the farmers were indeed very happy about their yields. In fact, one farmer harvested watermelons worth P250,000 from 1 ha. Liza has already sold more than 1,000 bags of Durabloom for this years wet season rice crop alone and expects the volume to increase as soon as heavy rains come. In fact, this writer had to wait for her for a while when he went to interview her because she was out trying to close a deal with a rice farmer. Overall, this former outstanding youth leader while in college, who has been hopping from one job to another, has finally found a niche with bio-organic fertilizer Durabloom. At the same time, she continues to fight for the rights and privileges of the members, of irrigators associations